Shivani's Emerging Explorer Award

Shivani graduated from Lancaster in Environmental Sciences (1999, Cartmel.)  Since then she has worked for the Kenya Wildlife Service and Save the Elephants in her native Kenya.  In 2007 she established the Ewaso Lions Project in Samburu, northern Kenya. Ewaso Lions is a conservation organisation that uses scientific research and community outreach programmes to promote co-existence between people and lions who share habitats. Ewaso Lions’ innovative community programmes involve Samburu warriors as well as women and children, who are now helping foster local support for conservation. 

In 2014, Shivani received the National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award together with 13 other recipients.  The Emerging Explorers Programme recognises and supports uniquely gifted and inspiring adventurers, scientists and innovators who are at the forefront of discovery, adventure and global problem-solving while still early in their careers. 

Shivani also won a Whitley Award in May this year which was presented by HRH The Princess Royal at the Royal Geographical Society.  Shivani was one of eight exceptional individuals to receive the award. The Whitley Awards are prestigious international prizes presented to individuals in recognition of their achievements in nature conservation.

Shivani is deeply grateful for this accolade and said, “Winning the Whitley Award allows my project, Ewaso Lions, to engage more Samburu warriors in conservation. We will be able to build on the success of this programme and expand our area of coverage to create a vast network of warriors protecting lions across northern Kenya’s arid lands. I would like to dedicate this award to my team in Samburu – a group of special young warriors who risk their lives to save lions.” For further information visit Shivani's website www.ewasolions.org