In November 2021, the Tusk Trust announced the winners of its 2021 Conservation Awards. Now in their 9th year, these awards were devised with the input of Tusk Royal Patron, HRH Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge. The Tusk Conservation Awards comprise three awards, each focused on recognizing and supporting the work of leading conservationists in Africa: The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa and the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. The winners were presented with their awards by HRH The Duke of Cambridge at a ceremony in London on 22 November 2021, hosted by broadcaster Kate Silverton.
Simson !Uri-≠Khob, CEO of Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia, won the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa. This lifetime achievement award (GBP 100,000 over 3 years) recognizes the 30 years that Simson has worked with Save the Rhino Trust to conserve Namibia's Critically Endangered black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis, a species on the brink of extinction when he first joined the organization.
Three emerging conservationists were shortlisted for the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa (GBP 75,000 over 3 years): Rachel Ikemeh (founder and Director of the SW/Niger Delta Forest Project, Nigeria), Caleb Ofori-Boateng (founder and Director of Herp-Conservation Ghana) and Julie Razafimanahaka (Director of Madagasikara Voakajy, Madagascar) all received commendations in recognition of their outstanding successes, with Julie chosen as the overall winner. Both Julie and Caleb are alumni of the Conservation Leadership Programme, a partnership between Fauna & Flora International, BirdLife International and the Wildlife Conservation Society that provides project funding, training and mentoring to early-career leaders tackling priority conservation challenges. The Conservation Leadership Programme nominated both Julie and Caleb for the award.
The award celebrates Julie's 16 years working in conservation. Among her many accomplishments, she has led the formation of seven protected areas in eastern Madagascar and ensured the survival of threatened amphibians, bats and lemurs. In particular, she spearheaded the first conservation strategy for the country's iconic baobab trees, securing the management rights of over 10,000 ha of baobab forest that were previously unprotected.
The Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award (GBP 30,000 over 3 years) was given to Suleiman Saidu, a senior game guard ranger at Yankari Game Reserve in Nigeria, in appreciation of his efforts in reducing elephant poaching to only one case since 2015.
More information, including videos of the ceremony and award winners, are at tuskawards.com.
Open access
