Namibian conservationists Laurie Marker and Marlice van Vuuren have been nominated for the prestigious 2027 Indianapolis Prize, recognized internationally as a leading animal conservation award. The two were selected for their field work protecting large carnivores, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and safeguarding fragile ecosystems across Namibia.
Global Recognition for Namibian Conservation Leaders
Two of Namibia’s wildlife advocates have earned international recognition on a major conservation stage. Laurie Marker, a zoologist and researcher who founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund, and Marlice van Vuuren, co-founder and executive director of the N/a’ankusê Foundation, are among the 27 conservationists nominated for the upcoming 2027 Indianapolis Prize.
Founded in 2004, the biennial award is frequently called the Nobel Prize of Animal Conservation
and honors extraordinary scientists who achieve monumental success in preventing species extinction. The selection committee will narrow the current group of 27 nominees down to six DeHaan finalists, with the eventual winner slated to be announced next September.
For both nominees, the international acknowledgment highlights labor that bridges the gap between rural communities and wild predator management.
Decades of Cheetah Conservation and Community Integration
Marker has spent more than thirty years studying cheetah genetics, biology, and behavior while operating the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s International Field Research and Education Center in Otjiwarongo, central-northern Namibia, a facility she has managed since 1991. Her approach emphasizes that protecting a single predator species is insufficient without addressing the needs of the surrounding rural area.
Cheetahs cannot be saved by protecting the species alone.
Laurie Marker, founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund
To ease friction between farmers and native predators, Marker’s team pioneered a community livestock-guarding dog program that has placed 800 Anatolian Shepherds with local farmers. This initiative protects domestic animals while reducing the need to remove cheetahs from their environments. Her team also established a state-of-the-art cheetah genome bank, creating a high-tech genetic insurance policy for a global wild population that has dropped to fewer than 7,000 individuals.
Protecting Large Carnivores at N/a’ankusê
Sharing the global spotlight, Marlice van Vuuren was nominated for her work with the N/a’ankusê Wildlife Sanctuary and medical clinic, focusing heavily on the protection and relocation of large carnivores to curb human-wildlife conflict.
The foundation’s operational footprint is substantial. Its anti-poaching units safeguard 50,000 hectares of land, logging more than 30,000 kilometers patrolled on foot with the assistance of over 60 rangers. The organization has also responded to 441 conflict cases involving more than 1,000 farmers.
These numbers represent much more than kilometres, hectares and statistics.
Marlice van Vuuren, via the N/a’ankusê Foundation
Marker noted that if the recognition attracts increased attention, investment, and partnerships, it can make a very real difference.
