Greg Rasmussen
Encyclopedia
Greg Rasmussen is a British Wildlife conservation biologist
who has studied the African Wild Dog
for over twenty years, working in the Hwange National Park
in Zimbabwe
. He is the founder and Director of the Painted Dog Conservation project.
. This was followed by a spell in the merchant navy
. In 1988 Joshua Ginsberg offered him a job observing animals in Hwange National Park
. He established the Painted Dog Conservation project in 2002.
In 2003 he was involved in a light plane crash which left him severely injured and alone in the African bush. He survived and was eventually rescued. He almost lost his feet but doctors saved them. He is 3 inches shorter now. The story of his survival is featured in season one of I Shouldn't Be Alive
, a documentary series
broadcast on the Discovery Channel
in the United States
in an episode entitled Jaws of Death. The story is also told in Thrown to the Lions, shown as part of the Channel 4
series, Alive.
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
who has studied the African Wild Dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
for over twenty years, working in the Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. The park lies in the west, on the main road between Bulawayo and the widely noted Victoria Falls.It was founded around 1928 by a 22-year-old game ranger, Ted Davidson...
in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. He is the founder and Director of the Painted Dog Conservation project.
Background
Rasmussen was born in London but moved to Zimbabwe with his parents when he was eleven years old where he attended Falcon CollegeFalcon College
Falcon College is a private institution of higher learning for boys aged 12–18 in the southern Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe. It was founded in 1954 near Esigodini , 55 km southeast of Bulawayo on the remains of the Bushtick Mine...
. This was followed by a spell in the merchant navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
. In 1988 Joshua Ginsberg offered him a job observing animals in Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. The park lies in the west, on the main road between Bulawayo and the widely noted Victoria Falls.It was founded around 1928 by a 22-year-old game ranger, Ted Davidson...
. He established the Painted Dog Conservation project in 2002.
In 2003 he was involved in a light plane crash which left him severely injured and alone in the African bush. He survived and was eventually rescued. He almost lost his feet but doctors saved them. He is 3 inches shorter now. The story of his survival is featured in season one of I Shouldn't Be Alive
I Shouldn't Be Alive
I Shouldn't Be Alive is a documentary television series that airs on multiple networks in the United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia, India and Pakistan...
, a documentary series
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
broadcast on the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in an episode entitled Jaws of Death. The story is also told in Thrown to the Lions, shown as part of the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series, Alive.