Mike Hearn

Mike Hearn died in 2005 at age 32 "was a powerful force in African rhino conservation". In order to understand rhino's "better, Mike enrolled for an MSc in conservation biology at the University of Kent. For his dissertation research, he used the database he was building up for SRT on rhino sightings in Kunene to guide decisions on biological management of rhinos. He won the institute's prize for the best student of his year." Mike returned to Namibia as director of research for Save the Rhino Trust. "In 2002, he became a member of IUCN-the World Conservation Union's species survival commission African rhino specialist group in recognition of his growing authority in linking rhino conservation with people-centred approaches to conservation. It was on this topic that he was due to complete his PhD thesis in biodiversity management in 2006... He was instrumental in setting up an unprecedented tourism conservation initiative with Wilderness Safaris: money raised from visitors at the rhino camp at Palmwag went to support one of SRT's monitoring teams in the area."