Pebbles Tshiwuua

Namibian conservationist leading rhino protection through community engagement

Pebbles Tshiwuua (b.1987) is a groundbreaking wildlife conservationist from Namibia, best known for her work with the Save the Rhino Trust. As a Himba tribeswoman, she bridges traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation strategies to protect black rhinos in the Kunene region. Her community-centered approach trains local rangers and provides alternative livelihoods to poachers, resulting in a 90% reduction in rhino poaching in her area. Tshiwuua's leadership in the African Wildlife Foundation has expanded conservation models to other countries. She co-founded the Rhino Guardian Scholarship, enabling youth from marginalized communities to pursue wildlife careers. Her TEDx talk "Rhino Guardianship" highlights her belief that conservation must benefit local people to be sustainable. Recent initiatives include developing AI-based wildlife monitoring systems with Stanford University researchers.