Damien Mander, Featured Speaker, October 23, 20105
Damien Mander is a former Australian Royal Navy Clearance Diver and Special Operations military sniper turned anti-poaching crusader.
An environmental and animal welfare activist, Mander is outspoken about the priorities of mankind in an increasingly challenged society. He frequently advocates the use of military equipment and tactics for the purpose of protecting animals, including the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Mander used his life savings and liquidated his investments and assets to fund the start-up and running costs of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation – an organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of wildlife in some of the world's most volatile regions.
Mander’s personal evolution has seen him recognize the need for protection of all animals, not just from an ethical standpoint, but also from a global environmental perspective. A public speaker, Mander is a vegan who actively encourages his audience to hold back the tide of human encroachment and correct the imbalance between dwindling wilderness areas and rapidly increasing human populations.
Mander is also a director of the Conservation Guardians.
He resides in Southern Africa with his wife Maria.
Damien will be visiting the U.S. In October speaking about world-wide poaching issues. He founded this wildlife conservation organization in 2008 and will be sharing the importance of anti-poaching organizations both here and abroad.