Conservation Hero Spotlight
Nominated by the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), Jackson Kamwi was one of the 2009 Conservation Heroes awarded for his work in protecting the black rhino. Jackson has worked with the IRF for two decades, sometimes putting in 24 hours or more to help capture and relocate nearly 1,000 rhinos. With no formal training for wildlife management and limited education, Jackson has learned specialized skills that allow him to drive transport vehicles, fly helicopters, radio track the species and capture their presence through digital photography.
Although Jackson has suffered from rhino inflicted injuries, he still continues to participate in dangerous situations to rescue rhinos. In the last century, the black rhino has seen the most dramatic decline of all rhino species. In 1970, it was estimated that there were 65,000 black rhinos in Africa. Today only approximately 4,000 remain. Those who work with Jackson say that his natural abilities coupled with his first-hand experience play an important part in the conservation of rhinos.