Kumara Wakjira Wins the 2025 Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

 Kumara Wakjira Wins the 2025 Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa

A landmark moment for Ethiopia’s wildlife legacy

In 2025, Ethiopia celebrates a historic milestone as Kumara Wakjira, one of the continent’s most visionary conservationists, is named the winner of the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa. The honour recognises his three decades of extraordinary commitment to safeguarding Ethiopia’s wild landscapes and the threatened species that define the Horn of Africa’s natural identity.

A Life Rooted in Ethiopia’s Wilderness

Born in Horo Guduru Wollega in western Ethiopia, Kumara grew up surrounded by rolling highlands, dense forests, and the unbroken rhythm of wildlife moving across ancient lands. His connection to nature was not learned—it was lived. This early bond laid the foundation for a career defined by integrity, scientific clarity, and deep cultural understanding.

Today, Kumara serves as the Director-General of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), the national body responsible for the protection and future of Ethiopia’s wilderness. Under his leadership, conservation in Ethiopia has transformed from fragmented efforts into a coordinated national mission, woven into development plans, cultural identity, and community livelihoods.

Reimagining Conservation in a Developing Nation

For over thirty years, Kumara has led ambitious reforms that modernised Ethiopia’s wildlife policies, strengthened ranger capacity, and introduced sustainable, community-driven conservation models.

His achievements include:

• Overhauling national wildlife laws to meet modern ecological realities
• Shifting public attitudes through education and outreach
• Conducting wildlife censuses across remote regions
• Championing anti-poaching operations
• Building partnerships across government, communities, and international conservation groups
• Expanding research and innovation, particularly in human–wildlife coexistence

Despite holding one of the country’s most influential environmental positions, Kumara remains a field-first leader, regularly travelling to Ethiopia’s 27 national parks—from humid lowlands to volcanic deserts—to meet local communities, monitor protection projects, and evaluate habitats firsthand.

National Parks Where Kumara’s Impact Is Most Visible

Especially in Ethiopia’s elephant habitats, his leadership has been transformative. These parks are central to the country’s conservation future and are now emerging destinations for Ethiopia wildlife tours and Sawla’s mobile tented safaris:

• Chebera Churchura National Park
Home to Ethiopia’s largest elephant population, this lush southwestern sanctuary is a conservation success story—one that Kumara’s reforms helped stabilise through stronger ranger presence and community partnerships.

• Kafta Sheraro National Park
Bordering Eritrea, this rugged ecosystem shelters the last migratory elephant population in the Horn of Africa. Kumara’s efforts have strengthened anti-poaching operations and protected one of Africa’s rarest elephant corridors.

• Gambela National Park
A mosaic of wetlands, grasslands, and woodlands, Gambela is famed for its massive white-eared kob migration—but also for its re-emerging elephant herds, supported through revitalised monitoring and habitat protection.

A Continental Force for Good

Beyond Ethiopia, Kumara’s influence has helped shape conservation dialogues across East Africa and the Horn. His work has inspired stronger cross-border cooperation, new research initiatives, and a generation of young African conservationists who see him as a mentor and model.

More than policies or accolades, what Kumara values most is the rising sense of ownership he sees among communities, regional authorities, and national leaders. Conservation in Ethiopia is no longer a niche cause—it is a shared mission.

Why This Award Matters for Ethiopia

The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa honours individuals whose work demonstrates courage, innovation, and a long-term commitment to protecting wildlife. Kumara Wakjira embodies all three.

His achievement shines an international spotlight on Ethiopia’s wilderness—its elephants, highland ecosystems, river basins, and its unique national parks that remain among Africa’s last undiscovered frontiers.

This moment is also an invitation for the world to explore Ethiopia’s natural beauty through responsible operators like Sawla Tours, whose mobile tented safaris offer immersive access to the same landscapes Kumara has spent a lifetime protecting.

A Legacy That Continues to Grow

With unwavering dedication and a rare ability to unite people around a shared purpose, Kumara Wakjira has reshaped what conservation means in Ethiopia. His 2025 win is not only a personal honour—it is a victory for the rangers in the field, the communities living alongside wildlife, and the species whose survival depends on strong, compassionate leadership.

It is, above all, a profound statement:
Ethiopia’s wildlife has a future—and Kumara Wakjira helped build it.