BirdLife's Dr Nigel Collar has been nominated for his three decades of groundbreaking fieldwork and research on the world’s birds.
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Dr Nigel Collar nominated for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize
08-10-2009
BirdLife’s Dr Nigel Collar has been nominated to receive the Indianapolis Prize - the world’s leading award for animal conservation. “I’m honoured to be listed alongside some of the world’s greatest conservationists”, said Dr Collar.
Dr Collar is one of 29 world renowned animal conservationists vying for the prize, and has been nominated for his three decades of groundbreaking fieldwork and research on the world’s birds.
Nigel has served BirdLife as Director of Science and Director of Development, and since 2001 has worked as Leventis Fellow in Conservation Biology.
“Conservation has been Nigel’s single guiding light” —Ade Long, BirdLife’s Head of Communications
Between 1981 and 2001 he worked as compiler of the International Bird Red Data Book, and has published profiles of the threatened bird species of Asia, the Americas and Africa. In recent years, Nigel has pursued urgent conservation issues including census work on Great Bustards in Spain and fieldwork projects in Ethiopia, Sao Tome and Angola.
Dr Collar also currently supports and co-supervises nine students on threatened species in Peru, Brazil, Botswana, Cyprus, Cambodia and the Philippines, and plans to focus on issues affecting gazelles and bustards in Africa’s Sahelian zone.
"Conservation has been Nigel’s single guiding light throughout his career", said Ade Long - BirdLife's Head of Communications. "Many species have had their status improved through his advocacy, activities, interventions, books and papers. However, what is perhaps less well known about Nigel's achievements are the large number of conservationists who have benefited from his advice, support and inspiration - especially during his time at BirdLife".
“... we believe the current nominees are exceptional” —Michael Crowther, CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Prize nominees’ work spans the globe, representing a range of species from insects to mammals, and includes amphibians, elephants, bats, wolves and sharks, among many others. The Nominating Committee will review the applications and select the six finalists, who will be announced in the spring of 2010. The Prize Jury will then determine the winner who will be announced in mid-2010 and honoured at the next Indianapolis Prize Gala, to be held on the 25 September 2010, in Indianapolis.
Other nominees include Australian Rodney Fox - a world authority on the Great White Shark who has a tooth embedded in his wrist from an attack in 1963.
In addition to receiving the largest individual monetary award for animal conservation in the world of $100,000, the recipient is also awarded the Lilly Medal, an original work of art that signifies the winner’s contributions to conserving some of the world’s most threatened animals.
BirdLife comprises more than 100 conservation organisations working together to promote sustainable living as a means to conserve biodiversity.
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