Gibbs Kuguru

A leading Kenyan shark scientist and recipient of the National Geographic Wayfinder Award (2022), Gibbs Kuguru studies shark DNA to better understand the unique dynamics that shape global shark populations. Working extensively with great whites at a cage-diving company, Kuguru honed his seafaring and shark-wrangling skills, and has applied them to a number of other species—including hammerheads, threshers, blues, and sand tiger sharks. As a conservationist, Kuguru advocates for the stewardship of nature, and for the sustainable use of resources to support biodiversity.