The Tusk Awards for Conservation in Africa highlight the amazing work being done by passionate people fighting to preserve Africa’s natural wildlife.
The continent of Africa is home to some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. The unique wildlife that call Africa home are threatened on a daily basis by poachers, drought and even trophy hunters.
It takes the dedication and hard work of people with a true passion for conservation to stand up and fight for African wildlife. These men and women implement plans and strategies to halt the decline of endangered species, they work on breeding plans and even stand on the frontline in the war against poaching.
Tusk was founded to help these men and women make a greater difference. Tusk is a charity that helps support conservation and empowers local communities to preserve and protect Africa’s unique wildlife and natural habitats.
The aim of Tusk has been to preserve the natural heritage of Africa and secure the future for the land, culture and its people. The charity was founded in 1990 and launched the Tusk Awards for conservation in 2013.
It is considered a lifetime achievement award which helps boost the conservationist’s projects onto a global scale. The Royal Tusk Patron, His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge holds the awards dear to his heart.
HRH Prince William has been involved with the charity since 2005. He has actively supported the work being done in a private and public capacity.
“These awards which mean a great deal to me personally, play a huge part in our mission to preserve Africa’s precious wildlife for its people. It is vital that we recognize the dedication of these unsung heroes and the bravery of rangers risking their lives, day and night, on conservation’s frontline. We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude.” – The Duke of Cambridge, Tusk Royal Patron
The finalists for the 2017 Tusk Awards are Brighton Kumchedwa from Malawi, Nachamada Geoffrey from Nigeria and Serah Munguti from Kenya. The charity has also announced the finalists for a brand new award, the Wildlife Ranger award. The Wildlife Ranger award finalists are Solomon Chidunuka from Northern Province Zambia and Lucky Ndlovu from South Africa.
Below is a detailed overview of the work these unsung heroes have been doing in the field of wildlife conservation.
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Tusk Award finalists:
Brighton Kumchedwa has dedicated his life to conserving the wildlife of Malawi, now southern Africa’s major illegal wildlife trade route.
Nachamada Geoffrey for his inspirational work leading a team in Nigeria’s Yankari Game Reserve.
Serah Munguti for her work in Kenya’s biodiverse Tana River Delta, where communities were seriously threatened by land grabs for large agricultural development.
Wildlife Ranger Award finalists:
Solomon Chidunuka based in the Northern Province of Zambia is Senior Wildlife Warden for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. North Luangwa National Park holds Zambia’s only population of black rhino and working with Frankfurt Zoological Society no rhino have been lost under his watch.
Lucky Ndlovu based in Kruger National Park leads a dedicated team who since 2014 has been involved in the arrest and neutralization of sixty-six poachers and the recovery of thirty-eight rifles
The award ceremony will be taking place in Cape Town, South Africa on the 4th of October 2017. Derek Watts, of Carte Blanche fame, will be hosting the Gala evening. HRH the Duke of Cambridge will not be able to attend the ceremony however, three honoured guests will be there to present the awards on his behalf, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former First Lady, Mrs Graça Machel, and former President F W de Klerk. The Tusk Awards Gala evening is being hosted in partnership with Investec Asset Management.
The future is now, we need to provide more support to our conservation leaders. With support, they can make all the difference!
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