Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jeffery), captive, Philippine Eagle Center, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines. Image credit Klaus Nigge.
Seven conservationists have taken home Whitley Awards for their efforts to protect wildlife in developing countries.
The awards, presented at a ceremony today by HRH Princess Anne, were given to conservationists in six countries:
- Panut Hadisiswoyo for his efforts to protect Sumatran orangutans in Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem;
- Pramod Patil for community conservation of the great Indian bustard in the Thar Desert, India;
- Rosamira Guillen for cotton-top tamarin conservation in northern Colombia;
- Arnaud Desbiez for giant armadillo protection in the Brazilian Cerrado;
- Inaoyom Imong for protecting Cross River gorillas in Nigeria’s Mbe Mountains;
- Jayson Ibañez for helping protect the Philippine eagle on Mindanao Island; and
- Ananda Kumar for developing communication systems to reduce human-elephant conflict in southern India.
Each award is worth £35,000 in project funding. The Whitley Fund for Nature together with other foundations, individuals, and organizations provide the prize money.
Whitely also bestowed the £50,000 Whitley Gold Award 2015 to Dino Martins for his work to encourage small farmers to adopt pollinator-friendly farming approaches in East Africa. Martins was a 2009 Whitely Award winner.
The Princess Royal and 2015 Whitley Awards recipient Pramod Pati, India at The Royal Geographical Society, London, 29th April 2015.
Ananda Kumar. Image credit Ganesh Raghunathan.
Panut Hadisiswoyo.
Inaoyom Imong.
Arnaud Desbiez (left) releasing a giant armadillo.
Dino Martins.
The Princess Royal and 2015 Whitley Awards recipient Jayson Ibanez, Philippines at The Royal Geographical Society, London, 29th April 2015.
Rosamira Guillen. Image credit F Pardo.
Edward Whitley, Founder of the Whitley Fund for Nature, congratulated this year’s class of winners.
“Although they each face remarkable and different challenges in their home countries, these exceptional individuals are passionate about securing a better future for both people and wildlife,” he said in a statement. “The Whitley Awards are a celebration of their efforts and achievements.”