St Clair Beach is one of Carl’s favourite places to spend time these days. It is where he chose to have his portrait taken, and a place that reminds him of the awe and beauty of the natural world around him.

He lives his life at a deliberately slower pace these days, managing his energy carefully and enjoying a simpler way of being. It is a different pace of life from the years when he became one of New Zealand's most recognisable animal rights activists.

Carl talks about his childhood years growing up in Waimate, in the Canterbury region, which was a typical sort of semi-rural lifestyle. His father was a hunter, his grandparents were farmers, and Carl spent part of his younger years fishing, hunting, trapping possums, and later in life, working in a slaughterhouse. Animal rights activism was not something he imagined for himself.

Yet Carl recalls being affected by animal suffering from an early age. One of his earliest memories is of a wounded duck after a hunting trip, and he didn't feel quite right about it. While he accepted the practices that surrounded him, he also found himself questioning them. Talking to Carl about this, I can understand the conflict many experience about animal exploitation in the modern world, and that fewer have the courage to take meaningful action.

Carl also talks about becoming vegan at age 40, following a period of personal and spiritual reflection. And not long afterwards, he started learning more about battery-chicken farming and realised one of the largest farms was one operating only a few kilometres from his home, in Otago.

So began a transformative journey that would plunge him into the forefront of animal rights activism. The idea that came to him was simple: if people could not see the living hell experienced by chickens inside a cage, perhaps he could show them.

In 2011, Carl spent 31 days living in a cage in protest against battery-chicken farming. His protest attracted national media attention and that was the beginning of more than a decade of animal rights advocacy work. He became a prominent voice for animal welfare in New Zealand through his spoken and written word, local community initiatives, and intensely driven campaigning.

Carl is conscious that his journey took him from one side of the debate to the other. Having grown up participating in activities that involved exploiting animals before becoming an advocate for their protection, he developed a lasting interest in why people change their views and what motivates social change.

In recent years, chronic fatigue syndrome and other health issues have significantly affected Carl's life. And while stepping back from activism was difficult, it had to be done to redirect focus onto his health and wellbeing. Today, he spends his time gardening, reading, learning about recovery from chronic illness, and developing ideas for books on ethics, social change, and creating a better society. 

Carl's story is about more than activism; it is also a story of transformation, as few people have experienced both sides of a cause as deeply as he has. Reflecting on his life, Carl avoids talking about achievements or recognition. Instead, he left our session with some words that sum up his philosophy: 

"If I can say that the world is a slightly better place because of how I lived my life, that I've reduced suffering or destruction in some way... made the world a bit better, that'll do me."