Guwahati: Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a renowned conservation scientist from Assam, has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Harry Messel Award’ at the 5th IUCN SSC Leaders’ Meeting in Abu Dhabi.
The Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conferred ‘The Harry Messel Award’ for Conservation Leadership to Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar.
The award was presented to him on Friday at the 5th IUCN SSC Leaders’ Meeting, which is being held in Abu Dhabi.
Dr Talukdar is the founder Secretary General and CEO of the premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak.
The award has been presented for Dr Talukdar’s contribution to species conservation on the ground and through leadership as part of the work of the Species Survival Commission.
He has been associated with IUCN SSC since 1991 and became the Chair of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group in 2008.
Over 300 conservation experts have gathered at the IUCN SSC meeting to address the interconnected challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.
He has taken timely initiative to facilitate three Asian Rhino States meeting including the first one in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry, Indonesia with an aim to strengthen conservation efforts of three species of Asian Rhinos in Asian rhino range states.
The 2nd Asian Rhino Range States meeting was successfully organized in New Delhi in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
The 3rd Asian Rhino Range States meeting was successfully organized in Chitwan National Park of Nepal with Nepal’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, resulting in the joint declaration of Asian Range states to secure the future of three species of Asian Rhinos.
He was instrumental in founding Aaranyak in 1989, along with a group of young conservation enthusiasts. Under his dynamic leadership, the organization has achieved significant milestones since its inception.
In recognition of his significant contributions to rhino conservation, Dr. Talukdar was appointed Chair of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group by the IUCN in 2008, a remarkable achievement for an Assamese conservationist.
His expertise has also been sought by Indonesian conservation agencies to aid in the conservation and management of the critically endangered Javan and Sumatran Rhinos.
He has assisted Assam Government in executing the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 which has been able to translocate 22 wild rhinos with team IRV 2020 from Pobitora WLS and Kaziranga NP to Manas NP during 2008-2022.
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Dr. Talukdar has authored over 70 scientific papers. He has coordinated over 60 projects in the past 25 years and contributed to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in the Eastern Himalaya between 2002 and 2004.
