U.S. conservationist found dead in Nairobi

NAIROBI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A United States conservationist and world's leading ivory trade investigator, Esmond Bradley Martin, was found dead in his house in Nairobi on Sunday evening, police and conservationists confirmed on Monday.

The CEO of a local conservation lobby, WildlifeDirect, Paula Kahumbu, said the 75-year-old Martin who led investigators into ivory horn trafficking across the world died in suspicious circumstances at his home in Karen, Nairobi.

"Esmond was at the forefront of exposing the scale of ivory markets in the U.S., Congo, Nigeria, Angola, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos and recently Myanmar. He always collaborated with Save the Elephants and worked with many of us generously sharing his findings and views," Kahumbu said.

The deceased who had a stab wound in the neck was said to have been working on his latest report on the rhino and ivory trade by the time of his death.

The police said they are yet to identify Martin's attackers but noted that investigation has been launched to establish the motive behind his death.

"We have already questioned some people in regard to his death," said a police officer who declined to be named.

Martin, an American geographer, had been travelling all over the world with his wife, Chryssee Martin, and colleagues Lucy Vigne and Dan Stiles on a mission to identify ivory and rhino markets, the traffickers and the modern-day uses.

He also worked for the United Nations as special envoy for rhino conservation. Enditem