Kenyan businessman Humphrey Kariuki has been named a Patron of Nature by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN, becoming the first African to receive the recognition. The announcement was made during the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.
IUCN officials said Kariuki was selected because of his support for environmental protection projects and his role in promoting conservation on the African continent. The organization described the appointment as part of its effort to bring more regional voices into global environmental leadership.
Kariuki is a longtime supporter of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, where he has backed programs to protect and rewild the mountain bongo, an antelope native to Kenyas forests and listed as critically endangered. The conservancy also works on reforestation and eco-tourism initiatives that involve local communities.