I grew up with dogs and a myriad of backyard birdfeeders, so my fascination with animals began at an early age. As an adult, I traveled extensively. Eventually, my wife JoAnn and I began to visit remote spots in the United States, Central America, and South America. We went in search of birds and wildlife, a harkening back to my childhood enchantment.
Some favorites emerged—wood thrushes, lesser prairie chickens, and macaws among them—and I directed my donations accordingly. Then, in 2001 JoAnn and I made our first visit to Africa, Tanzania to be exact. I was enthralled not only by the iconic mammals in their native habitats but by the sunbirds, mousebirds, bare-faced go-away birds, and lilac-breasted rollers (“just another bloody roller,” our guide would often grumble).
In addition to experiencing the beautiful birds of Africa, a visit to a small community of Hadzas, one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in Africa, proved a unique and extraordinary cultural experience. Later we visited Sanbona Preserve in South Africa, Senegal, and The Gambia (imagine trying to cross a West African river partially on the shoulders of native porters!). We’ve traveled to East, South and West Africa. I don’t take a moment of it for granted.
My interest in conservation and conservation organizations is on a global scale. I am a proud emeritus member of the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and have been president of the La Cruz Habitat Protection Project (forestsformonarchs.org) since 2017.
But AWF has always been among my favorites, perhaps because I’ve fallen in love with elephants, and especially with giraffes and rhinos. JoAnn and I have established four charitable gift annuities to benefit AWF (and we appreciate the income), and I've named AWF as a beneficiary of my estate.
Michael Hamm
Danville, Kentucky
Kilimanjaro Society Member
The Last Hunt
Supporters like Michael and JoAnn are a vital part of AWF’s network of partners. There is another, lesser-known channel of support—those who once hunted Africa’s wild animals. Meet Moses Kinyaika, a former poacher who is now a protector of wildlife.
Federal Tax ID Number: 52-0781390
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