Craig Sholley's experiences with wildlife and conservation began in 1973 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire
Background - Craig R. Sholley
Craig Sholley's experiences with wildlife and conservation began in 1973 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire, Africa. He has worked and traveled extensively since that time providing biological and ecotourism expertise in a variety of world arenas. As an L.S.B. Leakey grant researcher in the late 1970's, Craig studied mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey at the celebrated Karisoke Research Center. Upon returning to the United States, he redirected his wildlife research interests developing conservation education and natural history programming for the Baltimore Zoological Society as Curator of Education. Concurrently, Craig pursued his travel interests leading tours throughout Africa, South America, and Asia.
In late 1987, Craig returned to Africa full time to direct Rwanda's internationally-known Mountain Gorilla Project. Full responsibility for the project was ultimately turned over to the Rwandan government in early 1990. Craig then continued in Rwanda acting as Scientific Advisor for the award winning IMAX film, Mountain Gorilla. Craig has served as a Senior Associate of the African Wildlife Foundation and remains an advisor. He is a Board Member of the Ecotourism Society and is currently Director of Conservation and Education for International Expeditions, an organization widely recognized for its ecotourism and conservation efforts.
Craig returned to Rwanda in 1995 on assignment with the National Geographic Society surveying the conservation status of mountain gorillas and critical habitat areas in Rwanda, Zaire, and Uganda in the aftermath of Rwanda's civil war. The findings of that trip are the basis of an October 1995 article in the National Geographic Magazine on mountain gorilla conservation.
