The Game Rangers’ Association of Africa (GRAA) is proud to announce the winners and runners-up of the 2026 African Conservation Awards (ACAs), celebrating outstanding rangers, ranger teams and conservation supporters protecting Africa’s wildlife, wild places, and communities.

Representing seven African countries, this year’s recipients demonstrate the courage, professionalism, leadership, and collaboration at the heart of conservation – from confronting wildlife crime and protecting rhinos to rescuing marine wildlife, strengthening communities, and supporting rangers in extraordinary circumstances.

The Winners for the 2026 African Conservation Awards are:

BEST FIELD RANGER

Winner:

Dimanche Élysée, Patrol Team Leader, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park, Central African Republic.

Élysée leads an eight-person patrol team protecting one of Central Africa’s challenging conservation landscapes. In February 2026, he led an operation resulting in eleven arrests and the seizure of 1,924 kg of illegal bushmeat. His leadership has also demonstrated exceptional courage and professionalism under fire, including providing first aid to a wounded armed poacher and coordinating his evacuation.

1st Runner-up: Stephen Dell, Pilanesberg Rhino Protection Unit, South Africa

2nd Runner-up: Feleg Asefa, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

BEST MARINE RANGER

Winner:

Fikiri Kiponda, Local Ocean Conservation, Watamu, Kenya.

Kiponda leads a sea turtle bycatch response programme that collaborates closely with local fishers to rescue turtles caught in fishing gear. Under his coordination, the programme reached its 25,000th sea turtle rescue and built a network of 2,240 fishers, demonstrating the impact of community partnerships in marine conservation.

1st Runner-up: Victoir Myong Cham Kandolo, Mangroves Marine Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

2nd Runner-up: Bakari Mohamed Sheumbe, Malindi Marine National Park, Kenya

BEST RANGER TEAM

Winner:

Upemba LE/LAB Ranger Team, Upemba National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The team demonstrated extraordinary courage during an armed attack on the park headquarters in March 2026, helping defend the station, rescue colleagues, and coordinate evacuations. Seven colleagues lost their lives. The team subsequently helped restore operational control while continuing its work to strengthen law enforcement, patrol planning, and ranger leadership across the park.

1st Runner-up: Oceans Without Borders Benguerra Community & Conservation Rangers, Mozambique

2nd Runner-up: Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit, Zimbabwe

BEST RANGER SUPPORTER

Winner:

Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust, South Africa.

The Trust connects rangers with the funding, expertise and resources needed to protect wildlife. Its support includes ranger training and equipment, rhino monitoring, aerial surveillance, veterinary interventions, and community engagement, helping strengthen the capacity of the Pilanesberg Rhino Protection Unit and its conservation partners.

1st Runner-up: Bush Babies Environmental Educators Team, Transfrontier Africa, South Africa

2nd Runner-up: Mara Elephant Project, Kenya

Recognising the people behind conservation “The African Conservation Awards are an opportunity to shine a light on the people behind Africa’s conservation successes. Rangers work in demanding and often dangerous conditions without the recognition they deserve. This year’s winners and runners-up demonstrate the courage, skill and commitment that define the profession, as well as the importance of the teams and supporters who stand alongside them. We congratulate all twelve recipients and hope their stories inspire greater recognition and support for Africa’s rangers."

The GRAA congratulates all the winners and runners-up and thanks everyone who nominated and continues to support Africa’s conservation community. We would also like to thank SATIB Insurance Brokers for their support for this year’s awards, and for their support of rangers. Special thanks to His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II, who is the Patron of the Awards, for the continued support of Africa’s rangers.

The African Conservation Awards are hosted by the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa, the professional association supporting rangers across the continent.

GRAA background:

The Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1970 which provides support, networks and representation for rangers across Africa. The GRAA is a proud member of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) where it serves as the voice of the African ranger.