A LEGACY OF AFRICAN CONSERVATION
as an only child, Melanie Harkness (née Gray) spent a lot of time alone, but was rarely lonely. She remembers exploring nature for hours, interacting with the frogs and other creatures she encountered on her long outings. Through this unstructured time, she developed an intimate relationship with nature that molded her for the rest of her life.
Her love of animals was not encouraged as a child, so after college, Melanie began her career as a public school speech therapist, and immediately acquired her own horse, Seuss, and a dog. She married an equine
