Ofir Drori

Ofir Drori (Hebrew: אופיר דרורי; born 26 April 1976) is an Israeli writer and activist based in Central Africa. He started as an activist against wildlife trafficking, and expanded to anti-corruption, democracy and human rights activism throughout Africa.[1]

Activism

He is the founder of LAGA – the Last Great Ape Organisation, an enforcement non-governmental organization that fights corruption in order to bring about to the arrests and prosecutions of major wildlife criminals dealing in endangered animal species. LAGA's award-winning model for a wildlife law enforcement NGO has started in Cameroon[2] and is now replicated in the Republic of the Congo,[3] Gabon,[4] Togo,[5] Ivory Coast,[6] Senegal,[7] Uganda[8] and Guinea.

In 2005, based on the experience of fighting corruption in the judiciary and the forces of law and order,[9] he has founded another NGO, called Anti Corruption in Cameroon, or AC–Cameroon,[10] which focuses on establishing Anti-Corruption law enforcement in Cameroon, and involving citizens in the fight against corruption through direct legal action.[11]

Drori is a co-founder of The EAGLE Network.[12]

Crocodile attack

In December 2013, Drori was attacked by a 3-meter long Nile crocodile while vacationing along the Omo River in Ethiopia, but he managed to escape death.[13] Despite his injuries Drori was able to survive in the wilderness for two days and reach tribesmen and eventually was evacuated to hospital in Addis Ababa, and then to a hospital in Israel.[14] This incident is reminiscent of Australian eco-activist Val Plumwood who also survived a crocodile attack in 1985, and she subsequently wrote of it in her landmark 1996 essay "Being Prey".

Honors and awards

In 2012 he was awarded the prestigious World Wildlife Fund Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal for his work.[15] He also received the Interpol Ecomessage Award, The Clark Bavin Enforcement award[16] and the Condé Nast Traveler Environment Award for his work, as well as the Future For Nature Award[17] and the Shining World Compassion Award.[18]

Published works

Drori co-wrote The Last Great Ape: A Journey Through Africa and a Fight for the Heart of the Continent[19] with David McDannald.

References
  1. "Why Western Governments DO NOT Need to Give More Money for Conservation - The Rise and Rise of New Age Activism". HuffPost UK. 2012-11-23. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  2. "Fighting wildlife crime and corruption: an interview with Ofir Drori". Wilder Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  3. "PALF" (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  4. "Conservation Justice". conservationjustice.org (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  5. https://www.eagle-togo.org/
  6. "EAGLE Côte d'Ivoire contre le trafic d'espèces animales" (in French). 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  7. "EAGLE Sénégal – Lutte contre la criminalité faunique". eagle-senegal.org. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  8. "EAGLE Uganda – Eco Activists for Governance and Law Enforcement". 2021-11-16. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  9. https://news.mongabay.com/2015/10/hidden-cameras-prosecutions-and-passion-confronting-the-corruption-at-the-heart-of-africas-illegal-wildlife-trade/
  10. "AC – Anti-corruption Cameroon". Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  11. "Confronting Corruption - Conservation". Conservation. 2010-12-08. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  12. Taus, Justin (2015-07-02). "When Eagles Dare: Ofir Drori's Mission To Tackle Wildlife Trafficking in Africa". The Dodo. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  13. "BBC World Service - Outlook, My Fight for Life after Croc Attack". BBC. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  14. "Award-winning Israeli wildlife conservationist survives Ethiopian crocodile attack". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  15. "Champion wildlife crime opponent awarded top WWF honours". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  16. "Species Survival Network". www.ssn.org. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  17. "Ofir Drori - Award winner 2011 - Future For Nature". futurefornature.org. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  18. "Ofir Drori - Champion Saving Endangered Species". www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  19. Drori, Ofir (2012). The Last Great Ape: A Journey Through Africa and a Fight for the Heart of the Continent. Pegasus Books. ISBN 978-1605983271.
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