Richard Leakey
19 December 1944 – 2 January 2022
Richard Leakey was a Kenyan palaeoanthropologist, conservationist and public official. The son of Louis and Mary Leakey, he led fossil-hunting expeditions around Lake Turkana that recovered hominin remains including the Turkana Boy, directed the National Museums of Kenya, and headed the Kenya Wildlife Service during the campaign against elephant poaching.
Lived at the same time
Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Richard Leakey.
- Ada Yonath (1939–2026) Overlapped 78 years →
- Adonis (1930–present) Overlapped 78 years →
- Alex Ferguson (1941–present) Overlapped 78 years →
- Ali Khamenei (1939–2026) Overlapped 78 years →
- Alice Munro (1931–2024) Overlapped 78 years →
- Arvo Pärt (1935–present) Overlapped 78 years →
Life events
Second son of the palaeoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe organised field research on the eastern shore of the lake, then known as Lake Rudolf.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe served as director of the institution for about two decades.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMeave Leakey became a palaeoanthropologist and collaborator in the Turkana research.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe near-complete Homo erectus skeleton was found at Nariokotome by Kamoya Kimeu.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe directed anti-poaching measures, including the public burning of a stockpile of ivory.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe small aircraft he was piloting crashed in Kenya, and both legs were amputated below the knee.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe entered Kenyan opposition politics and later sat in Parliament.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHe led a government reform effort as Cabinet Secretary and head of the public service.
Source: en.wikipedia.org