Home Sao Tome and Principe Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa goes to São Tomé and Príncipe

Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa goes to São Tomé and Príncipe

Filipe Sousa

The Tusk Conservation Awards were presented at a virtual ceremony attended by Prince William. The lifetime achievement award, awarded to an individual for his exceptional dedication and exceptional contribution to conservation went to Hipólito Lima, from São Tomé and Príncipe.

The Tusk Awards, which honor men and women dedicated to the survival of the African natural world, were created by Prince William in 2013. The Duke of Cambridge invited the 2020 winners to a virtual session.

The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, sponsored by Ninety One was awarded to Hipólito Lima, from São Tomé and Príncipe, founder and supervisor of the Tato Program Rangers.

Hipólito Lima has been protecting sea turtles and their nests for 26 years. It monitors nesting beaches, trains local guards, and trains sea turtle keepers and conservation leaders in local communities.

His leadership has been crucial in pressuring the government to establish legislation that provides protection for sea turtles in the archipelago. The new legislation has completely banned the capture, possession and sale of all species of sea turtles and their under-products, as well as disturbance of nesting habitats.

According to Tusk, Hipólito has dedicated his entire life to restoring and preserving what his father destroyed.

Tusk announced the increase in the value of the prizes awarded. Considering the impact of Covid-19, which also affected conservation work in Africa, the Nick Maughan Foundation secured an extra £1 million support over five years.

This additional funding will more than double the previous conservation grant given to all winners and finalists

Other winners

The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, sponsored by Land Rover, which distinguishes an individual considered an emerging leader in conservation and recognition in his remarkable success in his chosen field, went to Kenya.

John Kamanga, Executive Director of the South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO), is one of Kenya’s leading popular conservation leaders who has dedicated his career to developing a vision for the coexistence of herders and wildlife.

The Tusk Wildlife Ranger award, sponsored by the Nick Maughan Foundation, gives international recognition to the men and women who work in the field who protect wildlife in Africa daily. The winner was Amos Gwema of Zimbabwe.

Principal Intelligence Officer of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority; Amos has managed, in the last 15 years, to convict the largest number of poachers of any park authority officer, all of them serving prison time.

Speaking about the winners of three categories, Charlie Mayhew, CEO of Tusk said: “As the future of the natural world is brought to an even clearer focus, it is fantastic that the recipients of our awards continue their vital work thanks to this necessary boost to grant for funding. I am pleased today to assign three exceptional leaders of their fields.”

The three winners each received a specially crafted trophy by Patrick Mavros. Additional support for the 2020 Tusk Conservation Awards was received by ISPS Handa, Mantis Group, Fortemus Films and Maia Films, EJF Philanthropies and Shelton Fleming.

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