Jean Pierre Jobogo brings over three decades of hands-on conservation experience as Deputy Park Manager in Garamba National Park, including being the Park Manager of Kundelungu National Park.

Starting his career as a field scout, he steadily rose through the ranks of Virunga National Park, where he served as Chief Ranger during significant political instability. His early work in anti-poaching operations, biodiversity monitoring, and resource inventory laid a strong foundation for his leadership in protected area management.

Following advanced training in natural resource management in South Africa, Jean Pierre was appointed Park Warden, overseeing wildlife movements along the international boundary between Virunga and Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park. He went on to chair a transboundary conservation initiative focused on safeguarding vital corridors for elephants and gorillas. After completing an MSc in Biology and Environment at the University of Dublin in 2008, he returned to lead Virunga’s central sector.

In 2014, Jean Pierre was honoured with the IUCN Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Parks Congress in Australia. The award recognised his unwavering commitment to conservation in some of the world’s most challenging conditions, highlighting his resilience and leadership across conflict-affected landscapes.

Jean-Pierre has since held senior roles in Upemba National Park and as Park Manager of Kundelungu National Park, where he played a key role in developing management plans and worked closely with local communities on resolving human-wildlife conflicts, promoting environmental education, and enhancing climate resilience.

In 2024, he joined the Garamba team to help tackle complex management challenges and support efforts to strengthen biodiversity protection, most notably, the safeguarding of the newly reintroduced southern white rhino.