Discovery
Benjamin Potts
Chief Cook, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Born and bred in Sydney, Australia, Ben grew up amongst rocky sandstone escarpments, emerald coastal rainforests, diverse eucalypt wood lands and beautiful sandy southern beaches. Surrounded by two large national parks and the myriad of wildlife that skirt white mans' invasion of the Sydney basin, his home was an ideal place to explore and develop a love of the natural world in his youth.
Ben's father worked for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He used to bring home animals that he had seized from smugglers and trappers. These animals would either be taken to a wildlife refuge for rehabilitation or, if they were local, released back into the bush. These animals gave Ben the opportunity to form friendships and an appreciation of Australia's unique and amazing wild citizens and he considers these creatures to be part of his extended family.
After school, Ben spent more time in the bush as an infantry soldier in the Australian Army followed by a number of jobs ranging from outdoor guide to tree planter, traveling throughout eastern Australia from the tropics to the snowy high country. In Tasmania, he witnessed first-hand the destruction of the last remaining stands of Australia's old growth forests which contain some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world. The animals in these forests lose their homes when the forest is cleared for monoculture plantations. Seeing his country and its inhabitants destroyed for a quick buck made him extremely distressed and angry, and he vowed to defend it in the future.
This decision led him to volunteer with Sea Shepherd to defend the great whales. He had seen documentaries featuring Sea Shepherd, and he wanted to be involved in an organization which is on the front-line of defending threatened species and attempting to halt man's wholesale destruction of the natural world. He is extremely proud and felt privileged to have been a crew member in the lead up to and during the 2008 campaign which was a pivotal experience in his life and gave him the confidence and drive to fight for life on this planet.
Ben plans to further his education in the environment by studying conservation biology and ecology as well as continuing to be involved with Sea Shepherd and local direct action environment group, Still Wild Still Threatened.
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