Praised for its biodiversity and charismatic species, the African continent encompasses some of the wildest places on earth. Many, however, remain threatened, as the pressures of human overpopulation, over-exploitation of resources and climate change continue to grow.

Yet, in the face of so many challenges, committed conservationists and brave rangers continue to protect our natural treasures for generations to come. The work of several outstanding individuals was acknowledged at this year’s Tusk Conservation Awards, in partnership with Ninety One, attended by the Prince of Wales.

“We are living through turbulent times and it’s all too easy to lose sight of how critical it is that we look after our natural world,” said Prince William to an audience gathered at Hampton Court Palace.

“But we must remain focused on investing in nature and environment, protecting it for future generations. We must not pass on the baton to our children and grandchildren, apologising for our lack of collective action. Instead, we must do all we can to support those who support our natural world, often at great risk to themselves.”

Each winner and finalist has a remarkable story to share.

Putting Mozambique’s wildlife on the map

Miguel Gonçalves – winner: Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa

There are few places in the world where elephants graze metres from breaching humpback whales, with only a stretch of golden sand and rolling dunes between.

Such unique beauty led Park Warden Miguel Gonçalves to make an application for the Maputo National Park to be recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an accolade he believes the newly formed protected area richly deserves.

Formed by a partnership between Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas and Peace Parks Foundation, the Maputo Special Reserve and Ouro Partial Marine Reserve were amalgamated in 2021.

Key in making the transition, Gonçalves has worked hard to earn the respect of communities still living in the park, providing healthcare, education and alternative farming projects. Their buy-in, he says, is essential in what looks set to become one of Africa’s most exciting and visually striking safari parks.

Saving Kenya’s elephants from drought

David Daballen – runner-up: Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa

Able to identify more than 500 individual elephants from both land and air, David Daballen knows the residents of Samburu National Reserve almost as well as his own family.

As director of field operations for charity Save The Elephants, he works with wildlife and communities, but admits northern Kenya’s three-year drought has presented some of the greatest challenges of his life.

Competition for resources is resulting in conflict, as elephants leave the safe haven of the park and venture into villages. But David remains positive, firmly believing the key to successful conservation lies in supporting the people who live alongside wildlife.

Protecting Tanzania’s last hunter-gatherer tribe

Dismas Partalala – runner-up: Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa

Growing up as a Maasai on the border of the Serengeti and Mara, Dismas Partalala always understood the importance of living from the land. But meeting the Hadzabe, who reside in the forests of the Yaeda Valley, opened his eyes to a new level of subsistence living.

Inspired by their respect for resources – foraging for berries, harvesting honey from baobabs and hunting with wooden bows and arrows – he felt compelled to help the historically nomadic people secure land rights to protect their forest forever.

Enabling the Hadzabe to gain even greater benefit from the pure air they breathe, he also set up a deal with Carbon Tanzania to secure revenue through carbon credits.

Connecting the communities of northern Kenya

Ian Craig – winner: Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

When Ian Craig transformed his family’s 62,000-acre cattle ranch into a community conservancy 27 years ago, the Kenyan-raised conservationist had his sights firmly set on restoring populations of black rhinos.

Today, Lewa is one of Africa’s prime safari destinations – where Prince William proposed to his future wife – but Craig’s attention has since switched to communities.

As the founder and chief of conservation for the Northern Rangelands Trust, he’s helped establish 43 community conservancies in northern Kenya – many with their own wildlife sanctuaries and ambitious ecotourism plans.

Inspiring a new generation of birders in Uganda

Achilles Byaruhanga – winner: Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

Raised with the call of a crown crane as his daily alarm clock, Achilles Byaruhanga has always been surrounded by birds. As a student, he conducted a research project into an ‘invasion’ of marabou storks into Uganda’s capital, Kampala, ultimately praising the feathered scavengers for carrying out waste disposal duties neglected by authorities.

Understanding the role of birds as indicators of environmental degradation, he saw a need to protect Uganda’s wetlands, historically drained in an attempt to eradicate mosquitoes.

As executive director of NGO Nature Uganda, he’s established 34 Important Bird Areas for protection and helped identify and designate 11 of Uganda’s 12 Ramsar sites.

Working alongside communities to build ecotourism projects, he’s cleverly made local people the custodians of these precious pockets of land.

Conserving Zambia’s Kafue lechwe

Neddy Mulimo – winner: Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award

A stint training with the military would prove to be invaluable for ranger Neddy Mulimo later in his career. On many occasions, he’s employed defence tactics to outwit poachers.

But it was an ingenious idea to build trenches in the Kafue Flats that helped the veteran make his name. Previously exposed in the open landscape, rangers now had a good chance of ambushing criminals hunting for the area’s rare and endemic Kafue lechwe.

Having witnessed rhino go locally extinct in his lifetime, the 66-year-old, who came out of retirement to manage Zambia’s specialist anti-poaching units, is determined to keep every animal – and ranger – safe under his watch.

Additional award sponsors include DEFENDER and the Nick Maughan Foundation.

For more information, visit tuskawards.com.