Conservationist Colleen Begg, co-founder and managing director of the Niassa Carnivore Project in Mozambique, has won the 2026 Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, one of the continent’s most prestigious nature conservation awards.
The award was presented on Wednesday in London by Prince William during the annual Tusk Conservation Awards ceremony, hosted by the British charity Tusk Trust and presided over by the Prince of Wales. Tusk Trust is one of the leading organisations supporting biodiversity conservation in Africa.
The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, supported by Ninety One, is a lifetime achievement award given to a distinguished individual in recognition of their outstanding dedication and exceptional contribution to conservation in Africa over many years.
Tusk highlighted Colleen Begg’s more than 30-year career in nature conservation and over two decades of work in Niassa Province, northern Mozambique, emphasising her ability to combine scientific research, wildlife protection and community development.
According to the organisation, the researcher arrived in Niassa in 2002 to study honey badgers, honeyguide birds and traditional honey-gathering practices. She subsequently identified a lack of information about the region’s large carnivores. This led her, together with her husband, Keith Begg, to carry out a scientific survey that would provide the basis for the establishment of the Niassa Carnivore Project in 2003.
Prince William, patron of @tusk_org at tonight’s Tusk Conservation Awards: “It is critical that we continue to support the vital work being spotlighted here this evening.” Always such an inspiring evening. Congratulations to winners Daniel Yiankere, Raabia Hawa, Dr Colleen Begg. https://t.co/0HYPpUvyfk
— Roya Nikkhah (@RoyaNikkhah) November 11, 2026
Founded more than two decades ago, the Niassa Carnivore Project works in partnership with local communities, Mozambican authorities and tourism operators to protect lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs in the Niassa Special Reserve, one of Africa’s largest protected areas.
The organisation promotes coexistence between communities and large carnivores, reducing conflict and tackling threats such as poaching, illegal traps and poisoning.
The protected area covers approximately 42,000 square kilometres and is home to some of the continent’s most important large mammal populations. According to project data, Niassa is home to one of Africa’s largest lion populations and one of its most significant African wild dog populations. It also plays a strategic role in cross-border conservation with Tanzania.
More than 100 Mozambicans currently work permanently for the project, around 85% of whom come from communities within the conservation area. The project also involves dozens of community wildlife guardians and seasonal workers in monitoring, conservation and environmental awareness activities.
Tusk also highlighted the programmes developed by the project in environmental education, alternative livelihoods and the mitigation of conflicts between people and wildlife, including the restoration of traditional raised houses known as “sanja”, a solution that has helped reduce animal attacks on families living in the reserve.
The award also recognises the conservationist’s response to the security challenges facing northern Mozambique. In April 2025, insurgents attacked the Mariri Environmental Centre and the headquarters of the Niassa Carnivore Project, killing four rangers involved in anti-poaching activities.
Despite the attack, Colleen Begg and her team returned to the field to support the affected families, ensure the continuation of the programmes and rebuild the destroyed infrastructure.
According to the British organisation, the award recognises the conservationist’s commitment to long-term partnerships with communities in Niassa, the resilience she has demonstrated in the face of insecurity, and her investment in training a new generation of Mozambican leaders in conservation.
Quoted by Tusk, Colleen Begg summed up the philosophy behind her work in a sentence highlighted by the organisation: “Conservation is not a solo effort.”
The conservationist also co-founded “WE Africa”, Women for the Environment Africa initiative in 2017, which is dedicated to promoting and empowering women leaders in the environmental field in several African countries.
Photo: Moçambique Bio
Founded in 1990, Tusk supports dozens of conservation projects across Africa and has Prince William as its royal patron. Its annual awards are considered among the most important in the conservation sector on the continent.
Niassa Lion Project wrote on its Facebook page:
“A proud moment for Niassa! Our Co-Director, Dr Colleen Begg (Mama Nculi), receives the prestigious Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa!
“On 11 November 2026, at the Tusk Conservation Awards Tusk in London, Colleen received this lifetime achievement award from HRH Prince William, the Prince of Wales, in recognition of more than two decades of dedicated conservation leadership in Mozambique and across Africa.
“Colleen is the first woman to receive the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa since the awards began in 2013.
“Together with Keith Begg and Agostinho Jorge, Colleen has helped build and lead the Niassa Carnivore Project over more than 20 years, in partnership with the Government of Mozambique through the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), and working alongside the people who live in Reserva Especial do Niassa – REN, tourism operators, Mozambican conservation colleagues and other partners to protect lions, leopards, African wild dogs and other wildlife across Niassa Special Reserve.
“Her work has always been about more than wildlife. It is about people, coexistence, education, opportunities for young people and building a strong Mozambican conservation team. She is also a co-founder of WE Africa (Women for the Environment Africa), Women for the Environment – Africa which supports and connects African women environmental leaders across the continent and works to shift power and decision-making in conservation and amplify the voices of African women environmental leaders.
Photo: Moçambique Bio
“Colleen shared the stage with two other remarkable conservation leaders from Kenya.
“Raabia Hawa, founder of Ulinzi Africa Foundation, received the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa for her work protecting wildlife and tackling environmental crime.
“Daniel Yiankere, Security Manager at Loisaba Conservancy, received the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his 30 years of service protecting wildlife and supporting conservation.
Photo: Tusk
“This award recognises not only Colleen’s leadership but also the extraordinary commitment of the Niassa Carnivore Project team, the people of Niassa and our partners and donors who have worked together for more than two decades.
“From all of us at Niassa Carnivore Project, congratulations, Mama Nculi! We are very proud of you and of what we continue to build together in Niassa.”
