Iain Douglas-Hamilton, pioneering elephant conservationist, dies aged 8320 hours ago Share Save Yang Tian Share SaveIndianapolis ZooThe Prince of Wales has paid tribute to pioneering elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died aged 83 at his home in Nairobi on Monday. Douglas-Hamilton spent his life studying and campaigning to protect African elephants, becoming a world-leading expert on their behaviour in the wild. His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade. He later campaigned for an international ban on the commercial trade in ivory, and in 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species was signed, an international agreement between governments. Iain Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife Oria, children Saba and Dudu, and six grandchildren.