14/03/2026
*Remembering Rick Anderson - Director and Developer of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife and the Giraffe Centre.*
Rick was a man who truly cared about wildlife, with an unwavering desire to protect, conserve, and involve people — especially children. He was remarkably effective in turning that vision into reality, making a difference to the lives of countless visitors to the Giraffe Centre, whose support and donations helped fund vital projects protecting endangered species.
His impact extended to the Indian Ocean. On the coast, Rick supported many initiatives, including the anti-trawler campaign in Malindi in the early 2000s, the work of Local Ocean Conservation with sea turtles, and the establishment and purchase of the EcoWorld Watamu Recycling Centre. More recently, he also supported efforts to control the invasive house crow.
Rick cared deeply about the ocean. From 2011 to 2021, AFEW was the main — and often the only — support from outside Watamu for our dolphin and whale research projects.
Through this support we were able to expand focused boat-based studies, deliver research and education sessions, train boat operators and safari sellers, and engage schoolchildren — all crucial in building public understanding of marine mammals, which are still sometimes mistakenly regarded as fish.
Quite simply, without Rick we would not have been able to expand our focused research efforts along the Kenyan coast, nor connect with East African partners — collaborations that are essential for protecting migratory species like the humpback whale.
We owe Rick so much. He is hugely missed.
Rick’s wife, Bryony Anderson, also works in conservation and has supported EcoWorld and KMMREC. Together they were a formidable team. Bryony continues their shared commitment to conservation, with her current focus on Friends of Nairobi National Park.
