Word: leakey
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...SCIENCE: Leakey After the Crash...
...second son of famed paleontologists Louis and Mary Leakey, Richard first burst into global prominence in 1972 when his team in Kenya unearthed a beautifully preserved 1.9 million-year-old skull of Homo habilis, an early hominid species first discovered by his parents. Ian Tattersall, an anthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, observes that the younger Leakey has more than his share of luck. "Louis Leakey had to crawl over hot rocky outcrops for 30 years before he found anything of importance; Richard struck gold from the start." Roger Lewin, collaborator on three...
Eventually, digging up the past became less important to Leakey than preserving Africa's heritage for future generations. Asked in 1989 to head Kenya's wildlife department -- which included a disorderly paramilitary force ^ that failed to protect elephants, rhinos and other animals from poachers -- he insisted that the agency be freed from government control. He then fired dishonest employees and raised the low salaries that made officials and troops vulnerable to bribes from poachers. Today morale is up, poaching is down, and bribe taking is nonexistent...
Just as important, Leakey persuaded international donors to pour money into Kenya. The World Bank has promised that if the $155 million aid package to develop tourism and protect vital areas produces good results, a similar amount will follow. Leakey believes that the wildlife service can be well managed and attract financing without his leadership -- but not yet. When the plane crashed in June, many of his deputies were out of Kenya, and Leakey was afraid the conservation project would go awry if he left for England...
...Leakey regrets his decision, he will not say so. He figures his condition was so bad that it would have been difficult to move him much earlier anyway. Although he has been flat on his back for more than six weeks, he is in constant touch with his staff and says he expects to resume duties in mid- August. After nine surgical procedures, he estimates that he has a 50% chance of losing his left leg below the knee. "Some people used to believe I think with my feet, but I don't, actually," he jokes. Says National Geographic editor...