David Shepherd''s early career was, to quote his own words, ''a series of disasters.'' After failing to be a game warden in Africa, he turned to his second choice, painting - and was promptly turned down as ''not worth training'' by the first art school that he tried to enter. They said he had ''no talent''. David owes all his subsequent success to the man who trained him, Robin Goodwin, also to the Royal Air Force who flew him all over the world in order to paint aircraft pictures for them and also commissioned his very first elephant painting. David has been awarded The Order of the Golden Ask by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands as well as the Order of The British Empire for his services to conservation. He has been made a Member of Honour of the World Wide Fund for Nature and has also been awarded an Hon. Doctorate of Fine Arts by Pratt Institute in New York. David has been featured in a BBC documentary of his life, has made a series of six wildlife films for ITV and others and has been the ''target'' for ''This is Your Life''. He has written six books, covering all aspects of his life, including wildlife and steam railways. David is also Chairman and Founder of the East Somerset Railway, a registered charity raising money for our steam railway heritage and wildlife.