2017 Tusk Conservation Awards to be streamed live

Held in partnership with Investec Asset Management, CEO Hendrik du Toit emphasises that time is running out for Africa’s wildlife, and that now is the time to act. “We live in unprecedented times. Over the last 40 years, the world’s wildlife population has decreased by more than half and some of the planet’s most iconic species, many of which count on the continent of Africa as their home, are on the brink of extinction. The destruction has reached levels never seen before in history. Now is the time to act if we are to reverse this.”

2017 finalists

The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa

• Brighton Kumchedwa – for his expansive body of work within Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife, and his commitment to conserving the wildlife of Malawi, now Southern Africa’s major illegal wildlife trade route.
• Nachamada Geoffrey – for his inspirational work leading one of Africa’s most effective anti-poaching teams in Nigeria’s Yankari Game Reserve.
• Serah Munguti – for her work in Kenya’s biologically rich Tana River Delta, where both the delicate ecosystem and the communities that depend on it, once faced a serious threat in the form of a land-grab for agricultural development.

The Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award

• Solomon Chidunuka – for his almost three decades of dedication in the field, rising through the ranks of the Zambian Wildlife Authority to the position of senior wildlife warden. He has gained and retained the respect of colleagues, tourism operators, communities, NGOs and government through his career, and is now considered the foremost warden in Zambia.
• Lucky Ndlovu – for his leadership of a dedicated anti-poaching team in South Africa’s Kruger national Park since 2014, leading to the arrest of 66 poachers and the recovery of 38 rifles.

The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

The lifetime achievement award recognises outstanding dedication and exceptional contributions to conservation in Africa. Every year, the identity of the winner is kept secret until the awards ceremony.

Held yearly since 2013 with the support of HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, the Tusk Conservation Awards has honoured some of Africa’s most notable conservationists, including Zimbabwe’s Clive Stockil and Kenya’s Richard Bonham. In 2016, Sir David Attenborough was recognised with a special award for his lifetime contribution to the natural world.

Members of the public are invited to watch the live broadcast of the #TuskAwards ceremony on the Tusk Facebook page, and to make use of the hashtag #ForAllTheyDo on social media. For more info, go to www.tuskawards.com.