WCN’s Conservation Companions come from various backgrounds and work with many various species throughout the globe, however one thing that each one of our Companions have in widespread is their glorious requirements of transparency, humility, and inclusive approaches for his or her onerous work and analysis. It’s no shock that a few of our Companions have not too long ago been honored with awards in recognition of their achievements and dedication to conservation.
Dr. Shivani Bhalla, Founder and Govt Director of Ewaso Lions, was awarded the 2023 Whitley Gold Award. She can also be the recipient of the 2014 Whitley Award and has been named an Rising Explorer by Nationwide Geographic. By way of community-led options, Shivani and her crew have been addressing lion decline in northern Kenya for the final twenty years. Native management is the spine for every of Ewaso Lions’ conservation initiatives, they usually have provide you with key options comparable to coaching Samburu warriors to mitigate human-wildlife battle, empowering ladies via their Mama Simba program, and educating kids in regards to the worth of lions via their Lion Youngsters Camps. Shivani will proceed to guide Ewaso Lions ahead with this efficient, community-based conservation mannequin that advantages lions and permits native individuals to coexist with them. With the cash acquired along with her award, Shivani and her crew will conduct conservation workshops, prepare 150 neighborhood members to drive ahead community-led conservation efforts in northern Kenya and develop a world conservation framework by collaborating with 25 conservation leaders from all over the world.
Albert Salemgareyev is the Lead Specialist on the Affiliation for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan in addition to a Steering Committee member of Saiga Conservation Alliance and a former WCN Scholar. He additionally acquired the 2023 Whitley Award for his useful saiga antelope analysis, which is chargeable for serving to to safe practically 10,000,000 acres of protected land in Kazakhstan. Saiga had been as soon as one of many quickest declining mammal species on the earth resulting from battle with native pastoralists over pure sources. Albert and his crew will share their knowledge with native governments, protected space workers, and pastoralists to create methods for sustainable useful resource administration that profit saiga. They may also share their findings with different saiga conservation initiatives in Kazakhstan and neighboring nations.
Dr. Rachel Graham, Founder and Govt Director of MarAlliance, is a latest Ocean Hero Award winner. For the previous 30 years, Rachel has lived in Central America and labored with conventional fishers in addition to native governments to implement options that succeed at balancing the wants of coastal communities and threatened marine wildlife. Rachel based MarAlliance in 2014 to advertise inclusive and impactful marine conservation, with a concentrate on sharks and rays. Since then, MarAlliance has carried out scientific analysis to help fisheries administration and conservation, taught native communities about marine wildlife, and expanded marine protected areas by advocating for laws. Rachel’s management and MarAlliance’s impression have impressed many individuals in Belize and Central America to get entangled in defending ocean biodiversity.
Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, Co-founder and President of International Penguin Society (GPS), is a latest winner of the Indianapolis Prize—the primary recipient from South America. Pablo has devoted his life to the conservation of penguins. Internationally acknowledged, he has spent over three a long time finding out penguins and main conservation efforts for them throughout 4 continents. He additionally led efforts to create Blue Patagonia, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve chargeable for defending 40% of the worldwide inhabitants of Magellanic penguins. By way of the GPS training program, Pablo helps to coach the subsequent era of penguin conservationists and educating kids the worth of defending penguins and their habitats. Alongside along with his award, Pablo may also obtain an unrestricted $250,000—the biggest financial award on the earth that helps conservation—from the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc.
WCN extends its full congratulations to those unimaginable conservationists. We’re honored to help their award-winning contributions to defending wildlife all over the world, and stay up for celebrating many extra events recognizing their impactful work. We’re so very pleased with Shivani, Albert, Rachel, and Pablo!
Autor David Vasquez
