By Eddah Waithaka
East Africa’s conservation standing just got a major boost. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has appointed Ugandan wildlife veterinarian Dr. Robert Aruho, Head of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), as Co-Chair of its Species Survival Commission (SSC) Antelope Specialist Group (ASG).
The appointment places the Ugandan scientist at the very center of international efforts to secure the future of more than 90 antelope species worldwide, while underscoring the growing influence of African expertise working on the continent.
Dr. Aruho will now co-lead a global network of top scientists and conservation practitioners alongside biologist Violeta Barrios, COO of Sahara Conservation. Together, they will guide research, shape conservation planning, and drive species recovery strategies for threatened antelope populations from the savannas of Africa to the steppes of Asia.
“Conservation challenges have become increasingly global, requiring stronger collaboration across governments, scientists and conservation organisations,” said Dr. Aruho. “I am honoured to serve as Co-Chair of the Antelope Specialist Group and look forward to working with colleagues worldwide to strengthen science-led conservation, support species recovery, and build greater collaboration that benefits threatened antelope populations and the ecosystems they sustain.”
The appointment arrives at a critical moment. Habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and escalating human-wildlife conflict push many antelope species ever closer to the brink.
But Dr. Aruho brings proven, hands-on success to the role. Since joining MKWC, he has transformed Kenya’s Mountain Bongo recovery programme into the world’s largest conservation breeding population of the critically endangered subspecies. Under his leadership, the Conservancy’s Mountain Bongo population has soared to more than 100 individuals. Just this April, he spearheaded the successful repatriation of four male Mountain Bongos from European zoos—a strategic move to strengthen the genetic diversity of the breeding programme.
Humphrey Kariuki, IUCN Patron of Nature and Patron of Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, hailed the appointment as a landmark moment for African conservation.
“This appointment is a proud moment not only for Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy but also for Kenya, Uganda, and the wider conservation community across Africa,” said Kariuki. “Dr. Aruho has dedicated his career to protecting endangered wildlife through science, innovation and collaboration. Under his leadership, the Mountain Bongo recovery programme has become one of Africa’s leading conservation success stories, demonstrating what can be achieved through long-term investment in science, partnerships and species recovery.”
With over two decades of experience as a wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Aruho has driven major advances in veterinary medicine, genetics, scientific research, habitat restoration, and conservation technology. He has also led critical preparations for the reintroduction of Mountain Bongos and other flagship species, such as giraffes, back into their natural habitats.
Previously, as Senior Wildlife Veterinarian and Head of Species Programmes at the Uganda Wildlife Authority, he directed wildlife health interventions, translocations, and recovery initiatives for some of East Africa’s most imperiled species.
His new global role not only highlights the depth of conservation leadership emerging from East Africa but also opens the door for expanded international research partnerships, knowledge exchange, and capacity building across the continent. For Africa’s threatened antelopes and the ecosystems they sustain that collaboration cannot come soon enough.
