Eugene Cussons
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Eugene Cussons (born 1979) is the managing director of "Chimpanzee Eden" as well as Rescue Director of Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) in South Africa. He also the host of Animal Planet's Escape to Chimp Eden. [1]
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[edit] Early life
Eugene Cussons was born in Mpumalanga region of South Africa. For generations, the Cussons family has been deeply rooted in the African conservation ethic, and Eugene grew up with a special appreciation for African wildlife. Eugene had a successful career in the corporate world before deciding to build Chimp Eden. He studied business management and economics at the University of Pretoria, and he then developed software for financial trading applications. Deciding he didn't want to be desk bound for the rest of his career, Cussons returned to the family game reserve to combine his management skills with his love for the outdoors.
[edit] Chimp Eden
Eugene opened Chimp Eden in 2006 in collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI). As the managing director of Chimp Eden and the rescue director of JGI South Africa, Eugene has focused Chimp Eden's efforts on rescuing chimps from areas where no one else is willing to venture, such as war-torn countries like Sudan and Angola. Personally rescuing the chimps, Eugene brings them back to Chimp Eden, where he takes on the role of caretaker.
[edit] Personal Life
Eugene Cussons and his wife, Natasha, have a baby girl named Haley. The family calls Chimp Eden "home" and their home is located on the chimp sanctuary. Eugene is also a certified scuba diver, a boat skipper, skydiver and rock climber. He's an expert off-road driver and held the position of head instructor for the Land Rover Experience in South Africa.
