Phil Berry was a remarkable man who devoted his life to the wildlife and people of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. A long-term friend and partner of FZS, he was an outstanding naturalist and a tireless conservationist, whose contributions to the Luangwa landscape can hardly be overstated. As a young game ranger in the 1960s, Phil was one of an early generation of pioneers who worked with Zambian wildlife authorities and communities to create some of the continent’s finest game reserves. Fired by a spirit of adventure, his chosen career required unflagging dedication, the ability to face many hardships, and a fierce determination to preserve Zambia’s wild places.
This same unflinching spirit remained evident throughout his next 60 years in the African bush. His career took many paths, from establishing and managing some of the earliest safari operations, to playing a leading role in the fight against the illegal poaching of Zambia’s black rhinos, to becoming one of the continent’s most respected safari guides with an encyclopedic knowledge of Zambia’s flora and fauna. Through decades of personal research, he was also recognized as the world’s leading authority on the Thornicroft’s Giraffe, an endemic subspecies occurring only in the Luangwa Valley. Through his achievements, and throughout his life, Phil inspired and mentored generations of aspiring conservationists from Zambia and around the world.
In honor of his legacy, The Phil Berry Fund has been established to support conservation in Zambia through a grants program for a new generation of researchers and conservationists who share his passion and commitment to the wilderness Phil called home. The fund is hosted at Frankfurt Zoological Society – U.S., and donations can be made online or by mail to:
Frankfurt Zoological Society – U.S., Inc.
3810 Argyle Terrace NW
Washington DC, 20011 USA
FZS-US is a U.S. 501c3 public charity, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.