Blue Planet Prize Story

Simon met Tim Hooker, a biology teacher at his junior high school. Mr. Hooker was an expert on all forms of wildlife, and taught him natural history and wildlife both in and outside of his regular biology classes. Simon learned how to count birds, how to identify them by their songs, how to catch and identify poisonous snakes, reptiles, amphibians, and fish; how to identify fungi, distinguish which ones were edible, and how to cook them. This made Simon even more interested in wildlife.
Mr. Hooker also introduced Simon to his friend, Jane Goodall, the chimpanzee expert. Simon spent part of his gap year between high school and university in Tanzania as a tutor for Dr. Goodall's son. After teaching each day, he spent the rest of his time observing birds, searching for chimpanzees and baboons, and swimming in Lake Tanganyika. Seeing Tanzania's nature, wildlife, traditions and culture with his own eyes was a completely new experience to the 18-year-old boy, which inspired him to continue researching wildlife in the future.

Research on Birds

Simon entered Cambridge University, where Mr. Hooker had also studied, to study biology. It was at that time when he became a Christian and met Ann, who would later become his wife.

University Days

University Days (Dr. Stuart, second from right, and his wife Ann, far left)

Because there had been a lot of deforestation at that time, he also examined the impact of deforestation on birds. In his research, he discovered that in cooler seasons, many birds would left the higher areas of the mountains and would go to forests in the lower foothills; then, would return to the higher areas to breed when it started to get warmer. Even though the mountains are very close to the equator and there is no dramatic seasonal temperature changes, birds still migrated between altitudes with the change of seasons. What that meant was that forests both in the higher and lower altitudes are necessary for species survival. It would be wrong to think that everything would be all right if only the forests at the top of the mountains were conserved. Forests at all altitudes need to be preserved. This was a very important discovery and had a significant influence on the policy of forest conservation in that area.

Interests in Wildlife Conservation

Through his fieldwork in Tanzania, Simon realized two important things. First, after getting involved in conservation-related research on birds, he realized that he was very interested in the conservation of threatened species. Second, he realized that conservation cannot be achieved by science alone. You need the science to know what species should be conserved and where and how they should be conserved, but you also need local people who are willing to cooperate in the projects.
Many people in villages in Tanzania were wary of people from the outside, so Simon had to go with someone local when he visited a new place in a remote area. After being introduced by the local person accompanying him to people in the villages, he would meet the chief of the village and take part in a ritual. It was only then that he finally was able to start his work there. It was not easy, but he learned a lot about the culture and came to respect the local people who live in the harsh natural environment.

Simon learned through this experience that conservation work requires communication with many people, including researchers and people in local communities, as well as building close relationships with them.

2. Rebirth of the Red List