WORLD FEMALE RANGER AWARD
NOMINATE A female ranger WHO HAS SHOWN EXCELLENCE IN HER FIELD
WORLD FEMALE RANGER AWARD
AWARD CRITERIA
Our pioneering World Female Ranger Award gives international recognition to female wildlife rangers who has shown exemplary service and commitment to conservation and who are passionate about protecting wildlife and wild spaces.
Award nominations are available for female rangers (18 years old or over). Each nomination will be assessed on an equal and transparent basis to give every nominee a fair chance.
OUR AWARD WINNERS:
2024
World Female Ranger Award Winner 2024
Raabia Hawa
Founder of Ulinzi Africa Foundation, Kenya
Raabia leads East Africa’s first NGO dedicated to ranger welfare. Her vision? Transforming the Tana Delta Ecosystem into a safe haven for wildlife, preserving elephant ‘maternity wards’ and ‘retirement forests.’
With her team of 12 rangers, Raabia patrols tirelessly to remove snares, track poachers, and protect elephants, rhinos, lions, giraffes, and sea turtles – among others. Her mission doesn’t stop there; Raabia works hand in hand with local communities to turn poaching hotspots into thriving, healthy ecosystems.
“This award is unexpected and so wonderful! Thank you Holly Budge & How Many Elephants for championing women in this male-dominated field.”
India: Dr. Sonali Ghosh
First Female Field Director of Kaziranga National Park
Dr. Sonali shattered gender norms by establishing an all-female rhino protection unit and achieving a historic zero poaching year. Her work extends to leadership roles in UNESCO and India’s Project Tiger, exemplifying excellence in biodiversity conservation.
“This award is for every girl and young woman who dared to dream. Thank you for encouraging us to protect mother nature.”
Zambia: Janet Sakala
Ranger in the K9 Unit at Conservation South Luangwa
Janet is a key player in combating illegal wildlife trafficking. Her team has contributed to 47 arrests, 52 firearm seizures, and over 150 successful operations in 2023. Her work bridges local communities and conservation efforts, proving that women can drive impactful change.
“To all the female rangers around the world, keep pushing forward. Your contributions are making a significant difference.”
Colombia: Katerine Palacio Ayala
Park Ranger with Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia
Katerine’s work spans ecological restoration, sustainable development, and species research on jaguars, Baird’s tapirs, and the Northern Screamer. Her work has expanded biodiversity knowledge and strengthened conservation practices in the Atrato River Basin.
“I feel very honoured by this recognition and I accept this award with great gratitude and commitment to conservation.”
OUR AWARD WINNERS:
2023
World Female Ranger Award Winner 2023
Grace Kotee Zansi
Biologist, Elephant Tracker & Ranger, Liberia
Grace grew up in a remote village and, from a young age, was deeply troubled by the sight of people hunting and consuming wildlife. She made a solemn vow to safeguard Liberia’s precious forest resources. Today, the rapid development encroaching upon the East Nimba Nature Reserve is posing a grave threat to its fragile ecosystem. Driven by her childhood pledge, Grace has overcome stereotypical gender norms through her work as a ranger, joining forces with her team to protect Liberia’s chimpanzees from poachers, as well as educating local communities who have had past conflict with chimpanzees.
“I dedicate this award to all female rangers in Africa. This is a win for us all. I’m greatly honoured to represent female rangers in Liberia and across the globe who work in extreme conditions to conserve nature. Receiving this award is very exciting for me.”
Indonesia: Pera Pinem
First Female Ranger in North Sumatra.
Through her work, she protects Sumatran elephants, orangutans and tigers and is actively working with local communities to reduce human/wildlife conflict. To become a ranger, Pera had to go against her family and culture. It was not deemed acceptable for women to be working in the jungle, let alone sleeping besides a man they’re not married to or related to. Pera has experienced much prejudice due to her decision to become a ranger but in doing so, has paved the way for other women to become rangers.
“Winning this award is something I’d never have imagined before. I am very happy and still can’t believe this! I feel very blessed for the trust given to me. I am very proud to be a ranger.”
Nigeria: Caroline Olory
First Female Conservator of Park for National Park Service Nigeria
Often referred to as the “Iron Lady”, Caroline’s efforts, alongside her team, have improved park protection and conservation in Cross River National Park and Old Oyo National Park. Caroline has increased the involvement of women in decision-making in communities surrounding the parks and has strengthened park/community relationships with state governments and NGOs. She is a role model to girls in the surrounding communities and schools, piquing their interest in education and conservation.
“Thank you for recognizing the work we do as female rangers, protecting our biodiversity in Nigeria alongside our male counterparts. It is not easy in the midst of men, many of whom still think the place of women should remain in the kitchen.”
Malaysia: Mariani ‘Bam’ Ramli
Founder & President of Gibbon Conservation Society
Bam single-handedly founded GCS in 2013 after meeting ‘Ellek’, a confiscated infant gibbon. Despite her lack of knowledge, she volunteered to care for him and learnt everything she could about gibbons. Eventually, Bam encountered other distressed gibbons in need and in response, she sold her possessions and moved to a secluded estate to provide a natural home for them. As Bam spoke out against gibbon ownership, she faced backlash, and some villagers labelled her as a ‘witch’.
“To actualize change in wildlife conservation, tangible actions and sustainable partnerships between organisations, women and indigenous communities need to be applied.”
OUR AWARD WINNER:
2022
MEET PURNIMA
A conservationist, biologist and founder of the Hargila Army, India. Purnima is changing people’s perceptions of the Greater Adjutant Stork. Often referred to as a disease-carrying pest, an ugly, filthy bird or a bad omen, Purnima and her ‘Hargila Army’ have helped turn this bird into a cultural icon in Assam, India. Purnima built the Hargila Army from small beginnings, now a team of over 10,000 women working together to protect the critically endangered Greater Adjutant Stork. They keep a strict vigil on the nests as habitat loss, poaching and poisoning are all significant threats to the bird.
Purnima also built the world’s first artificial breeding platform where chicks can hatch safely to address the birds’ shrinking habitat problem. In addition, Purnima believes she has fostered pride in the rare stork by associating positive festivities with the bird. “Today many women join because it is a matter of prestige to be a part of the Hargila Army.”
OUR AWARD WINNER:
2021
MEET CAREN
Caren is a Maasai woman and a female wildlife ranger employed by the Mara Elephant Project (MEP), Kenya.
She was noted as a "top 1%" recruit and is now leading the Sheldrick Trust Mau De-Snaring Unit in the Mau Forest in Kenya to combat illegal logging and bushmeat poaching. Since June 2020, Caren's team have arrested 90 suspects for unlawful habitat destruction, destroyed 17 kilns, confiscated 56 bags of charcoal and 4,311 illegal posts, trees or timbers. They've also arrested eight suspects for bushmeat poaching and removed 182 snares and seized 39 kg of bushmeat.
"MEP is extremely honored that Caren is the inaugural recipient of the World Female Ranger Award. Caren alongside the entire MEP ranger team all received an end-of-year bonus for this accolade. Thank you to How Many Elephants and World Female Ranger Week for acknowledging our rangers important work."
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Credit: Amish Chhagan
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