Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Film about Scot known as 'world's foremost elephant scientist' to premiere
Dr Iain Douglas-Hamilton attended Gordonstoun School.
He is a Scottish conservationist known as the world’s foremost elephant scientist, who revolutionised elephant research and became a leading voice against ivory poaching.
Now a film chronicling the journey of Scot Dr Iain Douglas-Hamilton will be shown at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to mark World Elephant Day.
The son of Lord David Douglas-Hamilton and grandson of Duke of Hamilton, Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, Dr Douglas-Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost authorities on African elephants over his six- decade career.
The documentary, A Life Among Elephants, has been made in conjunction with conservation organisation Save the Elephants, which Dr Douglas-Hamilton founded in 1993.
The production combines never-before-seen archival footage with intimate family interviews and contributions from renowned figures like Jane Goodall, all set against the backdrop of elephant families in northern Kenya.
Alongside his wife Oria and daughters Saba and Dudu, Dr Douglas-Hamilton, who attended Gordonstoun School in Elgin, formed profound connections with elephant families.
Born in England, he spent his early years in Scotland and later studied zoology at Oxford University.
After leaving Gordonstoun, he pursued his childhood dream of flying around Africa to save animals. The film chronicles Dr Douglas-Hamilton's ground-breaking work, starting in 1965 at Tanzania's Lake Manyara, where he pioneered the study of wild African elephants. His research revealed their complex social structures and distinct personalities, forever changing understanding of the animals.
During the 1970s, he investigated the status of elephants throughout Africa. He was the first to alert the world to ivory poaching, becoming instrumental in bringing about the first global ivory trade ban in 1989.
Dr Douglas-Hamilton's pioneering documentation revealed that Africa's elephant population had declined by half between 1979 and 1989. When poaching resurged with an estimated 100,000 elephants killed between 2010 and 2012, Mr Douglas-Hamilton again led the campaign, advocating for stronger protections that ultimately contributed to China's 2018 ivory trade ban.
A spokesman for Save the Elephants said: “The film captures Douglas-Hamilton's poignant return to Samburu following a life-threatening accident, accompanied by his protégé David Daballen, now director of field operations at Save the Elephants. Together, they reconnect with the elephant families that have been central to his life's work.
“Douglas-Hamilton's legacy lives on through a new generation of researchers dedicated to protecting Africa's most iconic species. This compelling documentary not only celebrates his extraordinary contributions to elephant conservation, but also underscores the ongoing importance of protecting these remarkable animals for future generations.”
Following successful theatrical runs across Europe, the UK, and the United States, A Life Among Elephants has garnered rave reviews and multiple award nominations, including winning the 2025 DC Environmental Film Festival's prize for Outstanding Artistry in Filmmaking.
The film will make its Scottish theatrical debut at the Pleasance on August 12, to mark World Elephant Day. The theatrical screening will be followed by a Q&A session featuring director and filmmaker and Dr Lucy King from Save the Elephants.
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