George Adamson - Remembering a legendary conservationist

George Adamson was a Kenyan conservationist who became internationally famous for pioneering the rehabilitation of captive or hand reared lions back into the wild. In the late 50’s, the Born Free legend and the magnificent story of Elsa the lioness would descend on the world, captivating and capturing imaginations across the globe.

George and Joy Adamson

It was the story of George and Joy Adamson and their adopted lion cub named Elsa and how the lion was returned to the wild integrating into a wild pride and producing a litter of her own. Elsa would occasionally visit the Adamsons with her wild cubs in tow, demonstrating a remarkable empathy and connection.

Conservation into homes, hearts and minds

An Academy Award winning movie of the same name was produced, and the story exploded. The beautiful story of trust and respect in many ways pioneered a notion of allowing wild animals a personality, a character, and emotions. This realisation would in essence allow the story of Elsa and wildlife conservation into the homes, hearts and minds of millions of people around the world. A consciousness developed and the Born Free legend was an important factor behind the banning of the fur trade in Europe.

George Adamson and his vision

The zoo-born lion actors used in the film became the principle stars, and as soon as filming was complete George Adamson retired from his work as a conservation officer, and took the lion charges on, determined to find a way of returning them to the wild. The very notion of rehabilitating captive-bred lions was frowned upon from all corners of the conservation and scientific worlds. It was considered impossible, or too dangerous at best.

Kora National Park as a place of fate

Inspired by the success with Elsa and a deep empathy for lions, Adamson obtained permission to base his rehabilitation project at Kora Game Reserve in remote Northern Kenya in 1970. It was the start of an incredible journey, one that would challenge much of our contemporary views of not only lion conservation, but conservation in general.

He successfully reintroduced numerous lion demonstrating that the big cats are capable of a far broader range of emotions and empathy than was ever believed. Adamson believed that if an apex predator could be protected and assured right of way, then the entire ecosystem could be maintained.

An eternal echo

Nobody can deny his success and although he was long ridiculed as an eccentric by conventional science, he opened the world’s eyes to an empathetic understanding of animal behaviour and conservation. Different and groundbreaking he was. A legacy never to forget.

In an area fraught with turbulence, social discord and poaching, Adamson was tragically murdered by insurgents at Kora in August 1989. He died defending Kora and wild animals rights for freedom. Because of his work and ensuing global spotlight, the reserve would go on to receive National Park status.