Search Archive
On March 13, Rep. Raúl Grijalva passed away at the age of 77. The Arizona congressman, a stalwart advocate for animals and the environment who dedicated half a century to public service, will be greatly missed. Grijalva was a staunch supporter of the Endangered Species Act, defending it time and again against attacks during his
Richard Ellis—artist, author, conservationist, and great friend of AWI—died in May at the age of 86. Ellis grew up in Belle Harbor, on the Rockaway Peninsula of Queens, New York, and spent much of his early life swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and drawing its denizens. After obtaining a degree in American civilization from the
For 53 years, the captive orca Tokitae (a.k.a. Toki, Lolita, and Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut) lived in a tiny tank at Miami Seaquarium. She was a Southern Resident orca, a Pacific Northwest population listed as endangered in 2005. (In 2015, that listing was amended to remove the exclusion of captive whales such as Toki.) After the park was
Longtime AWI board member Cynthia Wilson died in August at the age of 83. Cynthia served on AWI’s board for over 50 years, chairing the board for the final 20 of those years following the passing of AWI’s founder, Christine Stevens, in 2002. Cynthia was born in Syracuse, New York, and grew up with a
Dr. Michael Tillman, a long-time advocate for whales and conservation, died in July at the age of 80. Dr. Tillman was born in Seattle, but his roots extended northward: Through his maternal family, he was a member of the Tlingit Tribe of Southeast Alaska. In 1972, he obtained a PhD from the University of Washington
On Saturday, June 10, 2023, Dr. Roger Payne, 88, passed away, surrounded by the love of his family at his home in Vermont. Roger maintained his clarity and wisdom until the final moment. He always needed to find answers to new questions, and often felt that science was not enough. Roger was frequently considered a
1960–2023 David Kirby, an award-winning investigative journalist, died on April 16 at the age of 62, after a series of health setbacks that began in late January after a fall. David had been active in the AIDS community in the 1990s, working closely with actress Elizabeth Taylor as the press secretary for the American Foundation
Along with so many in the marine animal protection community, AWI is grieving the loss late last year of three outstanding advocates. Each of these professionals played a role in helping to shape the careers of one or more members of AWI’s marine team. We will miss them dearly. Kenneth Balcomb III, 1940–2022 Kenneth Balcomb III died on
1929–2021 Born in Alabama, Dr. E. O. Wilson spent his formative years exploring forests and tidal pools, an activity that inspired a lifetime of inquiry and discovery. After completing his studies at the University of Alabama and receiving a PhD from Harvard, Wilson set off on a global expedition to study ants in Cuba, Mexico,
Senator Robert Dole (R-KS), who died in December at age 98, was a steadfast and skilled advocate of federal protection for animals. As a member of the House of Representatives in the 1960s, he served on the Agriculture subcommittee that approved the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act. This 1966 law—later renamed the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)—set
1941–2021 The life and career of Dr. Thomas Lovejoy—who coined the term “biological diversity”—was dedicated to the protection of the planet. After Lovejoy obtained a bachelor’s degree and PhD from Yale, an interest in birds led him to the Amazon, a fateful decision. For over 40 years, he would study the adverse impact of deforestation
The Wider Caribbean Region has lost a wonderful conservation champion. Paul Hoetjes of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, died in November after a short illness. AWI was fortunate to have worked with Paul over the past two decades, after being introduced to him by Col. Milton Kaufmann , another environmental champion for the region. We fondly remember
Japan’s whaling underwent some dramatic changes in 2019, following that nation’s departure from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) after more than six decades of membership: Japan finally ended the pretense that it was conducting “research whaling” in Antarctica and on the high seas of the North Pacific, terminating its longstanding industrial whaling operations in those
AWI and the entire conservation community were heartbroken to learn of the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Joanna Toole, a victim of the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed on departure from Addis Ababa in March. Jo was traveling to the United Nations Environment Assembly to speak on a panel co-chaired by the UN
Hardy Jones, who died in December, was a videographer who used his skills behind the camera, along with his warm and kind personality, to expose the world to the beauty of dolphins and their ocean habitats—as well as to expose those who hurt and exploit them. Hardy produced over 75 films for PBS, National Geographic,
We were never close but we were friendly—on the same side in every fight. And we cooperated so frequently over the years that we came to anticipate each other’s involvement in the work that we shared. The news of Esmond Bradley Martin’s murder shocked me deeply. Esmond was an enigmatic geographer who researched and prepared
Wildlife has lost yet another champion. Wayne Lotter, 51, a vigorous leader in efforts to suppress wildlife crime, was murdered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on August 16. Nearly nine years ago, Lotter joined with Krissie Clark and Ally Namangaya to create the PAMS Foundation, an extraordinary organization that has had exceptional impact against poaching
August 1, 1929 – June 18, 2017 North American wildlife lost one of their staunchest advocates with the death in June of esteemed author and naturalist Hope Ryden. AWI is honored to have worked with Hope: From the 1980s through 2004, she served on the board of trustees of AWI’s lobbying arm, the Society for
Dr. Carole Carlson, a valiant advocate for the conservation of whales and their marine environment, died on March 24 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, of pancreatic cancer. She was 69. Carole was among the pioneering researchers who developed a nonlethal method to study humpback whales using photo-identification of the unique patterns on the underside of individual whales’
Candy, a chimpanzee who spent most of her 50 plus years as an amusement park curiosity at Fun Fair Park and later at Dixie Landin’ in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has died. Candy was only 6 months old when she was purchased by the Haynes family of Louisiana. In her younger days, she appeared on a