Globally, more than 1 million plant and animal species could go extinct because of the chain reactions and ecological collapse caused by climate change. In recent decades, a combination of rampant resource extraction, habitat loss, droughts, and heat waves have endangered much of the world’s wildlife. The northern white rhinos, in particular, have been brought to the edge of oblivion due to the widespread loss of suitable habitats and the relentless poaching of the animals for their horns. The only two surviving female northern white rhinos, Najin and her daughter Fatu, live in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. The conservancy not only works to protect wildlife, but also supports the surrounding community with livelihood and education opportunities. And for the guards protecting the animals, the responsibility holds a devotional quality that photographer Justin Mott captures in his series, “No Man’s Land,” on display at the Anastasia Photo Gallery in New York. The photos are part of a larger project Mott is working on called “Kindred Guardians” that showcases the people working to protect the world’s wildlife. The United Nations argues that protecting wildlife and halting biodiversity loss is critical to achieving the Global Goals, but that the march of climate change could undo the progress already made. The Global Goals include specific targets to end wildlife poaching and illegal trafficking, and wildlife rangers, who the UN described the "unsung heroes of wildlife conservation" on World Ranger Day this year, are critical to reaching those targets. Pictured here: Peter Esegon, 47, one of Fatu and Najin’s primary caretakers at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Esegon has worked at the conservation, where he looks after the rhinos and educates visitors, for 20 years. Read more about Mott's work and Ol Pejeta at this link. (📷: © Justin Mott; courtesy Anastasia Photo; New York)
