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Cheetah protectors awarded for outstanding commitment

Gebhardt Nikanor, the Education Officer at the Cheetah Conservation Fund has been named a Disney Conservation Hero. During his career, he has shown more than 100,000 people the need for protection of the cheetah.

Gebhardt Nikanor, the Education Officer at the Cheetah Conservation Fund has been named a Disney Conservation Hero. During his career, he has shown more than 100,000 people the need for protection of the cheetah.

The Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Dr Laurie Marker and the fund’s Education Officer, Gebhardt Nikanor have both received international accolades for their total dedication to cheetah conservation.

Dr Marker was granted the Good Steward Award from the International Conservation Caucus Foundation and Mr Nikanor was named a Disney Conservation Hero.
Nikanor, known by his colleagues as Gebs is an Education Officer at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) since 2001. He was recognised for his passion and dedication to protecting wildlife and wild places in Namibia. The fund nominated Gebs for his dedication to educating Namibian children and youth about the plight of the cheetah. He is one of only fourteen award recipients this year.
“It is such a privilege for us to know and work with Gebs. He has touched the lives of over 100,000 students, farmers, and future conservationists through his tireless commitment to community outreach on behalf of the wild cheetah,” said Dr Marker, adding that “Gebs stands out as a shining example to all who share in his vision of environmental stewardship.”
Disney Conservation Heroes receive an award medal, recognition certificate and cash award that is shared with their nominating organisation. The DWCF annually invites non-profit organisations who have received conservation funding in the past to nominate individuals in communities around the world for their incredible conservation efforts.
Dr Marker, is one of the leading experts on the cheetah. She will be honoured by the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) with their “Good Steward” Award on 18 September 18 at ICCF’s 2013 US Congressional International Conservation Gala at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC.
ICCF’s “Good Steward” Award is presented annually to recognise outstanding individual leadership in conservation. Past recipients of ICCF awards include former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg, Ed Norton, and Harrison Ford, among others. Also being honoured alongside Dr. Marker will be the Honourable Ed Royce, Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, who will be receiving the Teddy Roosevelt International Conservation Award, and the Coca Cola Company, which is being recognized with ICCF’s Conservation Leadership in Business Award.
“When I met Laurie Marker, she had just sold everything she owned and was headed to Namibia to make a last ditch effort to secure the one remaining viable population of wild cheetah on earth,” said David Barron, Founder of ICCF. “She had enough money to buy a broken down old Land Rover and live for 6 months. Today she manages an enormously successful network of partnerships in that country and throughout Africa and has established the Cheetah Conservation Fund as the prototype model for on-the-ground conservation of threatened species and habitat around the world.”

 

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