Huddled within the foliage of Kenya’s Ruma National Park, award-winning conservation photographer Anthony Ochieng Onyango patiently observes what he has spent a year in pursuit of—the roan antelope.
The roan antelope, a robust yet graceful creature, stands as one of Africa’s largest antelopes. With an estimated population of only 60,000 remaining on the continent, Ruma National Park housed a mere 15 as of July 2021, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service. Onyango, through his lens, endeavors to capture the elusive antelope and, in doing so, kindle a passion for conservation, urging others to safeguard wildlife within its natural habitat.
“What I love [about] being a photographer the most is just seeing people getting back to me and saying, ‘the image you took made me realize that I need to do something,’” he shared.
In 2016, Onyango established the media platform TonyWild with the mission of “promoting conservation action through photography, film, and science.” The TonyWild team visits schools to conduct MITIgation and Visual Ecological Literacy Programs, offering students photography lessons and the opportunity to plant and nurture trees.
“We need to speak their language so we can get into their hearts to take action in conservation,” Onyango emphasized. “My hope is for the students to just be able to appreciate what they currently have within their ecosystem.”
Onyango’s aspiration is that his work with TonyWild continues to shatter barriers in photography, demonstrating to the next generation that anyone can pursue their passions. In addressing climate change and wildlife conservation, he believes that young people represent our best hope for “changing whatever is happening right now to the planet.”
Browse the gallery above to witness some of Onyango’s captivating images and delve deeper into his inspiring journey.