01 March 2025

Tony Fitzjohn was a British ecologist considered one of Africa's most important wildlife guardians. He is known for working with George Adamson at Kora in Kenya and for revitalizing the Mkomazi Reserve in Tanzania. Here's more about his journey and his numerous actions for wildlife.

Who Was Tony Fitzjohn?

Tony Fitzjohn (7 July 1945 – 23 May 2022), whose full name was Anthony Raymond Fitzjohn, was a British ecologist. He is known for working with environmentalist George Adamson at Kora in Kenya and for breathing new life into the Mkomazi Reserve in Tanzania, where he created the country's first rhinoceros sanctuary.

As a reminder, George Adamson became famous for reintroducing lions into the wild, including the celebrated lioness Elsa. His story was documented by his wife, Joy Adamson, in a book titled "Born Free," which was later adapted into a film.

What Is Tony Fitzjohn's Story?

Birth and Childhood

Tony Fitzjohn was born on 7 July 1945 in England. Entrusted to the Church of England Children's Society at seven months old, he was adopted by Leslie and Hilda Fitzjohn when he was one year old. He grew up in Cockfosters, a suburb north of London, and studied at Mill Hill School.

Fascinated by Edgar Rice Burroughs' adventure novel Tarzan of the Apes, he dreamed of adventure and described himself as a "wild child." After finishing his studies and a brief stint in business, he decided to abandon everything and set off for adventure in Africa.

Departure for Kenya and Meeting George Adamson

In 1968, at the age of 23, Tony Fitzjohn set out overland toward South Africa. He then traveled to Kenya in 1971, where his life took a dramatic turn. There, he met George Adamson, who would quickly become his mentor.

Nicknamed "Baba ya Simba" ("Father of Lions" in Swahili), this nature defender was known for reintroducing large cats into the wild, notably the lioness Elsa, whose story touched the world. When the two men met, George Adamson was working at a camp in Kora called Kampi ya Simba. This remote corner of the bush would later become a nature reserve and then a national park after his death.

The two men worked together in Kenya for approximately fifteen years. During their collaboration, they reintroduced more than 30 lions into the wild and fought to create protected areas to ensure better coexistence between local communities and wild animals. Unfortunately, the region's unstable situation, near Somalia, would change everything. In 1989, George Adamson was murdered by Somali poachers.

Arrival in Tanzania at Mkomazi Reserve

That same year, Tony Fitzjohn was offered a position by the Tanzanian government, which asked him to become field director at Mkomazi, a 3,270-square-kilometer reserve located in northern Tanzania, on the Kenyan border. His mission's objective? To restore the park and reintroduce endangered species.

At the time, it was an abandoned hunting reserve in severe decline. Not only had animal populations (particularly black rhinoceroses and elephants) been decimated by intensive poaching, but the land was also heavily degraded due to overgrazing and deliberate fires.

Faced with this situation, the government decided to reconsider the hunting reserve's status by designating it a national priority project. Tony Fitzjohn managed to assemble a dedicated team and, leveraging his knowledge of mechanics, engineering, and his years of bush experience, he undertook numerous initiatives within the reserve:

• Installation of two-way radio networks
• Organization of anti-poaching patrols
• Repair of 4x4 vehicles
• Construction of roads, dams, and landing strips
• Creation of the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary, Tanzania's first rhinoceros sanctuary
• Establishment of an African wild dog protection program for East Africa
• Fundraising efforts

Understanding that wildlife conservation also required the approval of local communities, Tony Fitzjohn undertook extensive work with communities by providing clean drinking water, medical facilities, and educating young people about nature conservation. He also built a school for 400 students and renovated classrooms in other schools.

Through titanic effort, the once-empty reserve gradually repopulated over the years. In 2006, the reserve obtained national park status to ensure perpetual protection of its wildlife and flora. In 2020, park management was entirely transferred to Tanzanian authorities. While only 11 elephants remained in the reserve in 1989, the park now counts approximately 500 elephants roaming freely.

Today, the rhinoceros and wild dog sanctuaries still exist, with most of the staff being personnel that Tony Fitzjohn trained. Mkomazi National Park has thus become an intimate and preserved destination for conducting a wildlife safari in Tanzania. Visitors can discover animals through vehicle safaris or walking safaris.

Death and OBE Honour

After many years in the service of wildlife, Tony Fitzjohn died from a brain tumor on 23 May 2022, at the age of 76. After 40 years of reintroducing animals to the wild and achieving national park status (Kora and Mkomazi), he had become an icon of African wildlife conservation.

In recognition of his work, Tony Fitzjohn was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2006. He also received the Order of Prince Bernhard of the Golden Ark, the gold medal from the North of England Zoological Society, and the Hanno Ellenbogen Prize.

What Book Did Tony Fitzjohn Write?

If you're interested in Tony Fitzjohn's story, we strongly recommend reading his autobiography, Born Wild. Published in 2011, the book recounts, with humor and emotion, his journey from his London childhood to meeting George Adamson at Kora in Kenya, including the unexpected resurrection of the Mkomazi hunting reserve in Tanzania.

For further reading, discover our articles on safaris in Tanzania:

• The Most Beautiful Safaris in Northern Tanzania
• The Most Beautiful Safaris in Southern Tanzania
• Walking Safari Circuits in Tanzania
• When to Go for a Safari in Tanzania?

Florine Dergelet

Florine Dergelet, a web writer for over 10 years, is a traveler driven by the desire to discover the world with an open heart. Each of her articles is an invitation to slow down, to listen, to understand. For her, travel is not about ticking countries off a map, but about weaving links—often invisible yet always powerful—with places, peoples, and all manner of creatures from the animal kingdom.

Her creed? To advise travelers with ethics, to awaken their awareness of animal welfare, respect for cultures, and the importance of humble and sustainable tourism.

Because the most beautiful memories are often born far from the spotlight, in the shadow of a trail, at the edge of a conversation, or in the quiet breath of a world we finally take time to listen to…