Kenyan conservationist and wildlife advocate Paula Kahumbu has been named as Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year for 2021. A driving force in Africa’s conservation movement, Kahumbu, who is CEO of NGO WildlifeDirect, has been singled out for her courage and great leadership in preserving threatened wildlife and habitats.
The title is awarded annually to an individual whose actions, achievements and spirit personify leadership in exploration and who, through storytelling, is shining a light on the challenges facing the planet and inspiring the world to act on behalf of a more sustainable future.
Kahumbu’s new title will be conferred on her during the National Geographic Explorers Festival, to be held virtually from 15 to 17
June. The festival is supported by Rolex, which first entered into partnership with National Geographic in 1954, a relationship that was further enhanced to promote exploration in 2017.
Rolex supports the award as part of its Perpetual Planet initiative, which encourages those researching and devising solutions to the Earth’s environmental challenges. The initiative derives from Rolex’s legacy as a company that has always fostered discovery. However, as the21st century unfolds, exploration for pure discovery has given way to exploration as a means to preserve the natural world and balance the Earth’s ecosystems. Through its partnerships and programmes, Rolex is championing explorers such as Kahumbu and their dedication to conserve the environment.
Kahumbu grew up in rural Nairobi and was mentored early on by one of the world’s most famous anthropologists, Richard Leakey.
The vision he instilled in her has been transmitted to countless others thanks to Kahumbu’s online platform in which she shares conservation experiences via blogs, videos, photos and podcasts. She is convinced that saving the world’s endangered species is only possible by involving people from all sectors of society and that “African leadership must drive conservation” and promote “a completely new way of thinking”
Kahumbu has been at the forefront of efforts to save elephants through the successful Hands Off Our Elephants campaign with Margaret Kenyatta, Kenya’s First Lady, to mobilize the justice sector in combating elephant poaching and ivory trafficking. Alongside writing children’s books about animals, she produces wildlife documentaries, including Wildlife Warriors, the first wildlife television series made by Africans for an African audience.
Kahumbu has held key roles in Kenyan conservation organizations, including as Executive Director of the Kenya Land Conservation
Trust and head of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora) office of the Kenya Wildlife Service. In 2019, she served as a member of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise jury, tasked with choosing that year’s Laureates.
Kahumbu has won many awards for fostering conservation. In 2011, she became a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and won the National Geographic/Buffet Award for Leadership in Conservation in Africa. In 2014, she received an honour from Kenya’s president – the Order of the Grand Warrior. She also received a Whitley Award in 2014 and 2021.
“Through our Perpetual Planet initiative, we support individuals and organizations using science to understand the world’s environmental challenges, devise solutions to restore balance to our ecosystems and safeguard the Earth for future generations,” said Arnaud Boetsch, Director of Communication & Image at Rolex. “As part of this commitment we are actively involved with the National Geographic Explorers Festival and delighted that exceptional individuals receive the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year award. We want to congratulate Paula Kahumbu on being this year’s award recipient. Through her spirit, determination and expertise she has made an indelible mark on conservation in Africa, setting an example of what one tenacious individual can achieve to help ensurea Perpetual Planet,” he added.
THE PERPETUAL PLANET INITIATIVE
For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers, pushing back the boundaries of human endeavour. The company has moved from exploration for the sake of discovery to exploration as a means to protect the planet and reinforcing
its commitment by launching the Perpetual Planet initiative in 2019. Rolex is committed for the long term to support explorers in their quest to protect the planet and use science to understand and devise solutions to today’s environmental challenges. The Perpetual Planet initiative for now focuses on three key areas: supporting individuals who contribute to a better world through the Rolex Awards for Enterprise; preserving the oceans, notably through the company’s association with Mission Blue; and understanding climate change through data as part of its enhanced association with National Geographic.
