Prof. Erustus Kanga PhD, C.B.S., EBS is the Director General of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and a distinguished conservationist with over 20 years of experience in biodiversity conservation, climate change vulnerability assessment and mapping, bio-enterprises, and community livelihood support. He has built a long and impactful career dedicated to the protection and sustainable management of Kenya’s natural heritage.

Prof. Kanga has an extensive trajectory in biodiversity conservation, including five (5) years of service as Secretary for Wildlife at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Heritage, and sixteen (16) years of service at the Kenya Wildlife Service, where he was responsible for Biodiversity Research and Monitoring across Kenya’s protected areas. His work has significantly contributed to evidence-based conservation policy, ecological monitoring, and the integration of conservation with community development.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to national conservation efforts, Prof. Kanga was awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC) in 2017 for distinguished service in the field of biodiversity conservation. Further acknowledging his exemplary leadership and sustained service to the nation, he was awarded the C.B.S. (Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear)—the highest class within the Order of the Burning Spear—on 12th December 2025 by the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto.

Prof. Kanga holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, awarded in 2011. He has authored over 30 scientific publications and continues to be driven by a deep passion for biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and the advancement of conservation science in Kenya.