What is David Fleay?
'''David Howells Fleay''' (January 6, 1907 – August 7, 1993) was an [[Australia]]n [[Natural history|naturalist]] (someone who studies [[nature]]). He was one of the first people to come up with the idea of breeding [[endangered species]] in [[Captivity (animal)|captivity]], so they would not go [[Extinction|extinct]] (die out) in the wild.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Science|first=jurisdiction=Queensland; sector=government; corporateName=Department of Environment and|date=2013-02-25|title=Nature, culture and history - The David Fleay Story {{!}} David Fleay Wildlife Park|url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/david-fleay/about/culture|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Parks and forests {{!}} Department of Environment and Science, Queensland|language=en-AU}}</ref> He was also the first person to succeed in breeding [[platypus]]es in captivity.<ref name=Park>{{cite web |url=http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/david-fleay/culture.html |title=History: The David Fleay Story |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=November 23, 2015 |website=www.nprsr.qld.gov.au |publisher=Queensland Government - Department of National Parks, Sport & Racing |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-date=October 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031080848/http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/david-fleay/culture.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Fleay now has a wildlife park named after him in [[Queensland]]. He died on 7 August 1993 aged 85. ==Early life== Fleay was born in [[Ballarat, Victoria]], in [[Australia]]. His parents were William and Maude Fleay. As a young child, David became interested in the [[Outback|Australian bush]] and its [[wildlife]] at an early age.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fleay-david-howells-18625|title=Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Connors|first=Libby|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|location=Canberra}}</ref> His mother was also interested in these things, but his father did not want David to spend his time thinking about