The finalists in this year’s Rhino Conservation Awards have been announced, with the winners to be celebrated on 31 July, coinciding with World Ranger Day.
The media tends to focus on the number of carcasses poached, but everyday many species are protected thanks to the blood, sweat and tears of dedicated conservationists and rangers who deserve recognition,” says Andrew Campbell, CEO of the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa.
“It was good to see a variety of entrants for skills, community initiatives and hardcore conservation and wildlife management committed from across Africa, and this shows a community of people joining hands together for the better tomorrow for all,” adds Eric Madamalala, deputy chairman of the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa.
The finalists for each category in the 2020 Rhino Conservation Awards are:
Field Ranger
- Julius Kaputo – Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia for Conservation Lower Zambezi
- Losas Lenamunyi – Sera Community Conservancy, Kenya for the Northern Rangelands Trust
- Samuel Loware – Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda for the Uganda Wildlife Authority
Game Ranger
- Albert Smith – Kruger National Park, South Africa, Malelane Section ranger for SANParks
- Benson Kanyembo – South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, law enforcement advisor for Conservation South Luangwa
- Don English – Kruger National Park, South Africa, Marula South/Intensive Protection Zone regional ranger for SANParks
Conservation Practitioner
- Eastern Cape DEDEAT Green Scorpions – Environmental management inspectors in Eastern Cape, South Africa for the Department Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism
- Marula South (IPZ) Rangers – Ranger team in the Kruger National Park, South Africa in the Marula South Region/Intensive Protection Zone for SANParks
- SANParks KNP Airwing – Pilots in the Kruger National Park, South Africa for SANParks
Conservation Supporter
- Lynne Taylor – director of The Tashinga Initiative Trust, Zimbabwe, supporting rangers and their work in the entire Zambezi Valley region.
- SANParks E&CI – the Environmental Crime and Corporate Investigations (E&CI) Unit of SANParks, focusing on the investigation and apprehension of organised crime syndicates across South Africa.
- WWF-SA Wildlife Programme – a WWF-SA initiative working in Southern Africa and beyond to conserve rhinos and other endangered wildlife.
This year, the Rhino Conservation Awards will be sponsoring over 250 rangers with Ranger Protect insurance cover. This policy provides rangers with the necessary protection they need to comfortably and confidently perform their duties in the field and ensures the well-being of Africa’s rangers and their families is improved through the provision of adequate insurance cover in the event of injury or death.
The awards are hosted annually in collaboration with the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa (GRAA) and are made possible with the support of sponsors ZEISS and Chinese New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) and are endorsed by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). Prince Albert II of Monaco, who is committed to the protection of endangered species through the support of his foundation, is the patron of the Rhino Conservation Awards.
