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Richard Leakey

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Scientist

The Resume

    (December 19, 1944-January 2, 2022)
    Born in Nairobi, Kenya
    Archaeologist and conservationist
    Son of archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey
    Known for his fossil discoveries at Lake Turkana, Kenya
    Head of the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS, 1990-94)
    Founded the Kenyan opposition party Safina
    Elected to the Kenyan parliament (1997)
    Appointed head of the Kenyan civil service (1999-2001)
    Founder of the charity Wildlife Direct (2004)
    Wrote ‘The Making of Mankind’ (1981), ‘The Origin of Humankind’ (1994), ‘The Sixth Extinction’ (1995) and ‘Wildlife Wars: My Battle to Save Kenya’s Elephants’ (2001)

Why he might be annoying:

    He became an atheist after being caned for missing chapel in school.
    He hired only graduate students for his archaeological expeditions so his leadership would not be questioned.
    He took to smoking a pipe to enhance his image.
    As head of the KWS, he gave anti-poaching units controversial ‘shoot on sight’ orders.
    He resigned from the KWS after the government announced that a probe had found evidence of corruption and mismanagement.

Why he might not be annoying:

    After he argued for racial equality during his first day in secondary school, the other students locked him a wire cage and spat and urinated on him.
    He dramatically cut down poaching in Kenya’s national parks.
    He lost both his legs in a plane crash which may have been caused by sabotage (1993).
    The corruption accusations against him were viewed as being politically motivated.
    He was reappointed to the government under international pressure.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 190 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 19 Votes: 15.79% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 30.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 26 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 32 Votes: 31.25% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 71 Votes: 35.21% Annoying