Heroes of Animal Conservation

©WCS/J.Maher

Wildlife biologists K. Ullas Karanth and George Schaller of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have been selected as finalists for the 2008 Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading zoo award for animal conservation. The Indianapolis Zoo, which initiated the animal conservation award, selected six finalists for the prize from a pool of 29 nominees. The other finalists are Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Rodney Jackson, Laurie Marker, and Roger Payne. These heroes of animal conservation were nominated by their peers and chosen for their outstanding achievements on behalf of endangered or at-risk species across the globe.

Senior conservation scientist with WCS and premier tiger expert, Dr. Karanth energizes the new generation of Indian conservationists. As part of his work in India for the past 25 years, he has conducted countrywide surveys of critically endangered tigers to determine their population size and habitat needs. His efforts have helped spawn three protected areas in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. Karanth has also helped communities of people living in tiger territory to voluntarily resettle, reducing adverse human impacts on the animals in some of their last remaining strongholds. He now brings his skills and experience to WCS’s Tigers Forever Program. This ambitious initiative aims to increase tiger numbers by 50 percent in seven other landscapes across Asia over the next ten years.

Vice President of Science and Exploration for WCS George Schaller, the world’s preeminent field biologist, has traveled across the globe to protect gravely threatened wildlife. Schaller began studying mountain gorillas near Rwanda more than 40 years ago and paved the way for Dian Fossey’s crusade to protect these gentle giants. In recent years, Dr. Schaller has worked in the rugged transboundary region shared by Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and China. There, he hopes to establish a new protected area to safeguard the spectacular and highly endangered Marco Polo sheep.

The winner for the 2008 Indianapolis Prize, to be selected by jury, will receive $100,000 and the Lilly Medal at a gala in September 2008. The Indianapolis Prize was first awarded in 2006 to Dr. George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, who, through his decades of work, has contributed significantly to the preservation of the world’s 15 surviving species of cranes.

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