Wildlife conservation photographers feted

African Wildlife Foundation CEO Kaddu Sebunya poses for a photo with the awardees from Kenya alongside Former First Lady of the United Republic of Tanzania, Madam Anna Mkapa and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala

Sixteen wildlife photographers were last week awarded by the African Wildlife Foundation during its 60th-anniversary celebrations held at the Kenya National Museum. The Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards received close to 9,000 entries from 50 countries worldwide, including 10 countries in Africa.

The Grand Prize winner, Riccardo Marchegiani, from Italy, received a cash prize equivalent of Sh555,476 for his photo ‘Gelada and Baby’ shot in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia.

The photographer will also be featured in an interview with Nature’s Best Photography magazine, as well as a feature in a special edition devoted to the Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards.

Other category winners received $1,000 (Sh111,095) each and a Shona elephant sculpture and will also be featured in the Nature’s Best Photography special edition.

They include James Lewin from Kenya who was feted in the ‘Coexistence and Conflict’ category for the photo ‘Elephant Orphans from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary’ taken at the Painted Rock in Samburu; Buddhilini de Soyza from Australia for African Wildlife Behavior category photo ‘Cheetahs Swimming across Talek River’, shot in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Other winners were Ingrid Vekemans from Belgium for the ‘Wildlife at Risk’ category photo ‘White Rhinoceros Battle’ shot in Solio Game Reserve; Olli Teirilla from Finland for his ‘Africa in Motion’ category video, ‘Magical Maasai Mara’, shot in Masai Mara National Reserve.

The inaugural photography competition was launched earlier this year to honour former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, for his role as an iconic conservationist and one of AWF’s longest-serving board members.

“The growing need to hear more African voices from all disciplines speak on behalf of wildlife and wild lands on a global stage has been identified. These young voices are actively coming up with practical solutions that befit the technological advancements, and we must not sideline them at all,” said Tourism and Wildlife CS, Najib Balala.