Popote Ole Sapulai, a Kenyan-based wildlife ranger, on Wednesday, July 20, was among 12 winners who scooped the International Ranger Awards, bagging Ksh1 million each in the process for their efforts in conserving nature.
The event, held at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, highlighted the efforts required in conserving nature and safeguarding endangered species in the continent's wildlife.
Sapulai - a Kajiado county resident - noted that his passion for conserving nature led him to near-death battles with poachers.
In his 19-year tenure, Sapulai has served as a community leader, working without pay and at times using his own resources to support his colleagues.
Sapulai was lauded for his leadership abilities and conflict resolution skills during confrontations between warring communities.
The event was attended by stakeholders in the tourism industry including Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala. The six-day event, which began on Monday, July 18, will culminate on Saturday, July 23.
Sapulai received the award alongside Ali Hassan Ali of Bura East Community Conservancy. Ali, on the other hand, has worked at the Arawale National Reserve for over 15 years where he acquired requisite skills to establish a conservancy program that was adopted by the community.
The other rangers who scooped the prize were from South America, Asia, and Australia. The International Ranger Federation president, Chris Galliers, lauded the efforts by the rangers to conserve the environment.
"Alongside their extraordinary stories of courage and commitment, what is remarkable about this year's winners is their diversity.
"They include women, men and young people and a very high proportion of them are members of the local communities where they work," Galliers stated.
He noted that the major challenge facing the environment is developing measures to cope with climate change.
"This diversity is what the International Ranger Federation is striving for in the sector, as it is the key to tackling the complex challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss," he added.
