African Parks Network

African Parks Network, commonly known as African Parks, is a nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. It specializes in the long-term management of national parks, wildlife reserves, wetlands and other protected areas on behalf of, or in partnership with, African governments. Its operating model combines wildlife protection with law enforcement, ecological restoration, infrastructure development, tourism support, fundraising and community-oriented programs. The organization describes this approach as a business-oriented model of conservation: rather than limiting its role to grant-funded projects or technical advice, it seeks operational responsibility for entire protected areas and works with public authorities under management agreements. The organization was established in 2000 as the African Parks Management and Finance Company, a privately held company associated with conservation and business figures in South Africa and Europe. Its early institutional development involved a transition from a private management company to a Netherlands-based structure and then to a nonprofit foundation. African Parks B.V. was eventually liquidated, while the foundation became the principal organizational vehicle. The group later adopted the African Parks Network name and returned its central institutional presence to Africa. Peter Fearnhead, one of the co-founders, became its chief executive and has remained one of its most prominent leaders. African Parks began its first major protected-area management assignments in 2003 at Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi and Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia. It subsequently expanded through agreements with governments and public authorities in countries including Rwanda, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Benin, Mozambique, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. Its work has included strengthening ranger forces, improving park administration, restoring wildlife populations, reducing poaching, relocating elephants and other animals, and supporting tourism and local economic activity. The organization has also managed large-scale conservation landscapes such as Zakouma National Park, Akagera National Park, Garamba National Park, Pendjari National Park, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and the Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve. African Parks has attracted substantial support from philanthropic foundations, development institutions, governments, lotteries and conservation organizations. Reported supporters have included the Wyss Foundation, Howard G. Buffett Foundation, European Union, Global Environment Facility, USAID, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, World Bank-related institutions, National Geographic Society, WWF, the Walton Family Foundation and national postcode lotteries. Its high-profile wildlife operations, including elephant translocations in Malawi and lion restoration in Rwanda, have helped make it one of the best-known private or nonprofit protected-area managers in Africa. The organization has also faced serious criticism. Indigenous-rights groups and journalists have reported allegations that African Parks rangers committed abuses against Baka people and other communities near or within protected areas, including alleged beatings, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement and other coercive conduct. Critics have described the model as insufficiently accountable, exclusionary or neocolonial when outside organizations receive extensive control over African land and conservation decisions. African Parks commissioned an external investigation into allegations concerning Odzala-Kokoua National Park and later acknowledged that human-rights abuses had been committed by its rangers, while stating that it was implementing complaints, redress and oversight mechanisms. These controversies have made community rights, transparency and accountability central issues in assessments of the organization. As of the supplied reference period in October 2025, African Parks reported responsibility for 24 protected areas in 13 countries and more than 5,000 employees. Its present identity is therefore that of an international conservation operator and nonprofit network, rather than a conventional consumer brand. Its core proposition is the long-term rehabilitation and management of threatened African landscapes through partnerships with governments, donor funding, professional park operations and increasingly formal human-rights safeguards.

African Parks originated in 2000 as the African Parks Management and Finance Company, a private company intended to apply professional management and financial discipline to African conservation areas. Planning followed discussions involving Paul Fentener van Vlissingen and Nelson Mandela, with early support associated with the United States Department of State and the World Bank. South African conservation leaders Anthony Hall-Martin and Mavuso Msimang were involved in the founding structure, while Peter Fearnhead, then associated with South African National Parks, became a central figure in the organization’s development. The first protected areas managed by the new organization were Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi and Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia, beginning in 2003. The organization subsequently underwent substantial structural change. Its holding company moved from Johannesburg to the Netherlands, African Parks B.V. was established, and the African Parks Foundation became the company’s sole shareholder. African Parks B.V. was liquidated in 2004 as the organization moved toward a nonprofit foundation model and restored a stronger African institutional identity. Paul Fentener van Vlissingen’s death in 2006 led to further internal changes, including greater African representation on the board. The organization’s early expansion included management agreements in Ethiopia for Nechisar National Park and Omo National Park. Those arrangements were later terminated, and African Parks ceased managing parks in Ethiopia in 2008. Other agreements, including work connected with Garamba and marine protected areas in Sudan, did not always provide the same degree of long-term operational control as its principal park partnerships. A second phase of expansion began with Akagera National Park in Rwanda in 2009, Zakouma National Park in Chad in 2010 and Chinko in the Central African Republic in 2014. In 2015, African Parks and Chad developed the framework for the Ennedi protected area, while Malawi entrusted the organization with Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. The group also took part in major restoration initiatives. A lion reintroduction in Akagera received Wyss Foundation support, and the 2016–2017 Malawi elephant translocation moved approximately 500 elephants and other animals from Liwonde and Majete to Nkhotakota. The project involved Malawi’s parks authority, donor funding and assistance from Prince Harry. African Parks expanded its portfolio through agreements for Pendjari National Park in Benin in 2017, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique in 2017, and the Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve in 2018. It later added or continued work in areas including Garamba, Odzala-Kokoua, Matusadona, Iona, Liuwa Plain, Kafue, Bangweulu, Nyungwe, Boma and Bandingilo. In 2022, South Sudan and African Parks concluded a ten-year arrangement covering Boma, Bandingilo and the Great Nile Migration Landscape. By October 2025, the organization reported managing 24 protected areas in 13 countries and employing more than 5,000 people. African Parks’ development has been accompanied by controversy over the concentration of conservation authority in a nongovernmental organization supported by international donors. From 2022 onward, Survival International and other critics publicized allegations of rape, torture, beatings, forced eviction and other abuses by rangers against Baka Indigenous people connected with Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Further allegations concerning women affected by elephant damage emerged in 2024. African Parks commissioned an external investigation and later acknowledged that human-rights abuses had occurred, while announcing complaints channels, redress procedures and independent oversight measures. Critics have continued to question transparency, accountability and the effects of militarized conservation on Indigenous communities. The organization’s partnership with Chad also came under renewed scrutiny in 2025 when the government announced termination before reinstating the agreement after dialogue.

• 2025

  Human-rights acknowledgment and Chad partnership dispute

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks acknowledged ranger abuses in Odzala-Kokoua, while Chad briefly ended and then reinstated its management partnership.

• 2022

  South Sudan ten-year agreement

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  South Sudan and African Parks agreed on long-term management of Boma, Bandingilo and the Great Nile Migration Landscape.

• 2018

  Ennedi agreement

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks signed an agreement to manage Chad’s Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve.

• 2017

  Pendjari and major philanthropic support

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  The organization agreed to help manage Pendjari National Park and received major Wyss Foundation support for conservation work.

• 2016

  Malawi wildlife translocation

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks began a large-scale relocation of elephants and other wildlife to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

• 2015

  Expansion in Malawi and Chad

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks entered management arrangements for Liwonde and Nkhotakota in Malawi and advanced the Ennedi protected-area partnership in Chad.

• 2010

  Zakouma management began

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  The organization took on management of Zakouma National Park in Chad.

• 2009

  Akagera management partnership

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks began managing Rwanda’s Akagera National Park with the Rwanda Development Board.

• 2004

  Transition to a foundation-led structure

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks B.V. was liquidated as the organization completed a shift toward its nonprofit foundation structure.

• 2003

  First park management assignments

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  African Parks began managing Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi and Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia.

• 2000

  Founding as African Parks Management and Finance Company

  [1]African Parksen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was created as a privately held conservation management and finance company.

A nonprofit, operations-led conservation partner that combines government agreements, professional park management, wildlife protection, restoration, tourism development and community programs across African protected areas.

• Conservation services · 2003

  Protected-area management

  African Parks enters long-term agreements with governments and public authorities to operate national parks, reserves and other protected landscapes. The work can include strategic planning, staffing, infrastructure, budgeting, tourism administration, ecological monitoring and coordination with surrounding communities. This is the organization’s central service and distinguishes it from conservation groups that primarily provide grants or advocacy.

• Wildlife conservation · 2015

  Wildlife restoration and translocation

  The organization restores wildlife populations through reintroductions, population management and transfers between protected areas. Notable work has included lion restoration in Akagera and the movement of roughly 500 elephants and other animals in Malawi during 2016–2017. These interventions are conducted with government wildlife authorities and external funders.

• Conservation law enforcement · 2003

  Ranger and anti-poaching operations

  African Parks recruits, trains and equips ranger teams and supports law-enforcement systems intended to reduce poaching and protect wildlife. The scale of its ranger operations has been cited as one of the organization’s defining capabilities. At the same time, allegations of abuses by rangers have led to scrutiny of training, command responsibility, community safeguards and independent oversight.

• Community conservation

  Community and human-rights programs

  African Parks supports community development around protected areas and has increasingly described complaints, redress and human-rights monitoring as parts of its operating model. These mechanisms are intended to give nearby residents channels for reporting harm and seeking remedies, although critics continue to assess whether they provide sufficient independence and effectiveness.

• 2025

  Acknowledgment of ranger human-rights abuses

  African Parks stated that human-rights abuses had been committed by its rangers in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The organization did not publish the full independent review at that time.

  Source

• 2025

  Chad partnership dispute

  Chad accused African Parks of poor cooperation, arrogance and inadequate control of poaching before the management agreements were reinstated after discussions.

  Source

• 2024

  Renewed abuse allegations and external investigation

  Further allegations, including claims involving women affected by elephant crop damage, led African Parks to announce an external investigation and describe proposed complaints and oversight measures.

  Source

• 2022

  Allegations of abuses against Baka communities

  Survival International and other critics reported allegations that African Parks rangers abused Baka Indigenous people associated with Odzala-Kokoua National Park, including claims of beatings, torture, sexual violence and forced displacement.

  Source

Read more

• 2016Malawi elephant translocation

  Malawi

  African Parks coordinated the movement of approximately 500 elephants and other animals from Liwonde and Majete to Nkhotakota, working with Malawi’s parks authority and donor partners.

  Outcome. The operation was intended to reduce pressure on source areas and rebuild wildlife populations in Nkhotakota.

  Source
• 2015Akagera lion reintroduction

  Rwanda

  African Parks supported the restoration of lions to Akagera National Park with funding from the Wyss Foundation.

  Outcome. The project formed part of Akagera’s broader wildlife restoration and tourism-recovery program.

  Source

• 2024

  Commission an external human-rights investigationOther

  Background

  Advocacy organizations and journalists raised allegations of serious abuses by rangers in and around Odzala-Kokoua National Park.

  Action taken

  African Parks announced an investigation by an external legal team and later described measures involving complaints, redress and independent oversight.

  Aftermath

  The organization subsequently acknowledged that abuses had occurred, while criticism continued over transparency and accountability.

  Source

• 2022

  Expand long-term landscape management in South SudanStrategy

  Background

  South Sudan sought long-term support for major wildlife landscapes including the Boma and Bandingilo ecosystems.

  Action taken

  African Parks signed a ten-year management agreement covering two national parks and the Great Nile Migration Landscape.

  Aftermath

  The agreement extended the organization’s role into one of Africa’s largest and most challenging conservation landscapes.

  Source

• 2004

  Move toward a nonprofit foundation structureStrategy

  Background

  The initial private-company structure was reorganized during the organization’s early expansion.

  Action taken

  The Netherlands-based foundation became the principal shareholder and African Parks B.V. was liquidated.

  Aftermath

  African Parks developed as a nonprofit conservation network supported by public, philanthropic and institutional funding.

  Source

• 2000

  Adopt an operations-led conservation modelStrategy

  Background

  The founding organization sought to manage entire protected areas rather than limit itself to individual conservation projects.

  Action taken

  It established a management company designed to combine conservation expertise, financing and operational responsibility.

  Aftermath

  This model became the basis for later government partnerships across Africa.

  Source

1. 1African Parksen.wikipedia.org
2. 2African Parks official websiteafricanparks.eu