Richard Leakey was a paleontologist who became the head of Kenya Wildlife Service in 1989, transforming it from a corrupt, ineffective bureaucracy into a paramilitary conservation force. He armed rangers, burned ivory stockpiles, and declared war on poachers. He survived a plane crash in 1993 that cost him both legs. He went into politics, fell out with Moi, and spent decades oscillating between conservation and government. He built the infrastructure that saved Kenya's wildlife. He also made enemies. He died in 2022, unreconciled with many, but undeniably effective.