Rohan Ghatge '28 Receives Young Conservationist Award

Rohan Ghatge ’28 has been recognized as the first student ever to receive the Young Conservationist Award from the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) for his outstanding work in rhino conservation. The award was presented at the ZAA conference in early October in San Antonio, TX, honoring Rohan’s dedication to protecting rhinos and raising awareness about poaching and habitat loss.

Rohan’s passion for rhinos began at age 10 during a rhino encounter at Southwick Zoo, where he met the zoo’s resident rhinos, Thelma and Louise. “After that experience, I realized the plight of rhinos is more than just statistics,” Rohan said. “Seeing them up close and learning about poaching made me want to take action.” Over the past five years, he has raised thousands of dollars for rhino conservation, including contributions that helped save a rhino shot in the head and supported orphaned calves in the wild.

During Corporate Chapel on November 12, Betsy Brewer, founder of the non-profit Earth Limited and Zoological Director of Southwick Zoo, visited St. Sebastian’s to personally present Rohan with the award and celebrate his achievements with the community.

Earlier this summer, Rohan and Ms. Brewer produced a video highlighting his conservation work and the impact of Earth Limited’s programs. Watch Rohan’s Story of Rhino Conservation
.