Tusk Talk 2025 by Tusk Trust

KENSINGTON PALACE

Tusk has achieved so much over twelve months in its efforts to protect Africa's wildlife and empower the communities that live alongside it. The past year has been testament to the passion and commitment of those working day and night to safeguard the extraordinary wildlife found in Africa's rainforests, savannas, deserts and oceans.

The annual Wildlife Ranger Challenge (WRC), which united rangers from the rangelands of Namibia to the rainforest of West Africa, was particularly uplifting. These brave men and women are the guardians of the natural world; standing between extinction and survival for many species, protecting the ecosystems that provide clean air, fresh water and climate stability.

Since the WRC's inception in 2020, the event has raised an incredible $21 million to directly support the vital work ofrangers on the frontline ofconservation. It has also evolved as a unifying force for good: for the rangers themselves; for the local communities; and for those worldwide who support from a distance. It shows what we can do together with a shared belief that nature is a necessity not a luxury, and that protecting it starts with empowermg rangers.

The WRC has also been the catalyst for the Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative (RWSI), which I was delighted to announce in Cape Town in November. The RWSI is a financial and welfare package of support that has been developed by Tusk in partnership with the Game Rangers Association of Africa, and with financial support from my own Foundation. The initiative aims to ensure that rangers are adequately supported, protected and empowered in their roles, so that the work of those who protect the black rhino of Kruger National Park or those who nurture coral nurseries in the Indian Ocean - and many, many others in between - are recognised.

Despite the many successes of 2024, we know that the challenges facing our natural world remain urgent. Our planet's extraordinary ecosystems have been millennia in the making. Yet we are only just beginning to understand the complex intricacies oftheir interconnections and how their loss and the depletion ofbiodiversity is one ofthe greatest threats of our time. Through partnerships, collaboration, funding, and unwavering resolve - the touchstones ofTusk's mandate - we will achieve global commitments to protect 30% ofland and oceans by 2030, which is a crucial mitigating strategy against this threat.

I am deeply grateful to the team at Tusk and all those working across Africa to protect its incredible wildlife and landscapes. Your dedication continues to inspire me, and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the years ahead.

Alexander Rhodes Chairman, Tusk

Welcome

Our project partners in Africa began their vital conservation work in 2025 negotiating dramatic cuts in foreign aid, as global financial priorities shift.

We are witnessing a paradigm shift in conservation funding in Africa.

As I write this, four countries—the US, UK, Netherlands, and France—have confirmed reductions in their foreign aid budgets. This leaves a potential near-term gap of $15-30bn of the $191bn in 2023. 40% went to Africa, and while only a sliver of that went to conservation, that sliver has been a bedrock of African conservation finance for decades.

These cuts serve as a stark reminder of how fragile financial support for conservation can be.

This situation highlights the growing importance to African conservation of long-term, partnership-based funding models, focused on capacity building and resilience. Such models are essential for ensuring sustainable conservation efforts, particularly in local communities, where leadership and local stewardship are critical to success. Furthermore, despite these shifts, the importance of multilateral approaches to African wildlife conservation remains clear.

Against this background, Tusk’s pledge to its committed donor base, to provide effective, partnership-based and long-term support to conservation initiatives across Africa, remains unwavering.

Last year, I reported on Tusk's extraordinary Conservation Symposium in Rwanda. Over the last 12 months, our Collaboration Fund has continued to drive meaningful exchanges between the leading conservation organisations in our portfolio. We’ve seen exciting results, from Painted Dog Conservation working alongside The Malilangwe Trust in Zimbabwe to Save the Rhino Trust Namibia sharing knowledge with the Southern African Wildlife College. This investment in partnerships highlights the power inherent in collaboration: sharing best practice helps to build stronger, more effective conservation efforts.

A critical focus for Tusk, particularly since the pandemic, has been supporting the rangers who are the true heroes on the frontlines of wildlife protection. In 2024 we were particularly proud to see the roll-out of the Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative, which was launched by our Royal Patron, Prince William, in Cape Town in November 2024.

The RWSI will improve and promote the well-being, rights and professional standards of rangers across Africa, so they are adequately supported, protected and empowered. A five-year financial package is being created to give access to on-duty accidental death, disability and medical evacuation cover, through Ranger Protect, to 5,000 rangers over the next five years, then expanding to 10,000 rangers.

The RWSI is also bringing together leading conservation organisations across the continent to establish and champion a shared set of minimum standards for ranger welfare - as created by the International Ranger Federation - by 2030.

Tusk has an exciting programme of events for 2025. One of the highlights is the 25th Lewa Safari Marathon, which will take place on 28th June. This iconic event, following last year’s cancellation, is a critical fundraiser and opportunity for our supporters to get close to the action!

In London, another exciting 2025 event will unfold: The Tusk Turtle Trail. A vibrant bale (yes, that’s the collective noun!) of turtles will swim gracefully through the streets before being auctioned in support of Tusk’s conservation projects. The Turtle Trail is a fun, creative way to spotlight the importance of marine conservation, and we encourage all of you to join us in Central London from July-October for this colourful spectacle.

All of this work continues to grow our conservation coalition of the willing – best represented by our Patrons' Circle, which has increased by 25% in the past year. We’re incredibly grateful to this growing community of supporters who are helping us innovate and better support our partners on the ground. If you haven’t yet joined the Patrons' Circle, we invite you to consider taking advantage of this opportunity to get closer to the charity, to the projects we support and to the amazing work they deliver each and every day on the ground in Africa.

We are glad to have you with us on this journey: one that reminds us, time and again, that collaboration, resilience and long-term investment in conservation have never been more urgent.

Nick Bubb CEO, Tusk

Goals of Magnitude

This year, the honour and responsibility of editing Tusk Talk, has fallen to Joanna Eede, our Head of Communications and a brilliant storyteller. I’m confident you are all going to enjoy her writing, as she transports us directly to Africa. As ever our Design & Brand Manager, Emily Higgs, has weaved her magic on the look and design of our annual magazine.

Last year was an exciting one for Tusk. We are proud to provide critical funding to enable 79 projects across 26 African countries to grow and increase their impact on habitat and wildlife, through a series of varied initiatives.

The challenges we face in the conservation world can often feel insurmountable, but as Charlie Mayhew writes later in this edition of Tusk Talk, it is time to fully value nature and the ecosystems it provides humanity. A quarter of the world’s remaining biodiversity lies in Africa, so it is crucial that we support our partners on the ground who are working night and day to protect this global resource.

The 2025 edition of Tusk Talk is a rich collection of articles, interviews and features that bring to life our partners’ work and provide illustrations of the projects underpinned by Tusk’s strategy: funding, collaborating, convening, amplifying and leadership.

Every year we search for remarkable, courageous and committed conservation leaders, to raise global awareness of their impacts in the field. Last year, Claver Ntoyinkima (Rwanda), Edward Aruna (Sierra Leone) and Nomba Ganamé (Mali) were honoured at the 12th edition of Tusk Conservation Award’s ceremony, hosted by our Royal Patron, Prince William. The winners’ insights in Tusk Talk demonstrate their admirable affinity and respect for the natural world.

Through Tusk’s Collaboration Fund, we enable, nurture and support collaboration between our project partners. In 2024, one of the first grants from the Collaboration Fund was utilised by the Southern African Wildlife College, whose staff visited Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia and recount a ‘five-day journey into community stewardship’. The Lilongwe Wildlife Trust also writes about the power of collaboration - this time with the Malawian governmenton an educational sourcebook for primary schoolchildren.

Community-led conservation has been at the very heart of Tusk’s guiding beliefs since it was founded 35 years ago. Sam Shaba, the CEO of Honeyguide, reminds us that local communities have a deep knowledge of nature and how to protect it, while Lion Landscapes enlarges on their goal to make wildlife valuable to the

Community-led conservation has been at the very heart of Tusk’s guiding beliefs since it was founded 35 years ago.

people who live alongside it, including pastoralist community benefits such as a scholarship programme.

2024’s Wildlife Ranger Challenge - the fifth such event - was another huge success. It raised an additional £2.3m for the employment and welfare of rangers across Africa (the total raised since 2020 has now reached £17.3m) and created a positive ripple effect among rangers and local communities. Rangers Cathy Dreyer and Hope Ngulube spoke to the Tusk Talk team about the mental strength needed to be a ranger and the increasing need to balance traditional duties with law enforcement.

In Spotlight, some of our partners reveal the 2024 highlights of their Tusk-supported projects. We hear about the 12 mountain gorillas born in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, thanks largely to the protection by Conservation Through Public Health; the mitigation of human-forest elephant conflict in Gabon by OELO; the success achieved by LaMCot Kenya in engaging hundreds of students in vital ocean conservation; the lions deterred from killing livestock thanks to technology used by CLAWS Botswana; the coral bleaching mitigation strategies adopted by Wild Impact on Mnemba Island and the helicopter operations carried out by Conservation South Luangwa in Zambia.

We also have fascinating guest contributions from jeweller Jen Wade, photographer and Tusk Ambassador, David Yarrow, and wildlife filmmaker, Huw Cordey of Silverback Films.

The stories in this year’s Tusk Talk only offer a brief glimpse into the work being carried out across Africa, but I hope they give readers a good idea as to what can be achieved through supporting local, grassroots conservation initiatives and fostering African-led solutions.

Above Mountain gorilla

Credit: Susannah Rouse

Left Forest rangers checking a camera trap in Taï National Park

Credit: Thomas Nicolon, GRAA Ranger Legacy Project

Finally, I am proud that Tusk is fast becoming a global community united by a common and urgent cause. We draw renewed energy and vigour, as ever, from the amazing generosity of Tusk’s supporters and we value hugely our long-term partners such as Defender, with whom we have just entered an exciting five-year partnership extension.

Thank you from me and all the Tusk team for your support, energy and passion in helping us achieve our vision: an Africa where people and wildlife coexist and thrive. After all, as our LWT partner writes on page 23, a “goal of this magnitude cannot be achieved in isolation”.

Accelerating African-Driven Conservation

Tusk partners with leading and promising emerging conservationists across Africa, securing donor funding to invest in their grassroots conservation ventures.

We provide a platform and amplify their voices to increase their profile, and facilitate collaboration to enhance their capacity. As a result, we enable partners to accelerate their development from innovative ideas to scalable solutions and ensure their impact on the ground is maximised.

Tusk has established a reputation for identifying and supporting an impressive range of conservation initiatives with an incredibly successful track record throughout Africa.

Main image

African lion

Bottom left

Rangers tracking rhino in the Namibian desert

Credit: Save the Rhino Trust

Bottom right

Two great blue turaco

Almost every country on Earth has signed up to the most ambitious nature protection plan: to conserve 30% of the planet’s land and waters by 2030.

Tusk, and our extensive network of project partners, are making a vital contribution towards these targets. By 2030, Tusk aims to optimise our impact in reducing biodiversity loss and tackling the evolving threats faced by Africa’s biodiversity and linked communities. We will achieve this by convening 60+ organisations and 75 conservation leaders from across the continent, fostering and funding effective collaboration between them and accelerating the growth of community-driven conservation.

Tusk's

2030 Tusk's Goals

1. FUNDING: We provide critical funding to enable our project partners to grow and increase their impact on habitat and wildlife.

2. LEADERSHIP: Through the recognition and support of Tusk Conservation Award recipients (see pages 17-21), we raise the profile of African conservation leaders and their significant impacts in the field across Africa and beyond.

3. CONVENING: We bring our project partners and wider stakeholders together – through initiatives such as the Tusk Conservation Symposium – for learning, innovation, collaboration and impact.

4. COLLABORATING: Through our Collaboration Fund, we enable, nurture and support collaboration between our project partners, for greater synergy and impact.

5. AMPLIFYING: We help to increase awareness, funding, and wider support for our partners’ efforts, while also sharing important conservation messages, from the vital and varied roles of wildlife rangers, to the benefits of communitydriven conservation, both within Africa and internationally.

6. ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS: To achieve all of the above, we continue to invest in our organisational capacity and operations.

Tusk's Impact Across Africa

Since Tusk was founded in 1990, we have invested in the growth of over 250 local partner organisations across more than 25 African countries, enabling and empowering the conservation movement across the continent.

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge has supported 13,000 rangers and their families and has been a lifeline to keep rangers on the frontline of conservation during often challenging times.

We direct your support towards tackling the greatest threats to Africa’s biodiversity and affected communities, helping our project partners to protect endangered species, promote human-wildlife coexistence, find sustainable solutions to maintain critical habitats and provide engaging and impactful conservation education programmes.

We also invest in the critical role wildlife rangers play in protecting Africa’s natural resources and supporting their local communities. Through the Wildlife Ranger Challenge and associated Ranger Fund, we are helping to improve the status and welfare of rangers across Africa, and professionalising the sector.

Your generous support last year is making a huge difference; here’s how.

£2.4 million endangered animals treated across 14 conservation projects 137

provided in support of wildlife rangers

Every £1

donated is used across three areas:

91p - Conservation activity

6p - Support costs

3p - Cost of raising funds

20.5%

increase in the critically endangered Togo Slippery Frog, now counted at 300 individuals

*This page reflects total revenue raised in 2024 but does not reflect the total impact of the funds which have been and will continue to be disbursed in phases through 2025 and 2026.

*These figures are extracted from the unaudited 2024 accounts and do not constitute summary financial statements.

33,894

adults participated in environmental education activities

6.33%

increase in Grey-crowned crane populations, now recorded at 1,293 individuals

2,519

Human-wildlife conflict incidences mitigated

Focus of Tusk funded projects

Protecting endangered species 41%

Preserving and enhancing areas of natural habitats 35%

Promoting human-wildlife coexistence 11%

Providing environmental education 8%

Advocacy, awareness & publications 5%

Source of funds

from individuals

34,609

snares recovered, contributing to reduced threats to wildlife

1.6 million invested in direct conservation activity £11.1 million

children using Tusk’s Pan African Conservation Education (PACE) materials

15,915

children visited conservation areas for hands-on learning experiences

region

9 Ghana

• HERP Conservation Ghana

10 Guinea

• Chimpanzee Conservation Centre

11 Kenya

• Big Life Foundation

• Bongo Surveillance Project

• Borana Conservancy

• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

• Lion Landscapes

• Mount Kenya Trust

• Ngare Ndare Forest Trust

• Northern Rangelands Trust

• Tsavo Trust

• Grevy’s Zebra Trust

• Lamu Marine Conservation Trust

• Maa Trust

• Milgis Trust

• Pangolin Project

• COMRED

12 Liberia

• Liberian Sea Turtle Project

13 Madagascar

• IMPACT Madagascar

• C3 Madagascar

• Madagasikara Voakajy

14 Malawi

• Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

• Wildlife Action Group

15 Mali

• Mali Elephant Project

16 Mozambique

• Maputo National Park

• Lugenda Foundation

17 Morocco

• ATOMM

18 Namibia

• Save the Rhino Trust

• Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation

19 Nigeria

• African Nature Investors Foundation

• SW/Niger Delta Forest Project

• Yankari Game Reserve

20 Rwanda

• Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association

• Rwanda Development Board

21 Sierra Leone

• Reptile and Amphibian Programme RAP-SL

22 South Africa

• Southern African Wildlife College

• VulPro

• Project Rhino

• Transfrontier Africa

• Wildlife ACT

23 Tanzania

• Honeyguide Foundation

• Wild Impact

• Lion Landscapes

• African People & Wildlife

24 Uganda

• Conservation Through Public Health

• Uganda Conservation Foundation

25 Zambia

• Conservation Lower Zambezi

• Conservation South Luangwa

• Zambian Carnivore Programme

• Game Rangers International

• Musekese Conservation

• North Luangwa Conservation Programme (FZS)

• Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (FZS)

26 Zimbabwe

• Malilangwe Trust

• Painted Dog Conservation

• Bhejane Trust

• Wildlife Conservation Action

• Conservation and Wildlife Fund

• Gonarezhou Conservation Trust

• Savé Valley Conservancy

• Tashinga Initiative

Bhejane Trust, Zimbabwe

Tusk's support enabled Bhejane Trust to conduct environmental awareness campaigns, reducing wildlife crime. Six live pangolins were handed in by the community in 2024. The grant facilitated construction of a community centre, including two fowl runs for 3,000 chickens and an office. Additionally, 200 fruit trees were planted under the "Forest of Fruit Trees" initiative, promoting community development and conservation. The Trust now has an office right in the community it serves.

C3 Madagascar, Madagascar

In 2024, Tusk’s support enabled C3 Madagascar to deepen its impact in environmental education, reaching over 3,500 students through interactive marine biodiversity sessions. They developed and distributed 620 copies of a new LMMA storybook to schools and expanded their Junior Ecoguard programme to the southwest region of Atsimo Andrefana, training 40 teachers from 20 schools. With Tusk they have now reached eight coastal regions out of 13 through the Junior Ecoguards network, and impacted more than 29,600 school children. These efforts have led to measurable changes in students’ perceptions of the ocean, fostering a new generation of ocean ambassadors.

With support from Tusk, CLAWS made significant strides in 2024. Their outreach with lodges, communities and colleagues led to 561 lion sightings recorded – more than the previous eight years combined. They now know 108 individual lions, an increase from 45 in 2022 (with over 40 known cubs). They disseminated 14,048 lion alerts and our response team deterred lions 30 times. The three communal herdings had no losses to lions and farmers killed one lion in the last two years.

CLAWS, Kenya

Credit: Viginia Pelayo

Credit: Sarah Marshall

Credit: C3 Madagascar

Success spotlights

Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), Uganda

In 2024, thanks to Tusk's support, CTPH made significant progress in protecting mountain gorillas and their habitat. 12 gorillas were born; all 28 habituated gorilla groups in Bwindi were monitored through routine faecal sample analysis (2,458 samples); 4,300 people and 260 livestock were dewormed, preventing onward parasite transmission. They trained 352 rangers, 74 animal health workers, expanded Gorilla Guardians from 119 to 162, including two women for the first time, and equipped community conservation volunteers. Illegal forest entries dropped by 27%, and all 169 human-wildlife conflicts identified were resolved.

Conservation South Luangwa, Zambia

Tusk remained a cornerstone supporter of CSL in 2024, funding essential anti-poaching operations to support the protection of 1.4 million hectares across the South Luangwa ecosystem. This support enabled 569 foot patrols, 129 aerial surveillance hours, and 112 helicopter operations, while also covering core ranger salaries and infrastructure development. Additionally, Tusk's support strengthened CSL’s conservation technology capacity, further enhancing intelligence-led resource allocation for greater anti-poaching impact. Reinforcing this partnership, CSL was thrilled to welcome Tusk CEO Nick Bubb to South Luangwa during the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, demonstrating their solidarity with rangers on the frontline of wildlife conservation.

Friends of Bonobos, Democratic Republic of the Congo

With immense gratitude to Tusk, the first stage of the NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP) development project was initiated, with a long-term goal of supporting food security and sustainable livelihoods with partner communities at Ekolo ya Bonobo Community Reserve (EBCR), the 120,000 acre Protected Area, where rehabilitated bonobos from Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary are reintroduced back to their rightful home in the heart of the rainforest.

Dahari, Comoros

With Tusk's support, six communities have expanded the first ever community-designated no-take zone for the Comoros and identified two new reef areas as no-take zones, covering a total of 100 hectares. Local fisher associations at the centre of these initiatives have been supported to gain leadership and communication skills. Locally-adapted incentives are provided to compensate for restrictions and build support for reef management, including testing a solar freezer with one fishers' association, that generates income through user fees.

Lamu Marine Conservation Trust (LaMCoT), Kenya

Thanks to Tusk's generous funding, the Bahari Yetu Festival's Watoto Day in 2024 successfully engaged over 360 Lamu students in vital ocean conservation. Children from 14 environmental clubs participated in photography, art competitions and marine-themed beach games, fostering a deep appreciation for their coastal environment. Notably, school champions and art competition winners were awarded with environmental excursions, reinforcing practical conservation learning. The festival showcased student talent and highlighted the impact of early environmental education, proving that Tusk's investment is cultivating future ‘Guardians of the Deep.’

Credit: CTPH

Credit: Mjose Jozie

Credit: Dahari

Credit: Friends of Bonobos

Credit: Shanga Nzole

Maputo National Park, Mozambique

In 2024, Maputo National Park’s Community Training Centre saw significant growth, thanks to the commitment of park staff and the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa won by Park Warden Miguel Gonҫalves in 2022. Upgrades enhanced guest experiences and expanded capacity, while the new interpretation trail enabled a fauna and flora identification safari. The centre engaged 778 local youths in conservation education, benefiting a total of 1,202 participants across 36 events. A landmark moment occurred with Honourable President Nyusi's inauguration, highlighting the centre's vital role in education and conservation in Mozambique.

Uganda Conservation Foundation, Uganda

Through Tusk, UCF supported Uganda Wildlife Authority’s law enforcement, lion and giraffe conservation operations and community development programmes.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, 100% of human-lion conflict incidents were mitigated, without the loss of any lions. In Kidepo Valley National Park, targeted law enforcement and monitoring has dramatically reduced lion poaching. In Murchison Falls, ranger foot patrols were intensified after three years of heavy poaching. The 17 community scouts Tusk previously supported were recruited into UWA as full-time marine rangers. Over 200 animals were rescued from snares and traps by UCFs young vets who are seconded to UWA.

Wild Entrust, Botswana

The Tusk Coaching Conservation 2024 grant enabled vital environmental education to be delivered to all Grade 6 and 7 students in 82 schools across Botswana’s north-west region. With this support, 9,387 children engaged with play‐based Learning from Wildlife curriculum, nurturing empathy and responsibility for wildlife. Tusk’s funding contributed to essential costs, including salaries, training, vehicle operations, and learning materials, which led to measurable improvements in environmental awareness, behavioural change, and a strengthened sense of responsibility towards wildlife.

In 2024, OELO facilitated the renewal and update of Gabon’s first freshwater fisheries management plan, advancing the “Our Lake, Our Future” initiative on Lake Oguemoué. The initiative has eliminated African manatee by-catch, marked the return of migratory species to the lake, mitigated human-forest elephant conflict through protecting plantations with solar fencing, and doubled catch-per-unit effort for local fishers. In response to requests from neighbouring lake communities, OELO began replicating the initiative in two new lakes in 2024: Adolet and Ezanga.

Wild Impact, Tanzania

2024 was a significant year for the Oceans Without Borders team based on Mnemba island. Coral bleaching had a devastating impact on coral reefs within the Western Indian Ocean and Zanzibar, and many corals died in the Mnemba Island coral nursery. This devastating event was a huge reality check that climate change needs to be addressed at global and local levels. However, with the support of Tusk, the OWB rangers have been implementing bleaching mitigation measures to reduce high coral mortalities in the future. This includes collecting corals for the nursery that have shown resistance and resilience to bleaching in the hope of building reefs for the future.

Credit: Nicholas Haller

Credit: Andrew Wegst

Credit: Maputo National Park

OELO Gabon, Gabon

Credit: OELO Gabon

Credit: Camilla Floros

Spotlight on the people behind our project partners

Conservation Champion

SAM SHABA

Chief Executive Officer

Honeyguide Foundation Tanzania

Honeyguide has played a leading role in developing successful community-led conservation models in Tanzania for a decade. Today, Honeyguide invests in communityled Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) across 13 areas, covering more than two million hectares of key wildlife habitat.

Sam Shaba joined Honeyguide in 2014 and stepped into the leadership role as CEO in July 2024.

How did you develop a career in wildlife conservation?

I grew up in southern Tanzania; a region which is rich in nature, but wildlife wasn’t a big part of my world as a child. I actually dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. When I applied to university, I was offered a place in wildlife management instead of medicine.

I’ve always loved gadgets such as GPS smartphones. My first job was carrying out GIS work, collecting data and creating maps. That led to monitoring and evaluation work, where I turned raw numbers into insights that actually shaped conservation efforts.

I love conservation! Trading medicine for wildlife wasn’t the path I planned, but it’s the one that feels like home.

What drew you to Honeyguide?

The chance to be part of something deeply rooted in community, while also applying my passion for technology to real-world conservation challenges.

Communities have a deep knowledge of their land, wildlife, and priorities. As they have lived alongside wildlife for generations, the principle of coexisting is deeply rooted.

Above

Honeyguide rangers with the community

Credit: Monica Dalmasso

Right trio

Community rangers on patrol

Credit: Monica Dalmasso

Honeyguide rangers talking to school kids

Credit: Mauro Scattolini

Wildlife Management Areas

meeting

Credit: Mauro Scattolini

Honeyguide is not just about protecting wildlife, it's about building systems that empower communities to manage their own natural resources in a way that is financially sustainable, socially meaningful, and ecologically sound.

How does Honeyguide work with local communities?

In Tanzania, we have national parks such as the Serengeti. Surrounding the parks are communityowned lands called Wildlife Management Areas, or WMAs.

WMAs act as buffers to protect the parks and support local communities; there are about 38 across Tanzania, each at a different stage of development. They were created in the early 2000s with the promise of protecting wildlife and ecosystems, while also improving the livelihoods of the communities that own the land. Many have struggled, however, and have received limited funding and support, leaving communities unsure of the benefits of setting aside their land for conservation.

At Honeyguide we focus on select WMAs, partnering with them for three to five years. By the end of that period, our goal is to ensure they are financially

self-sustaining, socially valued by local communities, and ecologically sound.

Can you describe Honeyguide’s model?

At the heart of our model is strengthening governance and management.

A typical first step is organising the elected community representatives into a formal governing body. We then provide the training, tools and systems needed to ensure their work is transparent, participatory, and accountable.

The second key part of our model is enterprise development. We support communities in building sustainable, long-term businesses, whether through photographic tourism, hunting concessions or carbon projects.

Honeyguide also places strong emphasis on community benefits and social value.

At the same time, we boost ecological protection by establishing or improving community-based ranger teams and human-wildlife conflict response units.

Why is the model of community conversation so vital for the future?

According to the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, over 60% of wildlife lives outside state-controlled national parks, making community lands essential buffer zones around core protected areas. Elephants often roam these communal territories and many other large mammals rely on community-managed areas to sustain their movements and survival.

African wildlife survives today in many areas because local and indigenous communities have always been natural conservationists. Communities have a deep knowledge of their land, wildlife, and priorities. As they have lived alongside wildlife for generations, the principle of coexisting is deeply rooted. They understand how to protect naturenot through textbooks, but through lived experience.

It's very important to recognise that local knowledge shouldn’t be substituted, but rather supplemented with modern technologies.

Separating people from wildlife is where we’re getting it wrong. It’s not only less effective, it’s more expensive, less sustainable, and it overlooks the very people who’ve protected these places all along.

We work in partnership with communities: a partnership that is rooted in mutual respect and trust. Our role is to support with tools, systems, and occasionally resourcesas and when it is helpful.

Honeyguide also has a flourishing canine programme…

The Canine Programme isn’t part of our core strategy, but it has become a valuable tool in achieving our broader conservation goals.

Some years ago, we decided to test an unconventional idea. At the time, ivory poaching was rampant, and we needed to act. We asked a simple question: could trained dogs help detect and deter poaching?

The results were remarkable. If an elephant was killed and the poacher fled with the ivory, our dogs were brought in to track them. They would pick up a scent at the crime scene and track it, sometimes straight to the poacher’s door. A search warrant would be obtained, and in many cases, weapons would be found. Occasionally, so was the ivory.

While global efforts helped to bring down ivory poaching more broadly, our canine unit played a critical role in local deterrence.

How does your partnership with Tusk support Honeyguide?

Tusk primarily supports our anti-poaching efforts by funding ranger operations. In each of the landscapes where we work, a full-time ranger presence is essential. Tusk’s contribution is vital; it helps cover ranger salaries, equipment, vehicles and other related expenses.

Tusk’s support was particularly critical during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and allowed us to keep protection teams in place and continue core conservation operations on the ground.

Tusk has fully funded our canine unit over the past three years.

Tusk’s support also lends credibility and confidence, which signals to other partners that our work is trusted and worth investing in. Tusk’s long-term commitment, deep understanding of conservation realities and readiness to stand with partners during challenging times has enabled us to sustain critical operations and grow our impact with clarity and ambition.

Through Tusk, we’ve also been able to connect and collaborate with other conservation partners it supports in sharing lessons, aligning strategies and building a stronger, more unified conservation network across Africa.

Charlie Mayhew OBE, Founder & President, Tusk

Time to value Biodiversity

As the world seeks to meet its 30 x 30 global biodiversity targets, the underlying challenge for us all is what value we should be placing on nature, and how we are going to pay for it.

For far too long we have been guilty of taking nature for granted, but rarely do we reflect its true value in both economic terms and what it provides in ecosystem services.

The natural world is not just a ‘nice to have’, it freely provides the air we breathe and the food and water we need to sustain ourselves - not to mention proven benefits for our own health and wellbeing.

Since 1970 our planet has lost on average 70% of all mammals, birds, fish and reptiles, whilst our human population has tripled. Biodiversity is an immensely complex system in which millions of plant and animal species each play their unique role and interact with one another to support life. It is somewhat perverse that we continue to destroy it at such an alarming rate.

When these natural ecosystems remain intact, they also play a vital role in sequestering huge amounts of carbon, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Africa remains one of the last places on Earth where, thankfully, vast unspoilt tracts of wilderness, forests and savanna still exist. Moreover, the continent harbours 25% of the planet’s remaining biodiversity, including some of its most iconic and endangered species.

The natural world is not a ‘nice to have’. It freely provides the air we breathe and the food and water we need.

Wildlife’s biggest challenge is the loss of habitat due to deforestation, agriculture, settlement, and the resulting human wildlife conflict. Africa’s rapidly growing human population is predicted to increase from 1.46 billion today to 2.5 billion by 2050 and the UN predicts that 25% of the world’s population will live in Africa by 2050. This footprint inevitably threatens further loss of the continent’s biodiversity.

For wildlife to survive it is essential that the people who co-exist with it see its value to their household, community and the wider economy. Community conservation in Africa is a significant aspect of land management that involves local communities in the stewardship of natural resources and biodiversity. Estimates indicate that around 1.5 billion acres of land in Africa is designated for community-based conservation. This includes various forms of management such as community conservancies, collaborative management areas, and community game reserves. Countries such as Namibia, Kenya and Botswana have made significant strides in community conservation, with dedicated policies and frameworks supporting these initiatives and the livelihoods of millions of people.

This exceeds the equivalent area protected within national parks, making the sector hugely significant to the protection and viability of these areas, many of which act as important buffer zones to neighbouring national parks, providing valuable corridors and connectivity for species such as elephant to migrate.

In reality, Africa struggles to fund its national parks – with 90% severely underfunded. Likewise many community managed areas are unable to generate the levels of sustainable revenue they need and remain donor dependent to allow them to employ rangers and maintain some level of protection that would otherwise not exist.

At a time when large institutional and bilateral development and conservation funding is either being withdrawn or under pressure, we need leaders to hold the course on agreed biodiversity goals and resist the temptation from extractive industries to prospect for minerals in protected areas as a potential means to replace the loss of aid. We are in danger of failing to see a far bigger and more complex picture.

For Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces to survive on the scale that it currently enjoys, it has to compete economically with the forces that threaten its existence and it would be naïve to suggest global philanthropy will plug any funding gap.

We

are in danger of failing to see a far bigger and more complex picture.

Main image

Top view of the forest in Taï

National Park, Côte d’Ivoire

Credit: Thomas Nicolon, GRAA Ranger Legacy Project

Above left

Wildlife across Africa increasingly finds itself in human-dominated landscapes, such as these plains zebra in northern Tanzania

Credit: Hannah Cora Swanson

Above right

Karingani Game Reserve MalawiKurhula Community Farm

Credit: Jo Taylor

If we are to hit our target to protect 30% of biodiversity by 2030, we have to come up with an alternative, sustainable and scalable financial model that places a true value on nature and ensures the protection of these landscapes and its wildlife. Although there have been some innovative initiatives such as debt-for-nature swaps, rhino impact bonds and carbon credits, none yet exist at real scale. It is surely time to unlock the immense wealth in global capital markets and structure a dedicated green bond programme to fund Africa’s protected areas.

From the outset, Tusk understood that conservation is about people – it’s why so much of our investment is directed at community-led programmes which demonstrate both the economic value and need to protect their natural asset. It has been exciting to witness the evolution over 35 years of so many community conservancies, supporting millions of livelihoods. At the heart of our ethos, is the undeniable fact that without habitat, there will be no wildlife; and without any economic value to compete with alternative land usage, Africa risks losing a unique and vital natural resource that benefits the whole of humanity.

Celebrating Conservation Success

Established in 2013 in partnership with global investment manager

Ninety One and in conjunction with HRH The Prince of Wales, the Tusk Conservation Awards recognise cuttingedge conservation leaders and their positive impacts on wildlife conservation and local communities across Africa.

For over a decade, the Awards have served as a springboard for these guardians of biodiversity, who have risen to the top of their fields, scaling their work and amplifying conservation impact across the continent.

The Tusk Conservation Awards are now more important than ever. Tusk believes it is essential to fund, support and amplify the work of the conservationists on the ground in Africa - those who, with their progressive conservation projects, are driving the meaningful change that benefits both wildlife and people.

Tusk’s Royal Patron, Prince William, took to the stage at London’s Savoy Hotel to reveal 2024’s winners, pay tribute to their outstanding work and present them with their trophies. The 12th edition of Awards was hosted for the second year running by wildlife biologist and presenter, Liz Bonnin and attended by a host of Tusk supporters including Ronnie and Sally Wood, Levison Wood, Jack and Jemma Savoretti, Mark and Kitty Knopfler and Idris Elba.

The winners of the 2024 Tusk Conservation Awards:

NOMBA GANAMÉ

THE PRINCE WILLIAM AWARD FOR CONSERVATION IN AFRICA

Rwanda CLAVER NTOYINKIMA

THE TUSK WILDLIFE WINNER RANGER AWARD

Claver is a park ranger guide at Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda and received the 2024 Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his outstanding contributions to primate and bird conservation.

The award gives international recognition to the dedication and commitment of an individual who works in the field to protect Africa’s wildlife.

Claver serves as a vital link between the park and the broader conservation community and has earned respect and admiration from his colleagues and the local community. He is incredibly kind and infectiously enthusiastic about his knowledge of the forest. Claver embodies a blend of kindness, humility, and unyielding dedication to conservation.

Could you tell us about Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park?

Rwanda is known as the ‘land of a thousand hills’. Nyungwe National Park is one of Africa’s vital biodiversity hotspots that is rich in rare species found nowhere else in the world and the watershed for Africa’s two largest rivers, the Congo and the Nile. Nyungwe is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s most important sites for bird conservation: it is home to over 300 bird species.

Did you grow up close to Nyungwe?

I was born and raised in Banda, a village that lies on the periphery of the Nyungwe National Park and grew up with a love of the rainforest. I often played in the forest, stalking animals and finding elusive bird species.

Early in your career you spent some time working with the Rwanda Development Board

Yes, as I speak English, French and Kinyarwanda I was initially hired by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) as a tourist receptionist. But my passion was for the forest, so I trained to transition to my current position as a park ranger and tourist guide.

I worked on the anti-poaching team, patrolling the park, removing snares, noting and reporting human activity, and maintaining a general physical presence to deter illegal human activity. Another of my roles was habituating primate populations, including super troops of black and white colobus and the Mayebe chimpanzee.

You became a bridge between the park and the larger conservation community?

I worked with several graduate students to assist in their research objectives, notably on bird and primate conservation. I have also been seconded to assist research in other parts of the country including Gishwati, where I helped with a census of an Important Bird Area.

I have also assisted in Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Bugesera wetlands and Lake Kivu.

And you have a passion for introducing children to the wonder of the natural world...

My visibility and recognition in the nature conservation community has increased nationally, regionally and worldwide.

Below Claver Ntoyinkima with members of the Nyungwe Kids Birding Club

Yes, I founded the Nyungwe Kids Birding Club in 2009 and have set up conservation groups in several local schools.

I feel passionately about introducing young people to birding, nature interpretation and conservation practices. In so doing I hope to nurture a new generation’s appreciation for the natural world.

What difference has winning the Tusk Award made to your ranger work in Nyungwe?

I am grateful for the Tusk Award I received in 2024. It was my opportunity to reflect my desire and dream to create an environment where nature and humans co-exist in harmony. Since then, being an Award winner, my visibility and recognition in the nature conservation community has increased nationally, regionally and worldwide. The Tusk Award was an opportunity to scale up my “Nature Nurture Future for Rwanda” initiatives, through funding the training of and equipping the Bird Conservation Club.

EDWARD ARUNA

Sierra Leone

Edward is Founder and Managing Director of the Reptile and Amphibian Programme (RAP-SL) in Sierra Leone.

Edward’s dedication has transformed community attitudes towards conservation, a success attributed to his grassroots involvement. Through Edward’s common-sense approach, patience and understanding of people, perseverance, hard work, and ability to understand the realities and complexities of conservation, he has earned immense respect.

Why is it so important to help the local fishermen and communities to understand the benefits of marine turtle conservation?

Turtles have been an important part of the marine environment for thousands of years.

Most people, however, don’t understand the role they play in the marine environment. Encouraging local people to understand how vital turtles are is invaluable both to the species and to the local communities.

Could you share some interesting facts about marine turtles?

Marine turtles bring nutrients from the ocean to nesting beaches, through eggs hatching on beaches (the remains serve as nutrients for vegetation). Green turtles help to maintain balance in the underwater ecosystems by feeding on sea grasses and leatherback and green turtle feed on jelly fish, so helping to prevent the likelihood of jellyfish swarms.

Turtle shells have ecosystems of their own: they carry other organisms such as algae and barnacles, on which fish and other animals feed while swimming.

What are the main threats to sea turtles in Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone has five species of sea turtle (green, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback and loggerhead) which are mainly endangered due to:

1. Fishing: all five species are vulnerable to both artisanal and commercial fishing in Sierra Leone: they become trapped in fishing nets as by-catch.

2. Eating of turtle meat, eggs, and using the shells as carapace: there is a law prohibiting the killing, collection of eggs, and use of shells as ornaments in Sierra Leone, but clandestine activities exist.

3. Pollution: proper waste management exists in most coastal communities, which threatens sea turtles.

4. Climate change, coastal erosion and sea level rise: these also impact sea turtle populations in Sierra Leone through the loss of nesting beaches. Also, according to literature, increased temperatures influence the sex ratio of hatchlings, causing more females than males to be born.

5. Recreational activities: on nesting beaches also threatens turtles, which is evident on the country’s main beach in Freetown.

How does the natural world inspire you?

Recognition by Tusk is a dream come true. It is a recognition that will give me greater strength and motivation to keep going.

Above left

Releasing capture Green Turtle on Lumley Beach in Freetown

Credit: Edward Aruna

Above right

Edward Aruna chatting with a fisherman mending his net on Turtle Island, Sierra Leone

I am always inspired by the response of nature to both human and natural activities. It is always clear that for every action there is a reaction, to maintain a balance that will either lead to restoration or creating another situation fit for that time. Therefore, the natural world’s ability to respond to situations as they arise, is one that is inspiring.

What difference has winning the Tusk Award made to your work?

This award will help empower locals and staff to build a more secure future for turtles and the marine environment in Sierra Leone. It will give RAP-SL and me a stronger and more respected voice for biodiversity conservation in the country.

With the award grant, RAP-SL will extend its activities to more coastal communities for beach and by-catch monitoring while also undertaking community development programmes within additional communities. The community development aspect of the project is creating the most needed impact for turtle conservation in Sierra Leone.

NOMBA GANAMÉ

Mali WINNER

THE PRINCE WILLIAM AWARD

FOR CONSERVATION IN AFRICA

Ganamé is the

Head of Field Operations at

the Mali Elephant Project and was the recipient of 2024’s prestigious Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa.

An inspiring leader in the conservation community, Ganamé has dedicated his career to protecting one of the planet’s rarest natural treasures: Mali’s desert-adapted elephants. Under his leadership, the Mali Elephant Project has not only protected a highly vulnerable elephant population but also set an international example for community-driven, sustainable environmental management.

The Mali elephant population survives today due to Ganamé’s engagement with the local community. Despite the poaching escalation in 2015, the population has been stable since 2017: without Ganamé, the elephants would have disappeared by mid-2019.

How did your career begin?

As a sociologist and rural development advisor on environment development projects. I guided project conception through commissioning and conducting studies, and organised and facilitated a national workshop on land and local resource management.

During time spent at the German and French government bilateral aid organisations (GIZ and AFD), I specialised in land tenure and helped resolve long-running and highly

explosive conflicts between resident agricultural peoples and migratory herders and the heavy environmental impacts of such conflicts.

How did you meet Dr Susan Canney?

I met Susan Canney in 2006 during a series of workshops on elephants and ecosystem management and subsequently joined her at the Mali Elephant Project.

Where and how does the Mali Elephant project work?

We work in the Sahel of Mali, across an area of around 60,000km2, to develop a selfsustaining system of environmental governance that makes space for elephants and other wildlife.

The foundation of this approach can be described as “elephant-centred, community-led, natural resource management”. It brings together the different ethnic groups of an area to discuss the challenges they face daily, as well as their relationship to elephants. We try to address root causes as much as possible.

The goal is a thriving natural world that forms the basis of local livelihoods, enables the return of wildlife and increases the resilience of the ecosystem to climate change.

I dedicate the award to the communities on the frontlines of conservation; those who understand the delicate balance between people and nature and who fight every day to ensure that future generations inherit a world where humans and wildlife thrive together.

Below left Nomba Ganamé

Below right Desert-adapted elephant

Credit: Carlton Ward

How will the Prince Willliam Award for Conservation in Africa help the Mali Elephant Project?

The prize money will enable us to work with communities where elephants have appeared only recently. These areas were once part of the elephant range until the 1970s, but human activity has increasingly displaced the elephants into more marginal habitats. The elephants are fleeing the armed conflict and returning to their former range.

This unfortunately brings them into close contact with people who are not used to elephant presence, so conflicts arise. We now need to work with these people and enable them to find ways to coexist with elephants.

Winning the Prince William Award is a wonderful affirmation for our local community partners. They are truly excited and honoured that their efforts have been recognised internationally in this way.

How does Tusk’s work positively impact your projects?

Tusk is a wonderful partner for a conservation organisation because it seeks to develop a long-term relationship with its partners, which is important because conservation problems are complex and are not solved in just a few years.

The Nick Maughan Family Foundation is dedicated to supporting wildlife conservation efforts across the globe. NMF has committed to supporting Tusk’s mission is to accelerate the impact of African-driven conservation.

NMF donations to Tusk include sponsorship of the annual Conservation Awards, the Conservation Symposium and the Tusk Turtle Trail.

Clement Manjaalera Head of Environmental Education, Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

"In Unity, there is Power"

In Malawi, we have a saying, “mu umodzi muli mphamvu”, which means, “in unity, there is power”.

This is an excellent representation of one of the driving forces for conservation success.

This sentiment is at the heart of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust’s (LWT) mission, which works to save wildlife, deter nature crime, and secure healthy landscapes for people and wildlife in Malawi.

All our work is conducted in collaboration, whether it be with international donors, government agencies, or the implementation of partners. Nowhere is this more important than in our environmental education programme, which seeks to inspire the next generation to value and protect nature. A goal of this magnitude cannot be achieved in isolation.

An example of the power of collaboration is a new educational resource LWT has developed in partnership with the Government of Malawi. Over the last two years we have collaborated with the Ministry of Education to develop a new “Wildlife and Environmental Education Sourcebook” for primary schools. Adapted from our environmental education

One key reflection from this project is not only about the power of collaboration, but about the power of collaborating early.

Main image

A group of schoolchildren take part in an experiential nature

lesson at LWT’s environmental education centre

Credit: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Insert photo above

An LWT’s environmental education officer explains the Nsungwi (bamboo) forest trail

modules - which we developed over a decade ago with Tusk’s support - the sourcebook will empower students with vital knowledge on wildlife conservation and welfare, wildlife crime, biodiversity and forest management.

The development of the book was a rigorous process that brought together more than 10 different organisations, including other NGOs, as well as a range of government departments. It also involved a comprehensive review of the existing curriculum to identify knowledge gaps.

The book was finalised and launched in August 2024, and we are now supporting the Government in rolling out the book across Malawi’s network of primary schools. Our aim: to ensure that environmental education moves from being an extra-curricular activity to a mainstream subject within formal education.

One key reflection from this project is not only about the power of collaboration, but about the power of collaborating early. Engaging our government partners right from the very start of the work on the sourcebook, and ensuring that they “owned” the process, meant a much greater chance of success.

Bear Grylls

Credit: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Collaboration is, of course, also a key priority for Tusk. In 2024 we were fortunate in securing a small Tusk Collaboration Fund grant to conduct learning exchange visits with the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA).

Our two organisations share many similarities: we both run wildlife sanctuaries, veterinary services, education programmes and eco-tourism facilities. It was therefore fascinating to learn more about how our organisations respectively approach issues such as funding, sustainability and community engagement, and both parties left the visits with new ideas and energy.

One memorable highlight for visiting RWCA veterinarian, Dr Christophe Ntakirutimana, was treating a pangolin which had been confiscated from wildlife traffickers: his first time in the presence of a pangolin. Pangolin treatment can be incredibly complex, as they often sustain life-threatening injuries during their time in captivity. In addition to the hands-on experience of clinically treating a pangolin, Christophe also learned about the research the LWT veterinary team is currently undertaking into babesia infections, which is one of the biggest causes of mortality among our rescued pangolins.

In short: we are thrilled to be part of Tusk’s African-led conservation community and to collaborate with other amazing professionals working to secure a better future for our planet.

Top Clement giving a lesson at LWT’s environmental education centre

Credit: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Second Schoolchildren explore an elephant sculpture made from recycled materials

Credit: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Third Launch event for the Wildlife and Environmental Education Sourcebook

Credit: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Below

RWCA veterinarian Dr. Christophe Ntakirutimana treats a pangolin rescued from the illegal wildlife trade at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre

The fifth Wildlife Ranger Challenge saw 154 four-person teams from 18 African countries – a record number – compete in the 21km run

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2024 Winners

2024 Race

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge (WRC)’s vision is to celebrate and support Africa’s wildlife rangers by enhancing ranger livelihoods, improving their performance and advocating for transformative changes in conservation through increased professionalism, training, and safety, all while fostering long-term impact and widespread participation in conservation efforts.

The WRC is a dynamic, physical endurance test that connects hundreds of wildlife ranger teams from across Africa, who take part in a series of mental and physical challenges. The WRC culminates in rangers competing in a half-marathon, carrying a 22 kg backpack.

The initiative would not be possible without the generous support of founding donor Mark Scheinberg, as well as extra sponsorship from Disney Conservation Fund, EJF Philanthropies and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

Thanks to the powerful incentive of Mark Scheinberg’s underlying annual match, the total amount raised by the WRC since its inception in 2020 now exceeds $21 million: a striking testament to the movement in support of rangers and their work for the health of the planet.

The 5th Wildlife Ranger Challenge in 2024 was another huge success.

The rangers ran along marked routes in diverse and challenging terrains, from tropical rainforests and pot-holed roads to sandy riverbeds, steep ridges and tracks often used by hippos and elephants. In 2024, a record 154 four-person teams took part, which raised a further $3m in vital funding to underpin rangers’ work. Some teams gathered at five regional hubs, in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Thousands of people around the world supported the rangers with donations, messages of support and by carrying out a challenge of their own on race day. In the US, 440 Disney staff members took part in four challenges across 10 states and in the UK, in London's Hyde Park, Tusk and Be Military Fit held a public “train like a ranger” session.

The men’s race was won by Tanzania’s African People & Wildlife - Tarangire Ecosystem Team

The women’s race was won by Zambia'sZ Frankfurt Zoological Society - Nsumbu team

Rangers are the guardians of the natural world. Thousands of men and women safeguard the world’s species and protect the continent’s last great tracts of wildernesses. Our age is witnessing enormous challenges for nature and humanity, including loss of species and habitat, accelerating climate change and an increased risk to human health from zoonotic diseases.

There are 58,832 terrestrial and around 6,000 marine rangers working across Africa. In an age of mass extinction, their work is fundamental to protecting the planet’s remaining biodiversity, 25% of which lies in Africa. These brave men and women stand between extinction and survival for countless species, and protect the ecosystems that provide clean air, fresh water and climate stability.

Main image

Wildlife Ranger Challenge

2024 regional event at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Credit: David Kabiru

Left trio

Ocean Without Borders

rangers participating in WRC

Credit: OWB

Southern Africa Wildlife College participating in WRC

Credit: SAWC

Ranger and Head of Security

John Tanui with a handreared black rhino

Credit: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Big 5The key facts about WRC

1. Total funds raised since 2020: The total raised by the Wildlife Ranger Challenge since its inception in 2020 now exceeds $21million.

2. Ranger salaries provided: The Wildlife Ranger Challenge fund supports the employment and needs of approximately 11,500 rangers across more than 70 organisations, in 24 countries. The livelihoods of over 424,000 people in and around protected areas positively benefit from WRC funding.

As custodians of nature’s last great strongholds, the work of rangers matters, hugely.

Charlie Mayhew OBE

Tusk

Rangers often cover vast and rugged landscapes on foot, horseback, or motorbike. They work as divers to nurture coral nurseries and on horseback in Kenya’s highlands to safeguard Mt Kenya’s ecosystem. They patrol on foot in Zambia’s savanna to protect its lion population and trek deep into primary rainforest to monitor wild chimpanzees.

Their responsibilities incorporate anti-poaching operations and law-enforcement, but also include habitat monitoring, environmental education, fire management and aerial surveillance. Rangers assist vets in treating injured animals, help prevent crop raids and carry out ecological research. Rangers often work with sniffer dogs who are trained to detect ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales.

Within their local communities – in which they are often deeply embedded – they also act as vital educators, community support leaders, emergency first responders and peacekeepers.

The work of rangers also directly relates to 13 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets that have been set to conserve 30% of the planet’s land and waters by 2030.

Despite the global impact of their work, however, rangers remain insufficiently recognised. Tusk’s vision is for all of Africa’s rangers to be properly trained, paid, equipped and led. The Wildlife Ranger Challenge is an effective way of raising significant funding to support rangers’ work.

3. Landscapes protected: The cumulative landscape protected by WRC rangers is over 36 million hectares.

4. Wellbeing created: The rangers speak of the camaraderie and bonds that the event creates each year. The WRC has evolved as an important convener of rangers, providing a sense of belonging and collective purpose.

5. Ripple effect: The regional hub events attract supporters from schoolchildren to visiting tourists and local businesses who congregate to support the rangers, so underscoring the positive and unifying ripple effect of the WRC. In 2024, the ‘officially’ entered 4-man teams were also joined by colleagues, so it is estimated that in total, over 2,000 rangers across the continent took part.

Empowering rangers to protect our planet's biodiversity

The Launch of the Ranger Welfare & Standards Initiative

Rangers' work on the frontline of wildlife conservation is fundamental to environmental security and human wellbeing.

Despite the increasingly critical nature of the profession, however, rangers are frequently exposed to life-threatening situations and their efforts to safeguard threatened species, habitats and local communities are under-valued and under-respected. Poor remuneration and working conditions, long hours and a lack of basic training and equipment are common. Violence, injury, disease and death are not uncommon in the line of duty, yet there is also a critical lack of insurance cover for rangers and their families: 50% of rangers have no life insurance.

In a groundbreaking effort to raise the working conditions and safety of rangers across Africa, an innovative financial and welfare package of support known as the ‘Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative’ (RWSI) has been developed by Tusk, in partnership with the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA) and with financial support from The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The initiative also has the backing of the International Ranger Federation (IRF).

The launch of the RWSI was announced by Prince William in a landmark speech in November 2024 at the United for Wildlife’s 3rd Global Summit in Cape Town.

The five-year ‘RWSI’ plan will provide 10,000 rangers with access to appropriate, affordable in-service accident, medical, evacuation and life insurance cover, together with opportunities for training and leadership development, and incorporates access to the Ranger Project insurance scheme.

The RWSI has been designed to be spearheaded by African rangers for the benefit of African rangers, with a Leadership Council composed of rangers drawn from the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, GRAA members, as well as alumni of Tusk’s prestigious Wildlife Ranger Award.

We cannot protect our planet without them [rangers], which is why this initiative aims to ensure that rangers receive much needed life insurance cover, giving them and their family’s reassurance that they are protected for the dangerous job they do. It will be led by those who protect nature, for those who protect nature.

HRH The Prince of Wales KG, KT

Hope Ngulube Dog Handler

Conservation Lower Zambezi

Interview with a Ranger

Hope Ngulube is a scout dog handler in the K9 Unit of Conservation Lower Zambezi, Zambia.

Here, Hope talks about a mother elephant’s love for her calf, the mental fortitude required to be a wildlife ranger and the essential ingredient for a ‘Smelly Elephant Repellent’.

What inspired you to become a wildlife ranger?

I often saw elephants as a child, but their conflict with humans made people feel as if elephants were dangerous to live alongside.

I knew from an early age that I wanted to dedicate my life to protecting wildlife. I’d watched wildlife rangers and knew I wanted to be one of them! Working as a ranger has now deeply shaped my understanding of nature.

I became a community scout in October 2022 and have been working with the K9 unit since the beginning of 2024. I work with trained dogs. You need to be physically fit to navigate challenging terrains. Mental toughness is also required.

Can you tell us about your daily routine?

We carry out anti-poaching efforts in the area surrounding Lower Zambezi National Park. We patrol, train dogs, keep fit as a ranger unit, and keep the dogs in good health.

What are the biggest challenges for a wildlife ranger?

Our environment: we work in remote and rugged landscapes, with limited access to medical care and limited communications networks. We often face aggressive and defensive wildlife, such as elephants and lions. Insufficient funding can lead to a lack of equipment and limited resources.

How do you liaise with local communities?

We work with CLZ to educate our communities about the benefits of living alongside wildlife. We also occasionally provide community assistance, such as ensuring the safe passage of people from one area where elephants are present, to another.

The CLZ Environmental & Education manager carries out human-wildlife conflict workshops, and a community scout or National Parks ranger is always attached to these. These workshops vary between Living with Elephants and Anti-snare campaign, or the 'Smelly Elephant Repellent' workshop, which teaches local people how to use affordable ingredients - such as chilli! - to deter elephant crop raiders.

Top left

Hope with K9 unit dog; Skye

Credit: Luke Katemba

Second

K9 unit dog; Kalo, during ammunition detection training

Credit: Jeroenvan Rooijen

Third

K9 unit dog; Hammer, being deployed on operation in a helicopter

Credit: Micheal Hensman

Bottom left Hammer, with DNPW dog handler during detection training

Credit: Luke Katemba

Right

Hope Ngulube

Credit: Luke Katemba

Why do you think it is so important to protect biodiversity?

My work as a ranger helps to protect endangered species: Zambia has incredible biodiversity, which we are lucky to share with tourists.

Seeing tourists really appreciate wildlife reinforces that the work that I do is important, because tourism creates jobs for people living along the Zambezi River. So we need to continue to protect the ecosystem: without tourism, we would struggle to find the funds to protect the park. I do what I do simply for the love of wildlife.

Can you share a memorable wildlife experience?

I was in a vehicle travelling through a park. A mother elephant was on one side of the road, and her young calf was on the opposite side. I could see that the mother was stressed by the distance that lay between her and her baby. The speed with which she moved to close that gap was incredible and inspiring to watch.

As we drove past, the mother elephant turned to look at us. I saw clearly in her eyes in that moment that she would do anything to protect her young.

What advice would you give to someone who is

Spotlight on the people behind our project partners

Conservation Champion

CATHY DREYER

Head Ranger Ranger Services in Kruger National Park South Africa

Cathy Dreyer began working with South African National Parks as a 22 year old conservation student, assisting with the capture of black rhino. This became a turning point in her life as she developed a deep, lifelong passion for the species.

Cathy helps to bring people working in conservation together; her work has also led directly to the establishment of new black rhino populations in South Africa.

As a child, did you know that you wanted to work in wildlife conservation?

I was raised in Cape Town, where you are never far from the wild. I always knew that I wanted to work outdoors, doing something practical. I started studying for a BSc but quickly discovered that route was definitely not for me!

I then enrolled in a three-year nature conservation course, for which I needed to work in the field for a year to gain practical experience.

Where were you first posted?

To Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape province, in 1999. This turned out to be a blessing, as I was there when one subspecies of black rhino was being moved out of Addo and another brought in, so a huge amount of rhino capture was taking place.

Black rhino form unique, strong, lifelong family bonds and are fiercely protective of their young; they also form very strong bonds with those who care for them.

I met Dr. Pete Morkel, who was a recipient of the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on rhino conservation and management. Peter took me under his wing and taught me how to work with the black rhino with which I travelled all over Africa – to Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and Zambia.

What have you learned about black rhino during your career?

Nothing seems to really phase a black rhino!

When they are threatened, their response is to run towards the danger rather than away from it. It is this behaviour that has earned them the reputation of being aggressive, which is not true.

Black rhino form unique, strong, life-long family bonds and are fiercely protective of their young; they also form very strong bonds with those who care for them. They can recognise unique smells and sounds, have favourite foods and thrive on routine.

Above Black rhino

Credit: Mkomazi National Park

Right insert Pete Morkel

Right trio

Top left & right: Cathy Dreyer assiting with two rhino translocations

Credit: SANParks

Bottom:Two black rhinos

Could you tell us about the process of working with and calming black rhino?

When a wild black rhino is placed in a holding pen in which there are no familiar sounds or smells, it is stressful both for the rhino and those caring for them. They spend the first few days looking for weak points in the holding facility and will charge when approached.

It takes time and patience to encourage them to become familiar with the different sensory environment and with having people in close proximity.

I often find that just sitting close to a pen, reading a book or talking softly allows them to become slowly accustomed to my presence.

It is an incredible privilege if a black rhino allows you to touch them (such as eating from my hand) and responds to your voice.

Could you describe the change in a ranger’s duties during your career?

Much more of our focus is now on law enforcement. Kruger National Park, in particular, has lost thousands of rhino to poaching over the years.

It has been a challenge to balance a ranger’s traditional duties and skills with this huge need for law enforcement, which extends not only to rhino, but to all wildlife.

Being a ranger has little to do with the romantic idea of living in the bush and watching the sunsets! Rangers must now face the brutality of seeing people injured, dealing with orphaned animals and being in armed contact with poachers.

And a ranger’s role is also that of first responder within a community?

Kruger is surrounded by large, populated communities, so complex socio-economic issues exist. Much of the ranger work is about building relationships with neighbouring communities, and making sure that people understand the benefits that wildlife can bring to them. Rangers are a very important part of that messaging and liaison with local communities.

We want to make sure that we have future generations of wildlife rangers in Kruger that originate from the surrounding communities. We also help the next generation see the value in a career as a wildlife ranger. We need to foster that love!

You find contact with wildlife rewarding?

Rangers also have direct interaction with wildlife, which still brings us a lot of joy.

A ranger is always the first person to be contacted if an animal is injured or wounded. We also treat snared wildlife and are trained to deal with poisoned animals, specifically vultures, in order to stabilise them until we can get them to treatment centres.

Why do you enjoy your career as a ranger?

The ability to make a significant contribution towards protecting our wildlife and national heritage is incredibly rewarding. As is knowing that what you are doing will ensure that future generations have the privilege of experiencing places such Kruger and species such as rhino. And the absolute privilege of living and working in wild spaces is very motivating!

Find out more about Cathy's Tusk Conservation Award on Tusk's YouTube channel.

Nick Bubb, CEO, Tusk

Tusk's Growing Portfolio of Marine Projects

From coral reefs in Lamu, Kenya, to turtle nesting beaches in Liberia, Tusk is broadening its conservation impact beyond Africa’s shores by increasing the number of marine conservation projects.

Here, Tusk’s CEO, Nick Bubb, shares how a life shaped by the ocean has deepened his resolve to tackle the mounting threats facing the planet’s marine ecosystems.

Even cursory research will quickly establish that most critical marine conservation efforts are hugely underfunded, which limits our ability to address major issues such as overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.

I should disclose - for those of you who don’t know methat two of my other great passions in life, alongside wildlife conservation, are sailing and exploring. I’ve raced and cruised all over the world and it is now 20 years since I first sailed in the Southern Ocean, during a non-stop aroundthe-world race.

Main image

Wild Impact diving team putting together a frame on the ocean floor to encourage the growth of coral

Credit: Wild Impact

Bottom left Community mangrove restoration in Madagascar

Credit: C3 Madagascar

Bottom insert

Marine conservation team member holding a green turtle for population tagging

Credit: Programa Tato

Top right

Baby marine turtle

Credit: Lamu Marine Conservation Trust

These projects, and the need for them, don’t stop at the shoreline…

I can trace my first real yearning to help protect the natural world to the hours spent marvelling at giant albatrosses soaring through the skies and watching orcas gliding through freezing waters. There is no place on Earth more remote and desolate than the deep Southern Ocean: it is a constant reminder of your own mortality. Time and space exists in abundance to think about what really matters in life. My experiences at sea shaped my life in almost every way possible.

I took up the role at Tusk at the beginning of 2024, after spending a decade as Business Development Director at the global conservation organisation Fauna & Flora International (FFI) where I led expeditions all over the world, supported both marine and terrestrial conservation initiatives and tried to shine a light on important causes whilst winning support for them.

Between FFI and Tusk, I took my young family on an ‘Ocean Odyssey’. We sailed from our home on the south coast of the UK, across the Atlantic and Caribbean and through the South Pacific to New Zealand. It was an adventure, without question. But we also sailed with purpose: to meet people, to

broaden our horizons, to learn, to understand first-hand how our changing climate and population development was affecting the natural world. Where possible, we also tried to help. I have amazing memories of my two young sons working on a coral reef restoration programme in the South Pacific.

We have stories to fill a library but no time to write them. For now, there is more important work to be done, and other stories to be told: at Tusk we are blessed with so many, but the golden thread that runs through them is our partners’ desires to leave the world a better place.

For 35 years, Tusk has supported amazing conservation initiatives across Africa. These projects, and the need for them, don’t stop at the shoreline. We have the skills, the experience and the networks to apply what we do terrestrially and replicate much of it within coastal marine conservation programmes, led as always, by local communities.

To be clear: this is not a switch of focus. We are simply determined to do more: to grow the organisation, to meet the need and to stretch all the resources at our disposal, as far as we possibly can.

Tusk's Growing Portfolio of Marine Projects

Lamu Marine Conservation Trust (Kenya)

Marine conservation is not new to Tusk. Some of our partners, such as the Lamu Marine Conservation Trust (LaMCot), Kenya are long standing; 20 years in fact! LaMCot was established in 1992 as a response to the unsustainable harvesting of marine turtles and their eggs in the Lamu archipelago of northern Kenya. It has maintained a focus on turtle protection whilst expanding its links with the local community.

Oceans Without Borders (Tanzania)

In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Tusk supports ‘Oceans Without Borders’ which is dedicated to marine conservation and community development at sites where &Beyond and Wild Impact operate. One such site is the Mnemba Atoll coral reef system, which has deteriorated significantly over the past two decades, with coral cover now down to only 5%. Tusk’s support will help the restoration and communitybased conservation of the coral reefs associated with Mnemba Island, through the establishment of a community coral nursery programme.

Left

Top left: LaMCot team and community members on a beach litter pick

Credit: African Explorers

Top right: Schoolchildren learning about sea grass and environmental issues in the field

Credit: C3 Madagascar

Bottom left: Oceans Without Borders diving team laying a turtle-shaped frame on the ocean floor to encourage the growth of coral

Credit: Hans Ngoteya

Bottom right: The community enjoying an increased fish catch in the Comoros

Credit: Dahari

Right

Top: fishing community in Sierra Leone

Credit: RAP-SL

Middle: ATOMM women repairing fishing nets in Morocco

Credit: ATOMM

Bottom: Signage to protect turtle nesting beaches in Liberia

Credit: Liberia Sea Turtle

Project

Community Centred Conservation (Madagascar)

Also known as C3, this project is active around the Nosy Hara Marine Park. Overharvesting and inappropriate fishing techniques have damaged the fragile reef ecosystem and impacted threatened species such as dugong and marine turtles. Tusk has supported the training of almost 1,000 Junior Eco-guards from three different communities. By targeting young people, C3 spreads conservation messages to wider communities and ensures an awareness of environmental issues among the next generation.

Dahari (Comoros)

Dahari is a Blue Ventures project that Tusk now directly supports in the Comoros, an island chain between Madagascar and continental Africa. The project focusses on two villages on the small island of Anjouan. Tusk funds have enabled the initial socio-economic and environmental assessment as well as community training and fishery monitoring. From an early stage, one village made a community decision to prohibit net fishing.

New Projects

Reptile and Amphibian Programme (Sierra Leone)

The ‘Reptile and Amphibian Programme’ in Sierra Leone is new to the Tusk portfolio, led by Edward Aruna (The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa Winner 2024). Their efforts have been instrumental in addressing the various threats facing marine turtle species along Sierra Leone’s Atlantic coast. By establishing proper data on sea turtle populations, coordinating nesting and by-catch monitoring, protecting nesting sites and other methods, they have significantly raised awareness about the importance of marine turtles and their habitats.

Association pour la protection des Tortues Marines de Maroc (Morocco)

The ‘ATOMM’ project is in its nascent stages and spearheaded by a group of women. The project’s region, due south of Gibraltar in Morocco, is an important foraging and developmental habitat for juvenile and subadult loggerheads turtles. Funding from Tusk, in partnership with Ocean Ecology Network, will help empower these extraordinary women and give them a strong voice for conservation in Morocco from within the local fishing community.

Liberia Sea Turtle Project (Liberia)

Liberia's coastline is home to five species of marine turtles: leatherbacks, olive ridleys, greens, loggerheads, and hawksbills, with significant nesting and feeding grounds. The Liberian Sea Turtle Project seeks to prevent the poaching of nests and nesting turtles along 22km in Little Bassa and 18km of nesting beach in Rivercess.

Big 4The facts about Turtles

1. Turtle shells have ecosystems of their own: they carry other organisms such as algae and barnacles on which fish and other animals feed while swimming.

2. Green turtles help maintain balance in the underwater ecosystems by feeding on sea grasses, which, when left unchecked, can obstruct currents and trap debris.

3. Leatherback and green turtle feed on jellyfish, so helping to prevent jellyfish swarms that sometimes obstruct ecosystems and local fishing activities if left unchecked.

4. Turtles bring nutrients from the ocean to nesting beaches by laying eggs. When the eggs hatch, the remains serve as nutrients for vegetation, so preventing beach erosion and helping to bind sands together.

Spotlight on the people behind our project partners

Conservation Champion

SBONISO PHAKATHI

Project Leader, Southern African Wildlife College, South Africa

Sboniso Phakathi works for the Southern African Wildlife College as Project Leader in the Community Department’s Rural Initiatives for a Sustainable Environment Unit (RISE).

Sboniso’s background is in yacht crew work, antipoaching work and environmental education with primary schools.

Were you inspired by nature as a child?

My relationship with the natural world definitely informed my upbringing. I loved mountains and rivers and was curious about trees. However, I didn’t leave school thinking, ‘I want to go into nature conservation’. In fact I sailed for the first few years as part of a yacht crew.

Can you recall the time you saw a poached rhino carcass, and what that sparked in you?

I was working for an anti-poaching company in Hoedspruit in 2010. We were called out to do a necropsy of a huge white rhino. This heart-wrenching sight sparked something in me; I thought, ‘We’re definitely doing the wrong thing here as humans’.

The investment in change by Tusk is one that we seek to continue long into the future.

Main image

Ruth Mbazima (far left) and Loveman Maluleke (far right)SAWC - with PACE ‘living with wildlife’ debate winners from Welverdiend Primary School.

Credit: SAWC

Bottom trio Mahlekisana Primary School learners on an outing to the Nyeleti farming project.

Makuleke Vulture Champions learner in a Saturday class.

Makuleke learners on the Vulture Champions outing in the Makuleke Contractional National Park.

Credit: SAWC

I wrote about the experience for our local newspaper, which is how I met Paul Jennings, a wildlife ranger, with whom I embarked on a cross-country walk across South Africa to raise awareness of the rhino poaching crisis.

It took us three months to walk from Musina to Cape Town. The Rights for Rhino’s Walk gave us an opportunity to reach people from all walks of life to highlight the fact that we're losing our common heritage to human greed.

Could you tell us about your RISE project at SAWC?

Within the RISE unit, we focus on the social dimensions of conservation.

Our partnership is dedicated to expanding access to Pan African Conservation Education (PACE) materials through our learning hub and enhancing environmental learning in the communities and schools with which we engage. The SAWC PACE hub aids in distributing materials in South Africa and Mozambique and devising new activities, content, and approaches to increase the breadth and depth of usage and understanding.

How did your productive relationship with PACE develop?

The Southern African Wildlife College’s relationship with PACE has been incredibly fruitful for us and equally valuable for our students and partner organisations in South Africa and Mozambique.

SAWC’s key driver in working with PACE arose from the need to provide accessible educational material to children about wildlife and the environment. Through our relationship with PACE, we have been able to engage with five of our local primary schools and five schools in the Makuleke region in the northern Kruger National Park. We received various learning materials from PACE, namely, Africa My Home, Careers in Conservation and materials on Wild Dogs and Vultures, together with educational popup banners, branded T-shirts and action sheets.

Early in 2024, Tusk's PACE Coordinator Penny Fraser and I started and facilitated the PACE conservation educators learning circles, which are vibrant virtual meeting spaces for practitioners in the PACE network to share experiences and practices.

Can you tell us about the Makuleke project?

The Southern African Wildlife College is part of the Greater Kruger National Park.

The Makuleke are Tsonga-speaking people and have a history rooted in the Pafuri Triangle of South Africa. Their land was forcibly taken by the apartheid government in 1969 to expand the Kruger National Park. After apartheid ended, they laid claim to their land. It was successfully returned to the community in 1998 when they decided to keep it for conservation purposes. It is now managed as a contractual National Park.

Through the SAWC’s relationship with the Makuleke, we had an opportunity with PACE to take materials into schools in the park. As a PACE champion hub, we were able to allocate limited funds to support the eco-club activities. We also conceived the idea to take young schoolchildren and their elders to a tree known as the ‘Deku’ tree, under which the elders used to conduct their community affairs. So children learned about their past while also learning about vultures and why wildlife matters.

A ‘Vulture Champion’ programme was then established ...

Yes, the ‘Vulture Champion’ programme was primed by a story shared by Aubrey Maluleke, who is the contractual Park co-ordinator and a Makuleke community member. He has an excellent relationship with the communities and the National Park, built on his integrity and character.

Aubrey reported that vultures had died in the area from both unintentional and intentional poisoning and he wanted to change people’s behaviour. Penny shared this story with VulPro, who created the VulCHa club idea: an opportunity to speak to kids about the value of vultures and human health. This led to the establishment of ‘Vulture Champions’. T-shirts were provided and the Makuleke also received 'Friends of Vultures' signage, with VulPro’s emergency contact details.

An eight-week programme for children to build vulture awareness through conservation education activities was created, including a field trip to the northern part of Kruger, where children visited a nesting site. We then co-produced a Vulture workbook with PACE and VulPro, which comprised artwork such as poems and stories submitted by students, teachers and school clubs.

With the help of PACE, some of the learning material was also translated into Portuguese for children in Mozambique. We developed a relationship with VulPro, and had the opportunity to visit VulPro's rescue and rehabilitation site in Hartebeesport.

What does Tusk’s support mean to RISE?

Saying ‘thank you’ to Tusk and PACE almost seems trite, but it is a genuine appreciation for what they have enabled us to do.

The past three collaborative years have been impactful and expansive. The partnership, particularly with PACE’s coordinator, is one that I think is reflective of Tusk’s ethos. Theirs is a positive and appreciative approach, where we are able to address locally relevant and sustainable initiatives through applied “learning-by-doing” teaching methodologies.

The investment in change by Tusk is one that we seek to continue long into the future, ensuring that what was initiated continues to grow so we can produce young environmental activists who promote sustainable practices in our communities.

Amy Dickman Joint CEO, Lion Landscapes

Wildlife as an Asset: Community-Driven Conservation in Tanzania and Kenya

Co-existence with wildlife has not always been easy for communities living alongside large carnivores in Tanzania’s Ruaha and Selous-Nyerere landscapes and Kenya’s Laikipia region.

Livestock losses to predators have long created tension. Without clear benefits, many pastoralists saw lions and other large carnivores as a threat to their livelihoods.

This conflict remains one of the major risks to large carnivores in East Africa and beyond.

To reduce the cost of co-existence, Lion Landscapes (LL) works directly with pastoralist communities through its Community Liaison Network, which includes ‘Lion Defenders’, ‘Conflict Officers’, and ‘Lion Extension Officers’. This network helps reinforce traditional livestock enclosures, install predator deterrent lights, respond to depredation incidents, offer guidance on livestock management, and facilitate peace talks when conflict occurs.

LL has also worked for years to change perceptions, by making wildlife valuable to the people who live alongside it. Some of this involves delivering benefits directly from the NGO, such as LL’s scholarship programme, which provides financial support to students from pastoralist communities, enabling access to education that would otherwise be out of reach, and assisting them in building skills that benefit their communities and open doors to future opportunities.

Critically, however, benefits should be seen as coming directly from wildlife presence, not the presence of conservation NGOs. Therefore, LL has worked with local people to develop Community Camera Trapping+ (CCT+), where communities install camera traps on village land in order to monitor wildlife. Villages earn points based on the wildlife recorded as well as on their conservation-positive actions, such as tolerance, responsible livestock practices, and avoidance of conflict. These points translate into

Without this support, I wouldn’t have been able to continue my studies. Now, I understand the connection between conservation and our livelihoods.

One Ruaha scholar's reflection on their studies

Main image

Lion Extension Officer gives advice on reinforcing a pastoralist's livestock enclosure in the Laikipia landscape, Kenya.

Credit: Lion Landscapes

Right Top Pastoralists receive CCT+ benefits.

Credit: Lion Landscapes

Right Bottom Community members view the wildlife images their CCT+ camera traps captured.

Credit: Lion Landscapes

community benefits selected by the village: supporting priorities such as healthcare, infrastructure, and education.

This approach is already making a difference. One notable example is the village of Arijijo, which used its first benefits to improve the local water system by connecting to a government water project. In a subsequent round of benefits, the community invested in water tanks for homesteads, so reducing water-fetching distances from 15km to 1km and improving access to clean water. This investment has saved time, particularly for women, and improved health conditions. One community member explained the impact: "With water now reaching our homes, life has become easier, especially for women and children. It also helps us manage our livestock better, reducing stress on grazing areas."

Other villages have used their earnings to build classrooms, improve school facilities, expand healthcare access and support livestock health initiatives such as cattle dips and improved grazing management. All have demonstrated how conservation-led incentives are creating meaningful change.

It is critical that not only are these benefit initiatives developed, but that local people are aware of them, and properly involved in their development. Lion Landscapes engages communities in diverse ways, such as film screenings in remote villages. These events share reallife stories of co-existence, conservation challenges and wildlife behaviour, which help to build awareness and foster open dialogue around reducing conflict with large carnivores.

By combining efforts that reduce conflict, reward conservation, and improve opportunities, Lion Landscapes is working alongside communities to co-develop practical solutions for co-existence. Through collaboration, these initiatives ensure that conservation benefits are shared, challenges are addressed collectively, and communities see ever greater benefits from wildlife conservation.

African Reflections from Tusk Ambassador Jen Wade

Jen is a jewellery designer, wife to comedian John Cleese and a Tusk ambassador who has a passion for wildlife and wild places. Her designs are reflections of her global upbringing and her love for gemstones, nature and animals.

Here, she shares with Tusk her recollections of Kruger National Park, her concern for the African lion population and her enduring fascination with the natural world.

On her childhood in South Africa

In the 1970s, we moved to Johannesburg, when I was four years old. We always had plenty of guests coming and going, so we used to take them to Kruger National Park in order to experience true African wilderness.

The Kruger felt like a wild, magical kingdom where animals ruled. I remember looking up and seeing the stars, which made everything feel bigger and me feel smaller - in the best kind of way. As if I was part of something ancient and beautiful.

Immersion in vast, wild places was a normal part of my childhood that hugely influenced my life, and those early African wildlife experiences gave me a life-long respect for animals.

One powerful memory is of travelling through the Kruger with a ranger. I remember the smell of dry earth, grass and that deep, dusty scent that only Africa seems to carry of sun-warmed soil.

We found a pride of lions stretched out in the golden light, their breath rising like mist. One of the lionesses turned her head toward us, calm and powerful.

At that moment, the world suddenly felt so big, quiet and full of awe.

On connecting with nature

It’s fundamental to human wellbeing to connect to nature. We evolved deep in nature, it’s hard-wired within us to be part of it and I think we need that to be fully human.

And it is obviously so important for planetary health that its wondrous ecosystems and species are protected.

Sadly, it is so easy to take nature for granted, and so easy to be distracted by novel things in a fast, digital world.

On Lions

I read that fossils discovered at Laetoli in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area revealed that early humans and lions were living alongside each other around 3.5 million years ago!

Lions were once widespread across most of Africa, but they have undergone a catastrophic decline from as many as 200,000 wild lions a century ago to only about 20,000 today in the wild. I was horrified to learn that between the first and second Lion King films, the African lion population dropped by half.

Much of this decline has been due to habitat loss, the loss of wild prey and conflict with local people.

We have to do something about this, fast. Could you imagine if lions became like dinosaurs, in our lifetimes? And if there was the skeleton of a lion in the Natural History Museum in London in the same way that there is a T-Rex? I have a five-year old nephew. I don’t want him to grow up saying, “My Aunty Jen was telling me that there were lions in Africa once!”

This is why I fully support Tusk’s partner, Lion Landscapes, which is a conservation organisation dedicated to preserving wild lion populations in Kenya and Tanzania, by fostering coexistence between local communities and large carnivores.

Lion Landscapes aims to ensure the survival of lion populations while promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

On Tusk

Working with Tusk is rewarding because it means being part of something deeply meaningful, protecting wild spaces and endangered species in one of the most ecologically rich places on Earth.

Everybody at Tusk is working for the greater good. The organisation has total integrity. And just look at the number of people that turn out for the Tusk events! It's incredible.

In conversation with Photographer and Tusk Ambassador David Yarrow

Close Encounters with Super Tuskers

Tusk ambassador David Yarrow is recognised as one of the world’s best-selling photographers. While his photography does not follow one prescriptive path or confine itself to one genre, his optimistic focus on celebrating the beauty of our world through the lens has earned him an extensive following among art collectors.

In 2024, Artsy’s market recap placed David in the top 10 in terms of global artist enquiries, alongside Warhol and Basquiat. Philanthropy is at the core of his business culture; over the last five years he has raised over £1m for Tusk.

Here, David talks about photographing the ‘Super Tusker’ elephant ‘Tim’, his love of Amboseli in Kenya and why he admires Tusk’s ethos.

What inspired you to take wildlife photographs?

My three main influences were David Attenborough, Peter Beard and Nick Brandt.

I watched one of David Attenborough’s programmes when I was a teenager, in which orca whales were filmed catching seals on a Patagonian beach. I clearly remember thinking: one day I want to capture that. Some years later, I did travel to the coastline of Peninsula Valdes in Patagonia, where I took photographs of the orca/seal event.

At the time I was working - not very happily - in New York: long hours on Wall Street. The photographer Peter Beard owned a gallery close to where I lived. I loved that his photographic work wasn’t literal, and that he told emotive stories through his big black and white format.

The British photographer, Nick Brandt, was also an inspiration. His images of wildlife in Amboseli, Kenya, were unlike any I’d seen before. Again, I loved the large format and raw emotion.

Why do you think wildlife photography is so important?

I want to celebrate the beauty of the planet, elicit emotions and remind people that the world is full of wonders. If I seek relevancy, I prefer to find it through the telling of beautiful stories, which is why I photographed the ‘Super Tusker’ elephants.

You are particularly drawn to Amboseli in Kenya …

Amboseli is the best place to photograph elephants as it's flat with little vegetation, rather like an arid amphitheatre. Elephants can be seen from a long way off.

Do you see people responding emotionally to your images?

I’ve seen people crying in front of an image - whether it be a polar bear, tiger or elephant. The big animals really do have the capacity to draw out strong emotions.

Are there a couple of particularly memorable encounters with African wildlife?

Some years ago I was in Amboseli, taking images of the Super Tusker elephant, “Tim”, who has since died. Tim wasn’t as mellow as “Craig”, who is still alive and kicking.

I was near Tim one day and just as he bluffcharged, I pressed the shutter. The image caught Kilimanjaro in the background, the dust flying and Tim hurtling towards me. There’s a real sense of movement and elemental power.

I named the photograph “Africa”. All photographers give their images titles, but despite having taken photographs on the continent for five years by that point, I knew that if you christen a photograph “Africa” it has to be a particularly good one! So I’d waited; “Tim” was the right moment.

Despite my phobia of hippos, I was always keen to take an image of a hippo charging through water towards me. I managed to find that exact moment on the Zambezi with an enormous male hippo called ‘Dexter’.

As Dexter moved towards me, it was not easy to think about single point focus on the camera, composition or exposure from the sun. It was a highly intense five seconds, but we got the shot.

I also spent three weeks in a boat off Cape Town, attempting to photograph great white sharks. When I finally got the picture, I took the boat back to shore and shed tears of joy and relief in an empty café. A little like Rory McIlroy when he won the Masters!

You have previously said, “Landscape, wilderness, escapism in the final frontier has always interested me.” Is that still the case?

Yes, I think the road less travelled - metaphorically or even literally - is certainly the way forward, if you're a content gatherer. I’ve been to Greenland, North Korea and some very remote parts of Africa. I was a little lost at one point in my life; now I realise that escaping to far-flung corners of the world was part of my healing process. The problem with remote parts of the world is that only a few people can relate to them!

Is there a place you’d love to visit that you haven’t yet travelled to?

I’d love to photograph bears in Kentucky. And I’d love to travel to Kamchatka in Russia as well as Western Tanzania, Madagascar and some of the parks on the Congolese border.

Tusk knows at a fundamental level that you can't look after wildlife and not look after communities. It’s a one-game-gig: you protect wildlife and enfranchise the communities.

Your relationship with Tusk is an enduring one … I find that in the creation of art, the best way to set an example is to give back. So I give back to Tusk and to other organisations from the sale of my images.

I’m also so full of admiration for Tusk’s Founder and President, Charlie Mayhew. Every year he starts at £0. Every year I start at zero as well, but I have 52 galleries around the world that sell my work. Charlie and the Tusk team have to venture out to find £10-15 million at a time of global charity fatigue.

Tusk has longevity and a wise, admirable sense of pragmatism. I think the word holistic is overused, but in talking about Tusk, ‘holistic’ is entirely appropriate. Tusk knows at a fundamental level that you can't look after wildlife unless you look after communities. It’s a one-game-gig: you protect wildlife and enfranchise the communities.

Tusk does this extremely well, and with enduring passion and knowledge.

Main image 'Tim' the Super Tusker elephant

Credit: David Yarrow

Right 'Dexter' the hippo

Credit: David Yarrow

Bottom David Yarrow

DAVID YARROW

Showcasing Tusk’s work and raising valuable funds

2024 & 2025 Events

Every year Tusk offers a calendar of events, for everyone to enjoy whilst supporting our work. With an exciting schedule of events to come through the latter half of 2025, we reflect on some of the highlights from the past year.

Dates for the Diary:

• Tusk Turtle Trail: July-October with the auction taking place on 15th October

• Lewa Safari Marathon 2025: Saturday 28th June

• Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2025: Saturday 20th September (see pages 25-26)

• Tusk Conservation Awards 2025: Wednesday 26th November (see pages 17-21)

Credit: Tom Anders

Tusk Clay Shoot at Holland & Holland

Apex Gala & Auction at the Natural History Museum, London

Credit: Antony Jones

Bath Half Marathon

Lewa Safari Marathon

Bottom right

The Deep Blue Crew after completing the Atlantic Challenge

Credit: World's Toughest Row

Steve Backshall LIVE at Longleat

In May 2024, Steve Backshall, one of Britain’s bestloved and most intrepid naturalists and TV presenters, hosted an exclusive live animal show at Longleat. Thanks to both Steve and Longleat’s generosity, the week of shows raised an incredible amount of over £25,000, proceeds from which went towards the Wildlife Ranger Challenge.

Steve returned to Longleat in May 2025. This year’s residency saw a spectacular range of animals and birds of prey take flight and wow audiences in Longleat’s custombuilt, open-air theatre. Audiences learned incredible insights into the animals’ speed, stamina, survival tactics and adaptations.

Tusk Clay Shoot

In September 2024 we held our annual charity clay shoot at a brand new venue, Holland & Holland. It was a fantastic day of sport, team-building, networking and fundraising at a beautiful countryside site on the outskirts of London.

APEX Gala & Auction

We were thrilled to be asked to be one of the beneficiaries of a remarkable gala, hosted by APEX, at the Natural History Museum in November 2024. Rory Bremner entertained the room with his hilarious impressions, and there was an exclusive performance by band Boney M. The room was filled with laughter, dancing and much fundraising.

The APEX Foundation has since donated £115,000 raised on the night to Tusk. We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support.

Left to Right Steve Backshall at Longleat

Deep Blue Crew Atlantic Challenge

On 12th December 2024, The Deep Blue Crew set off on their World’s Toughest Row adventure. After just 39 days, 6 hours and 55 minutes, the crew arrived in Antigua. Not only did they complete the tough challenge, but they also secured second place overall. Congratulations to the team: Paddy, Gus, Jack and Matt for achieving second place in all boats and second place in the four-person boat category.

We are hugely grateful that the crew chose to support Tusk as one of their charities, alongside My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and the Clock Tower Foundation.

The team also exceeded their original fundraising target of £100,000 and have raised almost £120,000 percentage of that goes towards Tusk to distribute to our amazing project partners working on the ground in Africa to support communities and safeguard wildlife and their habitats.

Thank you Deep Blue Crew, and thank you to Natural High Safaris for organising an incredible talk by the boys themselves at the Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday 16th April 2025.

Bath Half Marathon

Tusk entered a small team into the Bath Half Marathon for the first time. Our four runners took to the historic streets, finishing up a steep hill and bringing in over for Tusk’s conservation efforts across Africa. Contact lauren@tusk.org for your chance to run in 2026!

Lewa Safari Marathon

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Tusk – the organisers of the annual Lewa Safari Marathon – in consultation and agreement with the lead sponsor, Safaricom, made the difficult decision to cancel last year’s marathon event (originally scheduled for Saturday 29th of June 2024), in light of the sensitive situation in Kenya at the time.

The race returns on 28th June this year, when participants will once again run across grass plains, along riverbanks and through acacia woodland on Lewa’s breathtaking conservancy. This year we will also be celebrating the event’s 25th anniversary.

If you are interested in running in 2026, please contact info@tusk.org for more information

2024 & 2025 Events

London Marathon

The TCS London Marathon is one of the most iconic marathons in the world. Runners pass many famous landmarks and finish on the Mall near Buckingham Palace. Tusk proudly cheered another strong team of 31 runners across the finish line on Sunday 27th April 2025. The team raised almost £50,000 for our project partners. Well done team and thank you!

For the chance to run for Tusk on Sunday 26th April 2026, contact lauren@tusk.org to register your interest.

Generation Tusk

Generation Tusk held their inaugural Summer Party in July 2024 at 100 Barrington, Brixton. With cocktails flowing and a DJ spinning the decks, the committee led the 200 attendees dancing towards a very successful fundraising total of £8.5k! Alongside three pub quizzes, a ‘Singles Safari’ and a Christmas party, the team raised a total of over £10k throughout the year.

For more information, or to be added to the Generation Tusk mailing list, contact susie@tusk.org

Left to right above Tusk runner Isaiah competing in the London Marathon

Trek for Tusk along the Jurassic coast

Tusk Turtle Trail

Opposite page

Top left photo: Left to right, new Tusk Ambassador Gbenga Akinnagbe and guest greet Tusk Ambassador David Yarrow at New York dinner for Tusk, December 2024

Top right photo: Menlo Polo Club players in Conservation Cup exhibition match for Tusk, September 2024

Bottom photo: Patrons’ Circle member Shawna Stout welcomes Florida guests to Wellington reception, March 2025

Trek for Tusk

Tusk is delighted that a new event, ‘Trek for Tusk’, took place on Saturday 17th May. Hikers had a choice of 40, 20 and 10 km trails along the beautiful and undulating south-west coast path to raise funds for Tusk’s vital work for African wildlife conservation. The hike along the World Heritage coastline concluded with a glass of bubbly on Shell Bay in Studland.

Contact lauren@tusk.org if you would like to join the team in 2026.

The Tusk Turtle Trail

Following the huge successes and popularity of the rhino, lion and gorilla trails, Tusk is now launching a Turtle Trail, supported by an invited list of internationally acclaimed artists and designers. Each artist is being asked to uniquely design and paint a turtle sculpture for public display. The art collection will be curated on behalf of Tusk by respected art expert, Chris Westbrook of Westbrook Gallery.

The aim of the Turtle Trail is to highlight the real threat to all turtles and other marine species by displaying them to the general public at a selection of iconic sites during July - September 2025 in central London. These beautiful works of art will then be auctioned off in the Autumn at two high profile events in London. Get involved with your family and friends and follow the Turtle Trail throughout London. Contact info@tusk.org for more information or for your map to participate.

2024

Tusk ambassador, photographer David Yarrow, hosted two New York events for Tusk in 2024 at Sorrel Sky Gallery in Soho, raising $75,000 in March and an additional $112,000 in December. By the end of 2024, the number of US Patrons’ Circle members had more than doubled over the previous year. Please join them if you are not already a member! Veteran Patrons’ Circle supporters Amy and Gary Green hosted the Footprint of Life gala in The Hamptons in August, raising $75,000 to benefit Tusk’s Wildlife Ranger Challenge and PACE (Pan African Conservation Education) programme among other beneficiaries.

2025

Tusk celebrated a Florida debut with hosts David Yarrow, Cecil Wright & Partners, F.P.Journe, Tusk trustee Jessica Robinson, and Patrons’ Circle member Shawna Stout – with multiple March receptions in Wellington, Palm Beach and Miami, which collectively raised approximately $130,000 and welcomed over 250 US friends and donors into the Tusk family. Look for us in Florida again in early 2026.

In September 2024, Tusk visited Northern California for the first time and returned to Los Angeles for the first time since 2011. In Beverly Hills, the Tusk team gathered with some long-time supporters as well as several new Patrons’ Circle members, courtesy of regional hosts David Simoné, Shelley Ross and Clare De Briere.

In Atherton, Tusk was hosted with fanfare, an exhibition polo match and a beautiful sunset at Tusk in Silicon Valley, a national reception for US supporters. The event was made possible by regional hosts Joe and Farrah Calder, as well as the hospitality of Lyn Jason Cobb, President of the Menlo Polo Club. These events raised $90,000 for Tusk initiatives.

Special Thanks

We offer our thanks to US runners who supported Tusk-funded African conservation projects through participating in the London Marathon or Lewa Safari Marathon.

We would also like to thank all the following partners who have made US events possible since 2024: David Yarrow, Green Vision, Menagerie, Silicon Valley Technology Foundation, Menlo Polo Club, Tett Safaris Inc., Cecil Wright & Partners, F.P.Journe, Working Dogs for Conservation, Bonhams and Saint Sprintz.

If you would like to have your business or organisation among our recognised US sponsors, or would like to join the Patrons’ Circle in the US, please contact bernadette@tusk.org

Save the Dates! Tusk in California:

San Francisco – September 17 2025 | Napa Valley – September 18 2025 Silicon Valley – September 20 2025* | Beverly Hills & Orange County** *Register at bayarea.us.tusk.org **Date to be announced

Susan Canney in

conservation with Sophy Roberts, Journalist and Author

The Desert Elephants of Mali

Dr Susan Canney is the Director of the Mali Elephant Project.

She is also a Trustee of Tusk, a Research Associate of the Department of Biology, Oxford University, a member of the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group, the IUCN Human Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group and the IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group of the World Commission on Protected Areas.

In a fascinating conversation with Sophy Roberts, Dr. Canney talks about the extraordinary desert-adapted population of elephants in Gourma, central Mali. Sophy is a British journalist and author whose work focuses on culture, conservation, and travel writing in remote places. Her latest book, A Training School for Elephants, became an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Combining history and travel, she follows in the footsteps of a nineteenth century colonial expedition in East Africa.

Could you paint a picture of the landscape and range of the Mali elephants?

The Malian population of elephants lives in an area of central Mali on the southern border of the Saharan desert, within the bend of the Niger River.

It is a vast open landscape of rolling, mostly grassy, dunes and laterite plains, interspersed occasionally with small water holes that are surrounded by thicket forest. To the west lies the Inner Delta of the river Niger and to the south, the border with Burkina Faso.

How many elephants live in this area?

Around 300 to 350 elephants.

One of the most fascinating things about them is their huge annual migration. The elephants spend the dry season in the north of their range, moving between the few waterholes where they find water, food, and shelter among the dry-forest thickets. At the end of the dry season, they concentrate in the very few places where water remains. As soon as the elephants smell rain they move south, where there is a greater abundance and variety of food. When the rain dries up, they head back to the waterholes of the north, stopping off at salt pans on the way.

Main image

African elephant

Credit:Phillip Carter

Right

Ecoguard counting elephants

Credit: WILD Foundation/ ICFC

Right insert

Mail Elephant Project rangers carrying out antimine training

Credit: Mali Elephant Project

Is 300 elephants the definition of a ‘relic population’?

Yes, and one that is almost completely isolated now: these elephants would once have belonged to a population that stretched right across the Sahel.

One of the mysteries is: why and how has it survived, when other populations have disappeared?

Can you describe the political situation in this region of Mali?

The area has been suffering from armed conflict and an Islamist insurgency since 2012. Civilians are caught in the middle. We’ve been presented with enormous challenges over the years.

Locals also reported that they admire elephants’ intelligence, the way they look after their babies, the fact they help each other when in trouble, and the way they mourn their dead.

We also heard that elephants help shake down fruits and seeds from trees, which goats forage or women gather to sell at market, and that elephants help to disperse useful trees.

We were also told that elephant dung is used to treat conjunctivitis, a common problem in these drylands.

How does MEP work and how is donor money utilised?

We empower local people to manage their environment sustainably, by uniting to create transparent, equitable and inclusive systems of nature resource management. The aim is to protect and restore the ecosystem and set aside space to protect elephants, while also providing a suite of local benefits (such as improved local livelihoods, occupations for women and for at-risk youth, improved social cohesion and ability to act).

Could you describe some of these challenges?

Finding sustainable solutions over a large, diverse, populated, remote landscape; a sudden escalation in poaching in a country with no institutional capacity to respond, which meant raising money rapidly and working closely with government; cash flow problems due to problems with a big institutional funder’s administrative software which meant no funds were issued for months.

Then there’s the added pressure of trying to operate in a conflict zone subjected to an insurgency; armed groups now occupy areas that were once the elephants’ dry-season refuges, so elephants have had to adapt their migration routes. Towards the end of the dry season, they are particularly vulnerable as they are confined to waterholes, which makes them easy to find by poachers.

Do some local communities struggle with elephant co-existence?

Yes, there are localised flash points. For example, people move into the region looking for land to farm. They may clear a patch of forest next to water for crops. Elephants arrive, walk through their gardens - on their way to the water source – and in so doing, trample on and (or) eat the crops.

Because of the war, Mali’s elephants spend more time in the west of the country. But this adaptation is pushing them into areas with people not accustomed to living alongside elephants. So the MEP has increased its area of operations to work with these communities to find ways for peaceful coexistence.

Our team makes an assessment before meeting and working with the local community to determine possible solutions.

What do local communities admire about elephants?

I was waiting to see a local Chief one day. While waiting, I asked a villager, ‘Would you mind if elephants disappeared?’ He replied, ‘Of course. If elephants disappear, it's a sign that the environment is no longer good for us.’

Community consultations suggested most people did not want elephants to disappear because they felt it was a sign that the environment was less able to support life and their lives depended on a healthy environment.

An attitude survey suggested that 82% of the population appreciated elephants, associating them with rain, moisture and abundant vegetation. Most people see themselves, elephant and the environment as part of one whole; one identity.

These systems form part of the enforcement of protected areas while local backing for elephant conservation supports the fight against poaching.

Most donations to the MEP are spent on bringing people together to develop a shared understanding of their problems and how they are linked to environmental degradation and elephants. It involves listening and engaging, building human connections and reinforcing social capital, using traditional systems that respect open dialogue, consultation and consensus-building.

So, it’s about building simple, humble connections. Yes, it's all about building human connections and reinforcing social capital. The local communities have a need for inclusivity in discussion and the respect of multiple perspectives to arrive at a consensus.

Nomba Ganamé, who is in charge of MEP’s operations on the ground, won the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa in 2024. What is the secret of his success?

Ganamé’s work is driven by deep humanity, wisdom, curiosity, grounded creativity, and unyielding courage. He approaches the multiple challenges of this area with a determination to find innovative, lasting solutions, continually adapting until he finds a way.

He has brought diverse communities together using elephants as a unifying focus.

What would success for the project look like to you?

I’d like to see the whole area under elephant-centred environmental management systems, which operate autonomously, supported by the commune, cercle and regional administration.

The long-term vision would be a restored Gourma ecosystem, with abundant life and elephants and humans coexisting peacefully, with lost species reintroduced.

What has been the impact of the Tusk Conservation award? What has it meant in real terms for the project on the ground?

It is huge in terms of encouragement and boosting the energy of Ganamé and the team. The extra sum of money also allows us to reinforce the sustainability of our work.

Tusk is a flexible partner which is particularly useful in very unpredictable environments where unforeseen things happen all the time and it is important to act swiftly to shut down destructive events while being able to take any opportunities to move forward.

Tusk has always been very understanding and supportive.

There’s no place like home: mountain bongo return to the foothills of Mt Kenya

Bongos Retur n Home

Seventeen mountain bongos boarded a plane in Florida in February 2025. Their destination? A sanctuary at the foot of Mount Kenya. Their mission? Survival. This is the story of one of the boldest wildlife relocations and the quiet hope it carries for a critically endangered species.

The mountain bongo, a critically endangered subspecies of large antelope, is one of Kenya’s most iconic yet elusive animals. A striking creature known for its reddish-brown coat adorned with black, white, and yellow-white markings, for thousands of years its home has been amongst the montane forests of northern Kenya’s highlands. During the 20th Century, however, its populations plummeted. There are now fewer than 100 left in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and disease.

Thanks to an incredible collaborative effort involving multiple partners across the globe - including Tusk, together with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), Kenya Wildlife Service, and DHL, which is Tusk’s long-standing logistics partnerthe mountain bongos were transported from the RSCF’s breeding sanctuary in Florida, to the Marania and Mucheene sanctuary in Meru County, Kenya. It marked a significant milestone in conservation efforts for this gentle, endangered species.

Main image

Young mountain bongo

Credit: Paul Reillo

Bottom left

The bongos arriving in Kenya in their travel crates by DHL's designated plan

Credit: DHL

There is simply no higher calling for humanity than to protect what remains of nature.

Dr. Paul Reillo, Founder and President of the RSCF

From months of planning and preparation, to vaccinating the animals for pathogens and tick-borne diseases, to corralling the bongo in crates and administering a pre-flight, long-acting sedative, the bongo’s repatriation story is one of collaboration and commitment. The final cross-Atlantic journey alone - a 30-hour flight in a dedicated DHL Boeing 767, under the careful watch of animal handlers and a specialist vet (with six tonnes of pelleted feed for sustenance!) - demonstrated that it really does take a village to move a herd of mountain bongo home.

The animals have now lived among the cedar groves and bamboo thickets of Mt Kenya’s foothills for nearly four months: the Marania and Mucheene sanctuary will serve as a breeding centre, with the ultimate goal of reintroducing their offspring into the surrounding habitats.

When the bongo were first released from their crates at the sanctuary in February, Tusk’s Chief Conservation Officer, Sarah Watson, reported that the resident colobus monkey troop began to whoop, with the raucous call of the turaco bird following suit. A welcome home chorus, perhaps? It reminds me of the intricate interconnections in nature, and that every species on our planet has a role to play in the healthy functioning of a given ecosystem.

Tusk strongly believes in the power of collaboration to effect huge progress in wildlife conservation and nature protection. Our inspiring bongo repatriation and recovery project shows just what is possible when determination, passion and science come together across borders, continents and disciplines. It shows what happens when people pull together in the knowledge that nature matters. And it gives us all hope that we can protect our planet's natural heritage for future generations. As Dr. Paul Reillo, Founder and President of the RSCF, said, “There is simply no higher calling for humanity than to protect what remains of nature.”

These photos show the preparation and process involved in moving 17 mountain bongo from Florida to Kenya, thanks to the collaboration of Tusk, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), Kenya Wildlife Service and DHL, Tusk’s long-standing logistics partner

Credit: DHL & RSCF

Big 4The facts about Bongos

Native to the mountainous forests of Kenya and Tanzania, they are so rare that most people have never seen one in the wild.

Each bongo has a unique stripe pattern, which can help in identifying individuals in the wild.

Mountain bongos are primarily nocturnal. This behaviour helps them avoid predators and the heat of the day, as well as take advantage of cooler temperatures for foraging.

Their vocalisations can include grunts, whistles, and snorts, which help them communicate over the dense forest terrain where visual contact is often limited.

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Image montage

The Southern Africa Wildlife College outlines the spirit of collaboration fostered by the Tusk Collaboration Fund

Shared Stewardship

In the face of increasingly complex conservation challenges, partnerships that transcend borders are more than a strategy—they are a lifeline.

The Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) and Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT), brought together through a Tusk Collaboration Fund grant, have demonstrated how cross-border collaboration unlocks new insights, strengthens educational models and brings distant landscapes closer to home.

Propelling this forward was the Tusk Symposium held in Rwanda early in 2024, where the two organisations spoke about their respective strengths and capacity-building plans. This included SRT’s expanded landscape area and the possible need to set up its own airwing.

In September 2024, three senior SRT staff members travelled to the SAWC for a five-day visit. With the focus on building existing staff capacity to manage an expanding organisation, SRT’s Director of Field Operations, Chief Operating Officer and Programmes and Partnership Development Assistant were exposed to the SAWC’s various training courses as well as to its ranger training base, airwing and canine unit. Of particular interest was the herding for health concept and the SAWC’s focus on community-led natural resource management.

From tracking black rhinos with local rangers under the desert sun to witnessing school children naming rhinos as though they were family, Sboniso encountered a system where governance, empowerment, and culture merge to form resilient conservation structures.

As a result of this initial visit, SRT then sent four staff members to the College for training during the final months of 2024. The training comprised two separate sessions centred on leadership, management and basic field ranger training. Interestingly, three of the four SRT attendees had never left Namibia before, with none of them having received any formal conservation-related training. This training was thus invaluable both from a knowledge-sharing point of view and in terms of staff morale. Indicative of the success of this collaboration grant is the fact that SRT now intend to send staff to the SAWC for training as a standard feature of their annual operational plan.

In turn, the SAWC’s Sboniso Phakathi, Project Lead of the Rural Initiative for a Sustainable Environment (RISE) Unit, (see Conservation Champion pp 35-36) travelled to Namibia in November 2024, to experience first-hand how CommunityBased Natural Resource Management (CBNRM)—a cornerstone of Namibia’s globally admired conservation model—operates in practice.

What unfolded was a transformative five-day journey into community stewardship. From tracking black rhinos with local rangers under the desert sun to witnessing school children naming rhinos as though they were family, Sboniso encountered a system where governance, empowerment, and culture merge to form resilient conservation structures.

In conservancies such as ≠Khoadi //Hoas, communities are not just stakeholders—they are landowners, wildlife guardians

and economic drivers. This model of trust and tradition was both humbling and galvanising.

Reflecting on the experience, Sboniso said, “Collaborations like this one between the SAWC and SRT help bridge theory and practice, allowing conservationists to learn directly from each other’s lived experiences. It accelerates impact, improves our training methods and curricula, and helps us adapt strategies that are working elsewhere in Africa.”

“Conservation today demands not just science and systems but shared stewardship,” said Sboniso. “Crossborder collaboration allows us to see landscapes—and solutions—we might not have otherwise considered.”

This exchange, made possible by the support of Tusk is more than a one-off learning experience: it represents an investment in the type of collaboration that Africa needs. A key outcome is the learning relevance for current and future conservation leaders, which encourages a regional perspective rooted in shared challenges and locally driven solutions.

By connecting institutions, Tusk’s Collaboration Grant has planted the seeds for longer-term impact across borders. What began as a journey into another country’s model has become a catalyst for reflection, integration, and renewed purpose, and a reaffirmation that lasting change in conservation is built together.

Main image

Two Save the Rhino Trust rangers tracking rhinos in the Namibian desert

Credit: Marcus Westberg

Left insert

WWF South Africa Legacy Donors and Save the Rhino Trust Namibia visited the SAWC to learn more about the College’s conservation training and impact.

Credit: SAWC

Right

Top to bottom: As part of their visit, the group observed a live rhino dehorning operation and a demonstration by the SAWC’s K9 Unit in action.

Credit: SAWC

Huw Cordey, Executive Producer, Silverback Films

The Power of Storytelling in Protecting Africa’s Wildlife

Huw Cordey is a natural history filmmaker who has worked on BBC series including Wildlife on One, Big Cat Diary and Sir David Attenborough’s Life of Mammals and Planet Earth.

At Silverback Films, Huw was the series producer of the award-winning The Hunt, A Perfect Planet, Our Planet I and II. He is currently working on a series on the Arctic for Netflix. Silverback Films has been a key collaborator with Sir David Attenborough, producing several of his most acclaimed natural history documentaries in recent years. Silverback co-founders, Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, have both given talks at Tusk events.

Here, Huw Cordey talks about filming lions in Namibia, the power of empathy in natural world storytelling and striking a balance between inspiring awe and relaying the truth.

The conditions of Earth are not just good for life, they are perfect. Everything about our planet - its size, its distance from the sun, its spin and tilt, its moon - is perfectly suited to our existence. Our planet's forces serve to nurture its spectacular biodiversity: global weather systems distribute fresh water to all corners; marine currents deliver nutrients to the deepest reaches of the ocean; solar energy warms and electrifies everything it touches; volcanic activity fertilises the Earth's surface.

In over three decades of filmmaking for BBC and Silverback Films I’ve had the privilege of documenting frogs that freeze during the winter months until the spring sun brings them back to life, land iguanas that lay their eggs in the warm ash of a Galapagos crater and tool-using orangutans in northern Sumatra.

Silverback has also produced programmes that have brought Africa’s natural wonders to global audiences: we’ve filmed Namibian lions using dust storms to mask their approach, cheetah brothers hunting gazelles on the grass plains of the Masai Mara and elephants mining salt from mineral-rich mud in the Congo rainforest. Our series have shown the cooperative hunting tactics of painted dogs, the seed-dispersal habits of lowland gorillas, the breeding habits of lesser flamingos and the survival strategies of a Namib Desert beetle.

In making films about our planet’s wonders, we aim to tell entertaining stories through which people can learn, as well as highlighting the threats to the natural world - largely the result of human activity, the impact of which stretches to the most remote corners of the planet. I saw this clearly some years ago when filming in Aldabra Atoll, an isolated atoll in the Indian Ocean known for its significant population of giant tortoises. On arrival we were shocked to find an enormous amount of plastic waste littering one side of the island, including thousands of flip-flops.

I’ve learned that storytelling remains one of our most powerful tools for raising awareness. When told well, stories humanise the planetary crisis. They allow people to connect emotionally to landscapes, wildlife and ecosystems they may never see in person. Ultimately, they can also help people to care - deeply - about what stands to be lost.

Our challenge is always to strike the right balance: to inspire awe, while being honest about the threats. Beauty and magic draw people in, and reality spurs action. When we show a lioness trying to protect her cubs in a shrinking habitat, or a mother leopard teaching her cub to stalk impala we’re not “just” portraying wildlife, we’re translating universal themes of survival, family and vulnerability. We are reminding viewers that these creatures are not statistics, but sentient individuals living remarkable lives; fellow beings with whom we share our astonishing world.

Africa also exemplifies the interdependence of people, wildlife, and place. Conservation in Africa isn’t just about protecting elephant, lion, pangolin or black rhinos. It’s also about human-wildlife co-existence: securing the long-term health of ecosystems to protect wildlife and sustain livelihoods. Through storytelling, we can reflect this complexity: conservation narratives that ignore people are incomplete.

At Silverback, we are proud to shine a light on Africa’s wildlife and the people working night and day to protect it - and we will keep on telling its stories. We also know that Tusk has played a vital role in supporting frontline conservation efforts across Africa, and that their unwavering commitment to empowering local partners has been instrumental in helping to safeguard the continent’s wildlife for future generations.

Africa’s wildlife is one of the great treasures of the world. Humanity started in Africa, it’s where we evolved.

Mega fauna once thronged its plains - what survives now is just a fragment, but it still gives us vision of humanity’s past, and it is crucial that we protect it.

Sir David Attenborough, part of his Award acceptance speech at the 2016 Tusk Conservation Awards

Main image

Wild Dog Resting Credit: Jo Taylor

Charlie Mayhew OBE Founder & President, Tusk

Defending Nature

We have always prided ourselves on our ability to build strong and meaningful partnerships with any business or organisation that shares Tusk’s vision and commitment to protecting the natural world.

For over 20 years, Jaguar Land Rover has been one such company that has generously supported our mission; last year we were delighted to agree an exciting new fiveyear partnership that aligns the Defender brand with Tusk.

Land Rover Defender has been synonymous with Africa since the 1950’s. When we decided with our Royal Patron, Prince William, to establish the Tusk Conservation Awards, Defender was a natural partner. We were thrilled that they enthusiastically agreed to become the generous sponsor of the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, which celebrates and supports the work of an emerging leader in conservation in Africa.

Twelve years on, we are delighted that the Defender brand remains firmly associated with this prestigious award.

Our new agreement significantly builds upon the many Tusk-Defender joint initiatives over the last two decades and aims to deliver even greater direct conservation impact. This is done through both funding and provision of Defender vehicles.

Below

One of the previous Defenders donated to Tusk, here being checked out by a rhino calf at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy!

Right Top: The new Defender in action at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Middle left to right: The new Defender at Lewa; with Lion Landscapes on Borana Conservancy; Range Rovers supporting the Tusk Conservation Awards in London

Among the first three partners selected by Defender to receive this new support is VulPro, which operates a hugely respected vulture rescue and rehabilitation centre treating injured and grounded vultures in South Africa. VulPro will shortly be receiving a Defender 130 as their new veterinary vehicle, modified to support real-time rescue, rehabilitation and release exercises. The team at VulPro are particularly excited to have the benefit of Defender’s sophisticated climate control system when rescuing these magnificent birds, which are increasingly under threat and play such a vital role in Africa’s ecosystems. They also report that the much smoother suspension system will enable them to safely transport vulture eggs for incubation!

In Namibia, Save The Rhino Trust is the leading black rhino conservation organisation with the mandate to monitor and protect the rare desert dwelling rhino. It will also receive a specialist Defender 130 to act as a mobile ‘command centre’ to plan and support the deployment of their anti-poaching patrols across a vast and remote landscape.

Another partner that has attracted the support of Defender is Wild Entrust, whose impressive and innovative Coaching Conservation programme in Botswana combines environmental and conservation education with children learning a healthy lifestyle, respect and empathy for nature, themselves and their community. The new Defender 130 will become a specialist mobile classroom and research unit – integrating an interactive white board / AR / VR learning and supporting field data and analysis live in the field.

The [Defender] suspension feature is crucial for Vulpro’s work in transporting eggs from the enclosures to our incubation facility, where we manage and assist the birds through artificial incubation

Kerry Volter, VulPro

We are hugely grateful to Jaguar Land Rover as the relationship with Defender enters this new and exciting era - one which is focused on utilising the extraordinary capability, technology, skills, and funding to help the charity deliver greater impact as well as help us reach new audiences and supporters. It’s a valuable, enduring and symbiotic relationship.

Indeed, Defender’s dramatic new film ‘Rhino Whisperer’, which has just been released as part of a new advertising campaign, will promote Tusk to a huge global audience. Do look out for it on your screens!

Together we can do even more to advance conservation in Africa

Patrons' Circle - A Closer Connection

Tusk's Patrons’ Circle is a group of committed supporters who generously donate at least £1,000/$1,500 a year, providing essential funding for the Tusk Conservation Fund.

As a member, you will join a community of like-minded people who are passionate about Africa, wildlife and conservation, and who want to feel a greater connection to the cause.

Depending on your level of giving and how much you’d like to hear from us, the Patrons’ Circle enables members to see the impact of their generosity through a range of dedicated communications and special events, with first-hand updates from our project partners in the field.

Becoming a Patron allows me to feel part of the movement.

Twaalfhoven – Patrons’ Circle Member

I am always amazed at what Tusk manage to achieve in so many different areas. It is inspirational to attend the various Patrons’ Circle webinars held throughout the year and it’s good to hear the news directly from those working in the field.

Carol Kemm – Patrons’ Circle Member

Tusk's model of African empowerment will have a hugely positive social and economic impact for people who are the guardians of this irreplaceable wildlife. Gregory Edwards – Patrons’ Circle Member

To find out more about the Patrons’ Circle, please contact Susie Coreth at susie@tusk.org

Last year, the Patrons’ Circle collectively contributed over £1million, making it the strongest year yet for the Patron’s Circle and significantly investing into Tusk’s project partners across Africa, such as the Grevy's Zebra Trust.

Main image Grevy's Zebra

Miriam

Growing the future of conservation philanthropy

A New Generation of Tusk

2024 was a brilliant year for Generation Tusk, our young professionals’ initiative with a committee who organise fun and social fundraising events for the next generation of Tusk supporters.

The 2024 committee organised seven events throughout the course of the year, raising over £10,000 and greatly growing the Generation Tusk network. From pub quizzes to a Singles Safari in collaboration with Thursday app, to a table at the Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Forum, to a big Summer Party with cocktails flowing, a DJ, a dancefloor and a myriad wonderful raffle and auction prizes.

A big thank you to Ninety One for sponsoring the Summer Party and Uhuru, Downton Distillery, Doughlicious, The Savourists and Savoursmiths for providing cocktails and snacks. Thanks also go to Bertie Beor-Roberts and Alfred Jacquemot for lending their photography and DJ skills, respectively.

The Committee

Co-chaired by Gwen Audran and Katy Roxburgh, the committee expanded in January 2025, with Abe Unwin, Louisa MacDonald, James Webb, Anna Stenning and Christian Roberts joining Camille Barton, Athene St John and Ellie Stoneham.

To find out more about Generation Tusk and how to get involved, please contact Susie Coreth at susie@tusk.org or follow the Instagram page @generation_tusk

Credit: Bertie Beor-Roberts

Make a difference with Tusk

Support Tusk

With your help, Tusk will be able to make an even greater difference for Africa’s wildlife, natural habitats and people.

Please Donate Now

Use the donation form at the back to send a cheque, or visit tusk.org or scan this QR code to donate online:

Donating in the USA

For American supporters wishing to donate in the most tax-efficient way you can choose to support our work through ‘The Friends of Tusk’ – a donor advised fund administered on behalf of Tusk by CAF America. Gifts made here are tax deductible in the US (CAF America Tax ID 43-1634280). Donate online at tusk.org or contact our US Development Executive, Bernadette Clemens at bernadette@tusk.org for more information on gift methods.

Donate Cryptocurrency

Tusk accepts over 100 different cryptocurrencies through The Giving Block, the most environmentally friendly crypto-donation platform on the planet.

To find out how you can make a safe and easy crypto-donation, visit tusk.org/crypto

Josh

Below

Participants complete the Rwenzori Mountain

Right

East completing the London Marathon 2025

Challenge for Conservation, in support of Tusk

Raise funds for Tusk

Much of our work would not be possible without the funds raised through the amazing energy and enthusiasm of our supporters. Whether taking on a challenge, creating your own event, fundraising alone, or with friends or colleagues, we’re here to support your efforts. Contact lauren@tusk.org for your fundraising pack or for more ideas and advice.

Shop for Tusk

Buy something special and support our work at the same time. As well as offering a selection of Tusk items, we are also supported by many fantastic artists, designers and authors who donate a share of their profits to our work. tusk.org/shop

Run your own Fundraising Event

Many of our supporters arrange their own fundraising event, such as a bake sale, coffee morning, or a mufti day, or collect donations in lieu of birthday, wedding or anniversary presents. If you would like to help and have a fundraising idea, Tusk can provide collection tins, posters and support to help you. Contact beth@tusk.org for your fundraising pack or for more ideas and advice.

Leave a Gift to Tusk in your Will

Gifts left in Wills are particularly special to us, as we know that such a gift comes from someone who cared deeply about our cause. Unless otherwise specified, every gift we receive from a Will is invested in our endowment fund, to provide a regular and sustainable source of income for both the charity’s operations and projects. You can leave a fixed sum or a percentage – a gift of even just 1% helps us to ensure Africa's wildlife is protected for generations to come. tusk.org/wills

Study of a Rhino & Calf

The ‘Study of a Rhino and Calf’ in sterling silver is a unique collaboration between long-standing Tusk supporters Grant Macdonald London and Rosamond Lloyd, celebrating the best of British Craftsmanship in aid of Tusk.

The limited edition of ten is available to buy from Grant Macdonald tusk.org/Rhino-and-Calf

out our social media for the latest news and to help spread the word and be part of the conversation.

We are extremely grateful to the following for their generous support of our work.

Thank You

We are incredibly grateful to all our supporters, too numerous to mention here, whose donations have been critically important in supporting our work. We would like to thank the following for their particularly generous contributions and gifts in kind, without which, much of what we have achieved over the past year would not have been possible.

Companies & Institutions

Access Bank Kenya, Accor, American Tower, AMREF Flying Doctors, Ardea Partners, Aujan Investments, Aviva, B2 Gold Namibia, Barrett & Coe, Be Military Fit, Bio Foods, Birchall Tea, BlackRock, BMS Group, British Airways, Broad Reach Investment Management, Bryers, CAF America, Capture Communications, Cask Trade, Cecil Wright & Partners, Christie's, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Defender, DHL Express Europe, Dire Straits, Disney Conservation Fund, Elewana Collection, Exceptional Travel Company, Farrant Group, Fortemus Films, Gallantium, Garda World Security, Goldman Sachs International, Grant Macdonald, Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA), Highlands Mineral Water Co, C. Hoare & Co, HSBC Private Bank, Huawei (Kenya), Ibid Capital, ICEA Lion Group, J.L. Modern Gallery, Jaguar Land Rover, Jones Family Office, Justerini & Brooks, Katten, Muchin & Rosenman, Kensington Palace, Kenyan Originals, Le Chameau, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lioden, Logical Land, Longleat Safari Park, Mantis Group, Menagerie Wines, Menlo Polo Club, Mishcon de Reya, Montford Watch Company, Natural High Safaris, Ninety One, North South Wines, Patrick Mavros, Pickfords, Prosource, Pula, Ravenscroft, Reid Park Zoological Society, Rhimani Jewellery, Safaricom PLC, Safarilink, Saint Spritz, Salehi Law Group, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Savoy Hotel, Sellar Property Group, Shaftesbury Capital, Shelton Fleming, Spring Capital Partners, Spun Gold TV, Stephens Europe,Tett Safaris Inc, Thyme, Tribe Impact Capital, Tropical Heat, View from the Shard, Volcanoes Safaris, West Midlands Safari Park, Westbrook Gallery, Young Spirits. Charitable Trusts, Schools & Public

A & R Woolf Charitable Trust, Addo Trust, Anthony Mayhew Charitable Trust, Apex Foundation, Aspen Business Center Foundation, Bearrem Charitable Trust, Big Give Trust, Blair Trust, Born to Fly Charity, Bradley & Katherine Wickens Foundation, Brown Foundation, Cedar Hill Foundation, Charity of Stella Symons, Charles Hayward Foundation, Chestnut Trust, CHK Foundation, Clyfford Foundation, Corcoran Foundation, Dahan Family Foundation, David L. Tandy Foundation, David Yarrow Family Foundation, Dietrich American Foundation, Dylan Rich Legacy Fund, Earlane & Sam Croom Foundation, EJF Philanthropies, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, F.P. Journe Society, Friedman-French Foundation, Game Rangers Association of Africa, Global Conservation, Golden Bottle Trust, Grace E. & Grenville B. Lloyd Foundation, Green Vision, Holloway Family Fund, International Ranger Federation, ISPS Handa, JCJK Trust, Joanne K. Schmidt Foundation for the Preservation of Global Wildlife Fund, John Langham Foundation, JRS Biodiversity Foundation, JSK Trust, Kajatawa Foundation, Land & Life Foundation, Lindeth Charitable Trust, Lizandy Charitable Trust, Lyon Family Charitable Trust, Marjorie Coote Animal Charity Trust, Merriman Charitable Foundation, Millard Family Foundation, Natural State, New England Biolabs Foundation, Nick Maughan Family Foundation, Ocean Family Foundation, Reed Foundation, Rettet Die Elefanten Afrikas, Ricochet Foundation, Rock Paper Scissors Foundation, Royal Foundation of the Prince & Princess of Wales, Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation, Save African Rhino Foundation, Schuster Charitable Trust, Scott (Eredine) Charitable Trust, Shirley Pugh Foundation, Silicon Valley Technology Foundation, Sisi & Savita Charitable Trust, Stichting Painted Dog Conservation, Tara Getty Foundation, Thin Green Line Foundation, Thomas Family Charitable Trust, Toby & Regina Wyles Charitable Trust, URSA, Vijay & Shama Bhardwaj Foundation, Vodafone Foundation, Working Dogs for Conservation, Worshipful Company of Cutlers

Remembering Graham Craker

Known to everyone as Crackers, he was a constant fixture at the Lewa Safari Marathon. Every year, for 25 years, he gave us a month of his time to assist in the preparation of the event; managing the setting of the tents with his team, not a small feat.

He was a constant source of jokes and made everyone smile with his penchant for braces and odd socks. Crackers also drew on his 35 years working in the Metropolitan Police to quietly advise us on crowd control and security procedures – through him we all learnt a great deal.

Crackers sadly died in April this year, having been in touch only a few weeks before to say that he wouldn’t be able to join us for the 25th Lewa Safari Marathon, but to wish the organising team well. His presence this year will be sorely missed but we’ll remember him fondly, and ensure that everything is set to his high standards! Kwaheri Crackers.

You

Individuals

Dawn Aaron, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Betty Albon, Zena Aldabagh, Richard Almond, Peter Anderson, Mark Armenante & Young Sohn, Janice Aron, Simon Aron, Jim & Kay Ashton, Neeta Atkar, Gwen Audran, Stéphane & Rachel Audran, Steve Backshall, Robert & Linda Baigrie, Marc & Heather Balizer, David Barnes, Susan Barnes, Jeremy & Nikki Barton, Lord & Lady Bath, Constant Beckers, Barry & Diane Bekkedam, Malcolm Bell Macdonald, Michelle BernersPrice, Jonathan & Rachel Biggs, Elizabeth Bill, Nigel Bliss, Claire Boakes, Shane Bolton, Liz Bonnin, Christian & Karin Bradeen, Tom & Heather Brady, Iain & Jane Bratchie, Matt Breidert, Rory Bremner, Michael & Amelia Brennan, Matt Bromham, Andrew Brown, Janet Brown, Dan Brunton, Monica Bueno Bragado, Nick Bullen, Tom Bulpitt, Philip Buscombe, Joe & Farrah Calder, Tripp Callan, Jeanne Callanan, Callum Callinan, Mark Cameron, Vickie Cameron, Tom Cartwright, Matthew Cassetta, Lord Valentine Cecil, Jim Chapman, Aimeé Jo Clare, Joanna Clarke, John Cleese & Jennifer Wade, Liza Connelly & Paul Toomey Jr, Richard Connor, Antwaun Cook, Elizabeth Coplon, Pete Coppolillo, Frank Corigliano, Kirsty Craig, Graham Craker, Daryl Cresswell, Kristen Danek, Johan De Bruijn, Joanne del Pilar, Chris Dietrich, Alexander Dreymon, Nicholas Duncan OAM, Hendrik du Toit, Josh East, Gregory Edwards, Justin Eede, Henry Egerton, Chris Eldridge, Edward & Sandy Elgar, Hugh Elwes, Louisa Erwin, Sam Excell, Sir Robert & Lady Fairbairn, Ryan Floyd, Jen Ford, Alan Franco, Mark & Marnie Franklin, William Franklin, James Fraser, Kindy French, Malcolm Fried, Adam & Nicole Gibbs, Mark Goddard, Jevin Gohil, Rita Goldstein, Stuart & Teresa Graham, Amy & Gary Green, Andrew Greener, Phil Greetham, Viscount Grimston, Jan Gronemeyer, Bear Grylls OBE, Yunlong Guo, George & Serena Haggas, Kristy Hahn, Caleb Hall, Susanne Hallergard, Samantha Hallman, Robert Ham, Dr Haruhisa Handa, John Hauer, Monica Hauer, Carol Hayes, Michael Hazel, Karim Henry, Edward Herbert, Emily Hill, Roger Hills, Peter Hinkley, Kara Hobbs, Alex & Liz Hoctor-Duncan, Lady Mary Holmes, Kieren Horgan, George Horton, Simon Hoyle, Roy Hughes, Brian Hull, Phillip Ihenacho & Carine Smith, John Illsley, Alan Ironside, Anna Jackson, Tim & Sue Jackson, Janet Jeffs, Jann Johnson, RG Jones, Rob Jowers, Christophe & Valérie Jungels-Winkler, Beatrice Karanja, Kristin Karcsh, Carol Kemm, Becky Keshmiri, Simon Kirby, Marina Kleinwort, Aaron Kneebone, Mark Knopfler, Gus Knott, Julian & Susan Knott, Charles & Stephanie Knowles, Howard Kosky, Stephen Lansdown CBE, Brad Layland, Camilla Legh, Jan Leighton, Hamish & Venetia Leng, Michael Lewis, Rosamond Lloyd, Juan Loaiza & Donna Howe, Edward Loder, Susan Loder, David Lomas, Michael Lonergan, Jane Longley, Ben Lundie, Attif Malik, Regina Mariano, Rhodri Mason, Nick Maughan CBE, Jay Maurice, Jill May BEM, Kate McBride, Stuart McCracken, Deborah Meaden & Paul Farmer, Carlos Mercado, Therese Mersentes, Steve Messinger, Paul Milton, Lauren Minchin, Midori Miyazaki, Damon Moglen, Praveen Moman, Quinn Morgan, Jeff Morgan, Carlye Morosky, Jonathan Muir, David Naylor-Leyland, Edward Ndiritu, Caroline Negley, Kristina Nordlander, Jack Ogden, Michael O'Hanlon, Margaret O’Neill, Marie Orlander, Robert Page, Geoffrey Page-Morris, Marjorie Parker, Oliver Pawle, Rupert Pelly, Jolanta Piekos, Luc Pillard, Jonathan Pollack, Lakshmi Punati, Katie Randall, Hugh Rattray, Martin Reinke, Robert Replogle, Alexander & Katherine Rhodes, John Rhodes, Lady Rice, Carey Richardson, Keegan Risley, Helen Jane Roberts, Nigel Robinson, Jessica & Brian Robinson, Mark Roby, Catherine Ronan, Paddy Ronan, Carla Rose, Paul Rose, Robert Rosenberg, Marianne Rugaard, Tim & Victoria Russell, Eavan Ryan, Nicola Rzeznik, Laura Sackler, Jack Savoretti & Jemma Powell, Mark Scheinberg, Matt Scholey, Kelly Schroeder, Brad Schwartz & Ryuko Baba, Angus Scott, James Sellar, Dipti Shah, Hannah Shergold, Andrew & Catherine Shilston, Anne Sibbald, Stuart Sillars, David Simoné, John Smith, Nick Southgate, Frank Speno, Alexander Spyratos, Anthony Squibb, Rob Stewart, Steven Stone, Shawna Stout, Nick & Sheila Stranks, Louise Studd, David Stulb, John Sutton, Elizabeth Sutton, Jennifer Sutton, Ted Sutton, Gareth & Michelle Thom, Peter & Fiona Thomas, Chris Thompson, Sir Christopher Thompson Bt, David Tiplady, Chris Townsend OBE, Paul Tudor Jones II, Miriam Twaalfhoven, Mark Tyndall, Rita Vallet, Ron van der A, John Vile, Stephen Vinall, Timm & Yannick Vollbrecht, James & Nicky Vyvyan-Robinson, Suzy Wahba, Willy Walker, Terry & Carol Walters, Keira Watkins, Richard & Laura Webb, Christopher Webster, Almud Weitz, Richard Welch, Chris Westbrook, Peter & Diana Whiteside, Jennifer Widener, Amelia Wood, Chris Wood, Laura Wood, Ronnie & Sally Wood, David Yarrow, Brian Young.

Gifts in Wills

We are extremely grateful and honoured to have received a number of gifts in Wills, which are particularly special to us and will support our work in Africa long into the future.

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