ARCHITECT, acclaimed wildlife photographer and fundraiser, David Alan Back, has died at the age of 59.

Mr Back, of Bonchurch, had raised £130,000 for rhino conservation through sporting functions and dinners.

Born in Hackney and brought up in North London, Mr Back studied architecture at University College London.

He went on to own Artillery Architecture and Interior Design, a successful design practice specialising in corporate interiors, based in London. Important to him was the company's environmental stance and sustainability.

Being a safari guide was also a big part of Mr Back's life after he trained as a guide in Zambia in 1979. He worked there for six dry seasons.

He wrote articles and took promotional wildlife photographs for Zambia Airways' inflight magazine, won several category awards in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competitions, and escorted photographic holidays for Wildlife Worldwide, Naturetrek and Abercrombie and Kent.

He set up the Horny@50 initiative around his 50th birthday, to raise funds for the rare black rhino in Zambia's North Luangwa National Park.

He raised £130,000 by involving celebrity guest speakers at fundraising events, and was well-supported by his contacts in the property industry and beyond.

He also set up the Luangwa Football Initiative, which used football to aid conservation and continues to be a resounding success.

Mr Back married Karen in 2001 and they had two children, Daniel, 14, and Georgia, 12.

They settled in Bonchurch to bring up their family, but enjoyed travelling the world together.

In 2015, Mr Back was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disease which has no cure. Mr Back was involved in PSP drug trials and medical research.

The family took on Bentley, a rehomed ability dog, from Canine Partners.

Mr Back died on April 12, leaving his wife and children, and sister Angela Back.