Rhino conservation gets support from Prince Albert II

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In addition, financial services provider Barclays Africa Group Ltd, has joined as co-sponsor of the awards. Barclays Africa joins the existing sponsor, Xiaoyang Yu, founder partner of China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI), a China-focused growth capital fund, and one of the originators of the awards.

Founder of the awards, Dr Larry Hansen, expressed his delight in the recognition gained for the awards through HSH Prince Albert's patronage and Barclays' involvement, and he hopes that the added international publicity will lead to an increase in the capture and prosecution of poachers and a resultant reduction in the demand for rhino horn.

The awards are held in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) - a non-profit organisation with a membership of over 1,500 across Africa, many of whom are rangers active in anti-poaching activities. The GRAA is dedicated to the protection, conservation and restoration of Africa's biodiversity and wilderness for the benefit of present and future generations.

Nominations invited

The Rhino Conservation Awards 2014 will once again aim to create awareness of rhino conservation issues and to recognise a wide range of exceptional individuals and organisations for their efforts in the rhino conservation field across different categories.

Nominations are invited from African Rhino Range States in five categories, namely:

• Best Field Ranger
  
• Best Conservation Practitioner
  
• Best Political & Judicial Support
  
• Best Science Research & Technology
  
• Best Awareness, Education or Funding

The awards will be presented at a gala dinner ceremony to be held at Montecasino Ballroom in Johannesburg on Thursday, 31 July, coinciding with the celebration of World Ranger Day as proclaimed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Nominations for the awards have opened and the nomination form can be sourced from www.gameranger.org. The nomination process is an open one; anyone can enter a nomination for any candidate that they feel is worthy of an award.