Katie Rowe
Founder and Manager
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (FINALIST)
Katie Rowe is founder and manager of the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya, the first community-owned-and-run elephant sanctuary. There is a growing consensus among biologists that best conservation practices include human communities when thinking about sustainability. Katie is largely responsible for the transformation in the way Samburu communities relate to wild animals they have long feared. While nearby regions of Laikipia experience violence rooted in an ongoing drought and a tense political situation, in the Namunyak Conservancy there is a delicate peace among humans and wildlife.
