Richard Ruggiero is the Chief of the Branch of the Near East, South Asia and Africa, in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Division of International Conservation. He arrived in Africa in 1981 as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic. During his almost two decades on the ground, Richard also worked in Kenya, Zimbabwe, the Republic of Congo and Gabon. Although elephants are still the centerpiece of his work, he also focuses on protected area management, helping to build the capacity and collaboration of African conservationists, and addressing the threat posed by illegal international wildlife trade.

The opinions expressed in Richard Ruggiero's blog are his own and not necessarily those of either the USFWS or the National Geographic Society.