{{Short description|Australian zoologist, primatologist and conservationist (born 1964)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Leif Cocks | image = Leif Cocks 2022.jpg | caption = Leif Cocks in 2022 | birth_name = Leif Cocks | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1964}} | birth_place = Sydney, Australia | alma_mater = Curtin University | occupation = Zoologist <br/> Primatologist <br/> Conservationist | years_active = 1986–present | employer = Perth Zoo (1986–2006) | known_for = Founder of The Orangutan Project | notable_works = ''Orangutans: My Cousins, My Friends'' | awards = John Curtin Medal (2019) <br> Pongo Environmental Award (2019) <br> Medal of the Order of Australia (2020) | website = {{URL|leifcocks.org}} }}
'''Leif Cocks''' (born 1964) is an Australian zoologist, primatologist, and conservationist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Partners |url=https://wspartners.bbc.com/clip/p04gpdfj |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=wspartners.bbc.com}}</ref> He is the founder of The Orangutan Project, an international non-profit organisation established in 1998 to support the conservation and welfare of orangutans in Southeast Asia.
==Early life and education== Leif Cocks was born in 1964 in Sydney, Australia, and spent much of his childhood in Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Happy Birthday Leif - The Orangutan Project |url=https://www.theorangutanproject.org/weblog/2024/09/06/happy-birthday-leif/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.theorangutanproject.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilkinson |first=Carmelle |date=13 April 2023 |title=World-renowned wildlife campaigner on quest to protect orangutans from extinction {{!}} Curtin Alumni & Friends |url=https://www.curtin.edu.au/friends/world-renowned-wildlife-campaigner-on-quest-to-protect-orangutans-from-extinction/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |language=en}}</ref> He completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biology, specialising in zoology, at Curtin University (then the Western Australian Institute of Technology) in 1985.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |last=279751i |date=7 December 2021 |title=John Curtin Medallists - About {{!}} Curtin University |url=https://www.curtin.edu.au/about/reputation-rankings/john-curtin-medal/john-curtin-medallists/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |language=en}}</ref> He later undertook postgraduate studies, including completing a Master of Science with research focused on the health and behavioural welfare of captive orangutans.<ref name="auto3"/>
==Career== Cocks began working at Perth Zoo in 1986, initially in the Bird Section.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web |last=Topsfield |first=Jewel |date=22 December 2015 |title=Hanging out with the orangutan whisperer |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/hanging-out-with-the-orangutan-whisperer-20151218-glr077.html |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=Brisbane Times |language=en}}</ref> In 1988, he joined the Primate Section, where he became Head Orangutan Keeper. During his tenure, he contributed to Perth Zoo’s orangutan breeding program and introduced behavioural enrichment protocols aimed at improving the psychological welfare of captive great apes.<ref name="auto4"/> Cocks later held several positions, including Supervisor of Primates and Curator of Exotics. In 2006, Cocks oversaw the first-ever successful reintroduction of a zoo-born orangutan, Temara, into Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Sumatra.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 November 2007 |title=Endangered orang-utan born at Perth Zoo |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/endangered-orang-utan-born-at-perth-zoo-20071122-gdrnky.html |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 September 2006 |title=Temara, the orangutan |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/radionational-breakfast/temara-the-orangutan/3345670 |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=ABC listen |language=en-AU}}</ref>
In 1998, while employed at the zoo, Cocks founded The Orangutan Project (TOP) to support conservation efforts in Borneo and Sumatra.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 March 2017 |title=How corporate greed will wipe out orang-utans |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/wa/leif-cocks-says-multi-nationals-dont-care-about-fate-of-orang-utans-or-indonesian-rainforest-ng-f93c47ab69d5980d482fd382e0fbb96d |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}</ref> Initially a volunteer-based charity, the organisation grew into an international NGO funding conservation projects in Borneo and Sumatra.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 March 2012 |title=Frequent flyer: Leif Cocks |url=https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/frequent-flyer-leif-cocks-20120314-1v25d.html |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> It funds habitat protection, orphan care, rehabilitation, and community education programs.<ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jameson |first=Julietta |date=27 March 2018 |title=The places that changed my life: Leif Cocks, orangutan conservationist |url=https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/the-places-that-changed-my-life-leif-cocks-orangutan-conservationist-20180323-h0xutt.html |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>
Cocks also founded the International Elephant Project, International Tiger Project and Forests for People to protect elephants, tigers and forest communities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadership Team |url=http://www.internationalelephantproject.org/about-us/committee/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.internationalelephantproject.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadership Team |url=http://www.internationaltigerproject.org/about-us/committee/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.internationaltigerproject.org |language=en}}</ref> He also established Wildlife Asia, a regional conservation alliance, and helped establish advisory positions with organisations such as the Center for Orangutan Protection and is the Vice President of Orang Utan Republik Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Founder |url=http://www.forests4people.org/about/leif-cocks/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.forests4people.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leif Cocks, Vice President - Orang Utan Republik Foundation |url=https://www.orangutanrepublik.org/about-us/project-leaders/leif-cocks-vice-president/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.orangutanrepublik.org}}</ref>
Cocks has been an advocate for the concept of non-human personhood for great apes and has argued that they should be granted basic rights due to their high intelligence.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |date=29 October 2016 |title=What humans can learn from orangutans |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-30/what-humans-can-learn-from-orangutans/7970808 |access-date=21 July 2025 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |date=27 February 2017 |title=Leif Cocks: saving orangutans |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201834717/leif-cocks-saving-orangutans |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> In 2015, Cocks testified in an Argentinian court case involving an orangutan named Sandra.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Orangutans are as human as we are, says Australian orangutan whisperer |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/75471069/orangutans-are-as-human-as-we-are-says-australian-orangutan-whisperer |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{Cite web |last=Vyawahare |first=Malavika |date=19 August 2020 |title='We are losing': Q&A with The Orangutan Project's Leif Cocks on saving the great ape |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/we-are-losing-qa-with-the-orangutan-projects-leif-cocks-on-saving-the-great-ape/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=Mongabay Environmental News |language=en-US}}</ref> His testimony supported the legal argument to treat Sandra as a non-human person with rights.<ref name="auto5"/> The court subsequently granted Sandra rights to life, liberty, and protection from harm, setting a legal precedent.<ref name="auto5"/> He is also an outspoken critic of industries contributing to deforestation, particularly the palm oil industry.<ref name="auto1"/>
As an author, Cocks has published three books: ''Orangutans and their Battle for Survival'' (2002), the best-selling ''Orangutans: My Cousins, My Friends'' (2016), and ''Finding Our Humanity'' (2018).<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Founder |url=https://www.theorangutanproject.org/about-us/leif-cocks/ |access-date=21 July 2025 |website=www.theorangutanproject.org |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Cocks is a vegan.<ref name="auto"/> He is noted for his close rapport with orangutans, and is often referred as an "orangutan whisperer."<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGNAj418Ew |title=🇦🇺 The Orangutan Whisperer {{!}} 101 East |date=24 March 2016 |last=Al Jazeera English |access-date=21 July 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="auto4"/> Cocks has described his relationships with these apes as based on deep, enduring trust and cites their ability to remember him after long periods as evidence of their personhood.<ref name="auto"/>
==Books== * Cocks, Leif (2003). ''Orangutans and their Battle for Survival''. Uwa Pub. ISBN 1876268808. * Cocks, Leif (2016). ''Orangutans: My Cousins, My Friends''. The Orangutan Project. ISBN 0995408017. * Cocks, Leif (2018). ''Finding Our Humanity''. Wildlife Conservation International. ISBN 0648501809.
==Awards and recognition== Cocks has received multiple honors for his conservation work. In 2019, he received the John Curtin Medal from Curtin University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.curtin.edu.au/about/reputation-rankings/john-curtin-medal/john-curtin-medallists/|title=John Curtin Medallists - About | Curtin University|date=7 December 2021}}</ref> That same year, the Orang Utan Republik Foundation awarded him with a Pongo Environmental Award for his contributions to orangutan conservation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.orangutanrepublik.org/what-we-do/the-pongo-awards/|title=The Pongo Awards}}</ref>
In the 2020 Australia Day Honours, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the conservation of endangered animals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/australia-day/australia-day-honours-wa-man-leif-cocks-founder-of-the-orangutan-project-awarded-medal-of-the-order-of-australia-ng-b881442095z|title=WA conservation hero's life of caring for animals|date=25 January 2020|website=The West Australian}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cocks, Leif}} Category:Living people Category:1964 births Category:Australian zoologists Category:Australian conservationists