Doug and his wife, Diane, are the managing directors of Ker Downey Botswana where they have been involved since its earliest days. Dougie was born in Maun, Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and has lived there most of his life. His family had a trading store in Nokaneng, a small village on the western edges of the Delta.

Growing up in the bush, it was quite natural for the Setswana speaking youth to be found hunting and fishing for the family. It was on one of these forays in his late teen years that Dougie had an encounter with a lioness that mauled him severely. Although the moments surrounding this event are a whirlwind of frightening flashbacks, Dougie vividly recalls his mother throwing him into a bathtub filled with iodine to kill the inevitable infection. He recounts that although the attacking lion didn’t kill him, he felt sure that the pain from the iodine would!

Following several years of work for the government as a veterinary inspector, which involved herding cattle across the country on horseback Dougie became a professional hunter, working for Ker & Downey’s equally well-known sister company Safari South. He worked both as professional hunter and eventually as general manager for Safari South for 28 years. In 1990 Dougie assumed the position of General Manager of Ker & Downey, and is still actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the company.

Most of Dougie’s life has been spent among wild animals in the bush mostly on foot, exploring the Delta. He is as passionate about walking today and spends as much time as possible guiding on the ‘Footsteps Across the Delta’ programme.

A typical deep-water Okavango road crossing

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Nokaneng store

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Wright family picnic on the banks of Maun's Thamalakane River (165kb)

Dougie's father, Andrew Wright with Old Man Ramsden

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The famous Harry Riley driving his tourer (147kb)

Maun entertainment - playing cards. Harry Riley on right

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Tsau store

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Wright family. Child on left is Eustace

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Police patrol

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Stock inspector on patrol in a scotch cart

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The Locust Control Board

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Old man Ramsden

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The Great Papyrus Cutting Machine, 1958. Originally designed to open blocked papyrus channels, it took two 'bites' before seizing up. Later cut up for scrap to make the first Kazungula ferry

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Untitled

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1. This enormous lion was wounded by a client and charged the vehicle. Dougie wounded it again moments before it crashed through the front windscreen ending up inside the cab. He finally dispatched it with 2 rifle shots

2. The two rifle shots which finished off the wounded lion in the front of the Cruiser went through the seat

3. The skin of the lion

Dougie after a bird-shoot in 1946

Dougie's father, Andrew Wright (striped coat), at the Nokaneng grain sales, 1945. The silos which are visible are still there today

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