Whitley Awards 2012: UK and International Media Coverage Dossier

Transcripción

THE WHITLEY AWARDS 2012
-
PRESS COVERAGE
Whitley Award Winners 2012
Rodrigo Medellin – MEXICO *Gold Award Winner*
Winner of The Whitley Gold Award donated by The Friends of the
Whitley Fund for Nature
Lisel Alamilla – BELIZE
The Whitley Award donated by The William Brake Charitable Trust
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto – PERU
The Whitley Award Award donated by Goldman Sachs
Budiono - INDONESIA
The Whitley Award donated by WWF-UK
Inza Kone – IVORY COAST
The Whitley Award donated by The Shears Foundation
Josia Razafindramanana - MADAGASCAR
The Whitley Award donated by The LJC Fund
Bernal Rodriguez Herrera - ARGENTINA
The Whitley Award donated by The Garfield Weston Foundation
Carlos Vasquez-Almazan – GUATEMALA
The Whitley Award donated by Fondation Segré
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Rodrigo Medellin
Mexico
2004 Whitley Award winner
Bat Conservation in Mexico and Latin America
_________________________________________________
Winner of The Whitley Gold Award donated by
The Friends of Whitley Fund for Nature
_________________________________________________
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FURTHER MEDIA COVERAGE ACHIEVED
In addition to the following coverage:
RADIO
Rodrigo was interviewed on:
 BBC Radio 4’s MidWeek – 8th May 2012
WEBSITES
Rodrigo film has been shown on many websites including:
 Youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhSBOn1kNFg

Wn.com
http://wn.com/Rodrigo_Medellin_speech_at_the_Whitley_Awards_2012,_9th_May
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Telegraph online showing Rodrigo’s Whitley Award film
17th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Awardgiven-to-bat-expert-for-conservation-achievement.html
Whitley Fund for Nature Award given to bat expert for conservation
achievement
Bat expert Dr Rodrigo Medellin, of Mexico, has become the first winner of a newly-created annual award
from the Whitley Fund for Nature honouring an outstanding individual contribution to conservation.
Dr Medellin received his award from the charity’s Patron Her Royal Highness The
Princess Royal (Princess Anne) during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society,
London, at which grants worth a total of £240,000 were given out.
The Gold Award comes with £30,000 project funding, donated by The Friends of
Whitley Fund for Nature. The remaining £210,000 is shared by the latest seven winners
of Whitley Awards for inspirational leadership – an accolade Dr Medellin won in 2004
and which he credits with helping him to set up his conservation non-profit
BIOCONCIENCIA.
In a film shown at the ceremony, wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough said:
“There is arguably no one who has done more for the conservation of bats in Latin
America than 2004 Whitley Award winner, Rodrigo Medellin. His pioneering work to
highlight the vital role that bats play in the ecosystem, and their importance to people’s
lives, has had a tremendous impact on the way bats are perceived in his native Mexico
and beyond. “
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Dr Medellin’s most recent achievement is that, thanks to conservation measures he put in
place, the lesser long-nosed bat will soon become the first species ever to be removed
from Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species.
WFN’s Acting Director David Wallis said: “Dr Medellin’s work with the lesser longnosed bat is a shining example of the projects Whitley Fund for Nature seeks to support
through its flagship Whitley Awards scheme. Most people won’t have heard of this
species but they will know of a product which might also be in danger if this bat was lost
- tequila.”
David Wallis added: “The drink is made from agave plant and lesser long-nosed bats are
its main natural pollinator. Mexico’s commercial crops are currently being hit by a new
infection which has already damaged a third of the plants in a 400,000 hectares area. As a
result, farmers are turning back to the bats to add more variety to the crop, to try to fend
off damage. In this way, what is good for wildlife is proving helpful to people as well –
exactly what our judges look for.”
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El Economista
National Daily Newspaper, Mexico
9th May 2012
:
Mexicano gana su segundo “Oscar verde”
Rodrigo Medellín no sólo es el primer biólogo en el mundo que gana dos veces el
prestigioso premio Whitley, al que se ha llamado el Oscar Verde, sino que este segundo
es un “nuevo” Whitley que coloca al mexicano como campeón de campeones de la
conservación.
Los Whitley se han dedicado a “honrar trabajos sobresalientes de conservación que
beneficien tanto a especies en peligro de extinción como a sus vecinos humanos”. Hasta
este año, el Whitley Gold se entregaba al que se considerara el mejor proyecto de cada
año, pero de ahora en adelante el máximo premio se entregará a un ganador del Whitley
que haya usado el dinero del premio en forma particularmente destacable.
David Wallis, presidente del Whitley Fund for Nature, comenta que el doctor Medellín,
primer ganador de esta modalidad, “es todo un caso” y “un muy meritorio receptor del
Whitley Gold Award en su nueva faceta”.
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Si bien no se siente muy dispuesto a tratar de adivinar lo que pasó por la cabeza de los
jueces que le dieron el premio, a partir de lo que Medellín nos cuenta de su trabajo es
posible aventurar algunas hipótesis .
UNA LARGA CARRERA EN DESVENTAJA
“La verdad es que si trabajas con animales digamos carismáticos, con ballenas, primates,
águilas, cóndores, ya tienes la mitad del camino recorrido. Nosotros con los murciélagos
salimos desde antes de que hubiera camino, la verdad es que los murciélagos tienen,
sobre todo antes, una mala imagen”.
Y ciertamente el camino de Rodrigo ha sido largo. Su fascinación por las naturaleza
empezó desde los cuatro o cinco años, y fue tal que a los nueve concursó en el El premio
de los 64,000 pesos. Unos investigadores del Instituto de Biología de la UNAM lo vieron
en la tele y lo invitaron a una salida de campo cuando tenía 12 años. Lo llevaron a una
cueva de murciélagos.
“Me di cuenta de que sabía todas aquellas cosas sobre los animales africanos y asiáticos y
que de mi país no sabía nada. Y aquello era fascinante”.
Años después, ya con doctorado en mamíferos, regresó a sus murciélagos y tristemente se
dio “cuenta de que les han declarado la guerra como los enviados del mal, como vectores
de enfermedades, que dicen que son animales sucios... Cuando protegen las cosechas y
plantas de diversos ecosistemas, obtenemos de ellos grandes beneficios. Creo de verdad
que son los animales más injustamente maltratados del planeta”.
Entonces, poco a poco armó la ONG Bioconciencia, que inició operaciones en el 2003
en cuatro estados. “Nuestro trabajo ha ido desde cambiar la percepción que se tiene de
estos animales, hasta la investigación a fondo. Tenemos programas muy fuertes de
educación, trabajamos con la gente de las comunidades y con los gobiernos federal y
estatal”.
BUENOS NÚMEROS DE EXPORTACIÓN
“En México hay 138 especies de murciélagos, es el sexto país con más especies en el
mundo”, cuenta el biólogo, que tiene otros números.
Por ejemplo, los de la enorme Cueva de la Boca, que en alguna época llegó a tener entre
10 y 15 millones de murciélagos y que llegó a bajar hasta 100,000, “es una reducción del
99%, pero desde que estamos en la zona empieza a crecer y en el 2011 la población ya era
de 2.5 millones”.
Otro ejemplo, con cifras poco exactas pero muy reveladoras, es que “hace unos 20 años,
cuando, por ejemplo, en un programa de radio alguien decía alguna barbaridad sobre los
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murciélagos, éramos los primeros y en general los únicos que hablábamos para quejarnos,
ahora somos como los veinteavos, mucha gente ya sabe que hay que cuidarlos”.
Con éxitos como ésos, se fue corriendo la voz “y entonces me llamó gente de Bolivia
para que fuéramos a hacer un taller allá. Les ayudamos, pero con la idea de tener cero
interferencia, no podemos funcionar al estilo Estados Unidos, no podemos llegar a decir:
así tienen que hacer las cosas.
Ellos conocen mejor que nosotros su problema y sus necesidades, entonces nosotros les
contamos nuestro modelo y nuestras experiencias para que ellos lo adaptaran”.
Después los llamaron de Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, “con el resultado de que en el
2007 creamos una red latinoamericana de protección, única en su tipo, donde 18 países
tiene una estrategia común, comparten objetivos y las prioridades”.
Y no sólo han exportado a otros países, también a otras familias de animales: “Nos están
invitando a que por favor les expliquemos nuestro modelo gente que trabaja con venados
y con otros animales”.
NO ES PREMIO, SINO COMPROMISO
Al viaje a Inglaterra, Medellín se llevó un anuncio bajo el brazo. “Hay una especie de
murciélagos que es la responsable de que tengamos el tequila y el mezcal porque poliniza
los agaves y en 1994 entró a la lista de especies amenazadas. Ahora ya demostramos que
la especie está recuperada, tenemos por lo menos dos colonias nuevas de varios miles de
individuos, entonces, he sometido la propuesta para que esta especie salga de la lista.
“Y es una muy buena noticia, en especial porque en conservación siempre tenemos malas
noticias, todo es malo, todo es horrible.
“Lo quiero cacarear mucho, no nomás porque lo hicimos nosotros sino porque sí creo
que a veces los biólogos de la conservación nos dedicamos a enlistar especies y luego a
vivir de ellas, a pedir más y más dinero para rescatarlas. Pero hay que rescatarla de verdad,
hay que dar ese paso, se lo debemos a los donadores, a la especie y nos lo debemos a
nosotros mismos”.
Así, Rodrigo no ve el Whitley Gold nueva versión como un reconocimiento a su
trayectoria ni de la de los “héroes” que forman su equipo. “Un premio de este tipo es un
compromiso de renovar esfuerzos y seguir adelante, nos pone a la vista, nos pone el reto
de seguir trabajando”. EL PREMIO WHITLEY
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El Informador
Daily Newspaper, Mexico
10th May 2012
Recibe científico mexicano premio por conservación ecológica
El científico mexicano Rodrigo Medellín, reconocido por su labor en pro de los
murciélagos.
La princesa Ana, hija de la Reina Elizabeth II, otorgó el premio que consiste en 30 mil
libras (unos 652 mil pesos mexicanos)
Durante una ceremonia en la Real Sociedad de Geografía de Londres, el investigador de la
UNAM fue reconocido por su contribución al estudio de los murciélagos y beneficios a la
agricultura en el control de plagas, dispersión de semillas y polinización de especies
ecológicas
El científico mexicano Rodrigo Medellín ganó el premio Whitley Oro, el de mayor
relevancia del Fondo Whitley para la Naturaleza, por su contribución a la conservación
ecológica mundial.
Durante una ceremonia en la Real Sociedad de Geografía en esta ciudad el investigador
de la UNAM fue reconocido por su contribución al estudio de los murciélagos y
beneficios a la agricultura en el control de plagas, dispersión de semillas y polinización de
especies ecológicas.
"Estamos hablando de un grupo de animales que tienen una de las peores reputaciones
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que no son justificadas", afirmó el doctor Rodrigo Medellín.
"Son injustamente maltratados en todo el mundo y este premio da la oportunidad una
vez más para que se rectifique el camino respecto a la imagen que tiene la gente de los
murciélagos", señaló.
Aseguró que esto abre la oportunidad para elevar el perfil de México en el extranjero y
"que demos al mundo la dimensión justa y verdadera de nuestro país donde tenemos una
inmensa capacidad tecnológica y científica", subrayó el especialista en Biología.
Explicó que en México existen 138 especies de murciélagos que tienen un "valor
importantísimo e insospechado y no agradecido" para los ecosistemas.
Recordó que gracias a los murciélagos se pueden polinizar especies ecológicas como los
agaves de México de donde se extrae el tequila.
Los pequeños mamíferos con alas por millones de años han polinizado los agaves, "así
que a fin de cuentas la bebida que con tanto orgullo nos bebemos los mexicanos se la
debemos a los murciélagos", enfatizó el investigador mexicano.
libras (unos 652 mil pesos mexicanos).
Medellín fue galardonado con el mayor reconocimiento del Fondo Whitley, conocidos
como los Óscar verdes con el principal de ocho premios que otorga la organización
ambientalista cada año.
El científico mexicano señaló que la mejor forma de celebrarlo fue con un tequila hecho
de agave 100 por ciento mexicano que degustaron los presentes a la ceremonia que
brindaron "a la salud de los murciélagos", a excepción de la princesa Ana que se abstuvo
de beber.
El propio Medellín explicó que el premio tiene una relevancia mundial y enfatizó que lo
importante es "darle una relevancia a México que tenemos que recobrar".
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La Jornada, Jaalisco
10th May
http://www.lajornadajalisco.com.mx/2012/05/10/recibe-cientifico-mexicano-premiopor-conservacion-ecologica/
Recibe científico mexicano premio por conservación ecológica
El científico mexicano Rodrigo Medellín ganó el premio Whitley Oro, el de mayor
relevancia del Fondo Whitley para la Naturaleza, por su contribución a la conservación
ecológica mundial.
Durante una ceremonia en la Real Sociedad de Geografía en esta ciudad el investigador
de la UNAM fue reconocido por su contribución al estudio de los murciélagos y
beneficios a la agricultura en el control de plagas, dispersión de semillas y polinización de
especies ecológicas.
“Estamos hablando de un grupo de animales que tienen una de las peores reputaciones
que no son justificadas”, afirmó el doctor Rodrigo Medellín. “Son injustamente
maltratados en todo el mundo y este premio da la oportunidad una vez más para que se
rectifique el camino respecto a la imagen que tiene la gente de los murciélagos”, señaló.
Aseguró que esto abre la oportunidad para elevar el perfil de México en el extranjero y
“que demos al mundo la dimensión justa y verdadera de nuestro país donde tenemos una
inmensa capacidad tecnológica y científica”, subrayó el especialista en Biología.
Explicó que en México existen 138 especies de murciélagos que tienen un “valor
importantísimo e insospechado y no agradecido” para los ecosistemas.
Recordó que gracias a los murciélagos se pueden polinizar especies ecológicas como los
agaves de México de donde se extrae el tequila.
Los pequeños mamíferos con alas por millones de años han polinizado los agaves, “así
que a fin de cuentas la bebida que con tanto orgullo nos bebemos los mexicanos se la
debemos a los murciélagos”, enfatizó el investigador mexicano.
libras (unos 48 mil dólares). Medellín fue galardonado con el mayor reconocimiento del
Fondo Whitley, conocidos como los Óscar verdes con el principal de ocho premios que
otorga la organización ambientalista cada año.
El científico mexicano señaló que la mejor forma de celebrarlo fue con un tequila hecho
de agave 100 por ciento mexicano que degustaron los presentes a la ceremonia que
brindaron “a la salud de los murciélagos”, a excepción de la princesa Ana que se abstuvo
de beber. El propio Medellín explicó que el premio tiene una relevancia mundial y
enfatizó que lo importante es “darle una relevancia a México que tenemos que recobrar.
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BBC Radio 4
Midweek
th
9 May 2012
SYNOPSIS
Joining Libby Purves will be bat expert Dr Rodrigo Medellin, filmmaker Hannah
Rothschild, playwright Michael Ashton and former diplomat Sir Roger Carrick.
Dr Rodrigo Medellin is a scientist and bat expert. He will become the first recipient of
the Whitley Fund for Nature's Gold Award for outstanding achievement in nature
conservation in recognition of his efforts to de-demonise vampire bats. He has also
successfully re-established Mexico's lesser long-nosed bats which are about to be taken
off of the endangered species list. He is International Union for Conservation of Nature
(UCN) Ambassador for the 'International Year of the Bat'.
Hannah Rothschild is a writer and filmmaker. She is also the great niece of Pannonica
Rothschild who left her husband and five children to live among the black jazz musicians
in New York and whose great love was the legendary Thelonious Monk. Hannah first
heard about her eccentric great aunt at the age of 11 and has been investigating her life
ever since. Her book, 'The Baroness - the search for Nica, the rebellious Rothschild' is
published by Virago. The documentary 'The Jazz Baroness', directed by Hannah, is also
available on DVD by 3DD Productions.
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Michael Ashton was a human rights lawyer before he served a prison sentence for fraud.
In prison he learnt playwriting through the Synergy Theatre Project, winning an award
for his first play 'The Archbishop and the Antichrist'. His new play, 'The Beekeeper' based on true events - tells the story of the relationship between the camp's
Kommandant and a prisoner who survived Auschwitz because he was a skilled
beekeeper. 'The Beekeeper' is at Waterloo East Theatre, London.
Sir Roger Carrick is a former British diplomat. His book, 'Diplomatic Anecdotage Around the World in 40 Years' recounts his memories of life working in the British
diplomatic service. Roger has been posted around the world from Bulgaria to Berkeley
and Indonesia to Australia. He was shadowed by the secret police in Sofia, witnessed the
1968 riots in Paris, and negotiated the withdrawal of British troops from Singapore. His
career includes positions as ambassador to Indonesia and High Commissioner to
Australia. 'Diplomatic Anecdotage - Around the World in 40 Years' is published by
Elliott & Thompson.
Producer: Paula McGinley.
RELATED LINKS

The Whitley Fund for Nature (whitleyaward.org)
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IUCN Red list
12th May 2012
http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/iucn-bat-expert-wins-prestigious-conservation-award
IUCN bat expert wins prestigious conservation award
Many congratulations to Rodrigo Medellín, co-chair
of the IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group, who has been
awarded the 2012 Whitely Gold Award, donated by
The Friends of Whitley Fund for Nature, in
recognition of his outstanding contribution to
conservation.
Rodrigo received his award from Her Royal Highness The
Princess Royal (Princess Anne) during a ceremony at the
Royal Geographical Society, London, on 9th May, 2012. For the first time, the Whitley
Gold Award has been presented to a previous Whitely Award winner in recognition of
Rodrigo’s continued conservation efforts to protect bats and other animals in Mexico
since receiving a Whitely Award in 2004.
“There is arguably no one who has done more for the conservation of bats in Latin America than 2004
Whitley Award winner, Rodrigo Medellin,” said Sir David Attenborough, wildlife broadcaster,
during a film shown at the ceremony. “His pioneering work to highlight the vital role that bats
play in the ecosystem, and their importance to people’s lives, has had a tremendous impact on the way bats
are perceived in his native Mexico and beyond.”
In areas where Rodrigo’s conservation action has been put into place bat populations
have invariably remained stable or even increased, and due to Rodrigo’s dedication, the
Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) will be the first ever species to be
removed from Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species.
The success was achieved through research and strong conservation education
programmes that have presented bats in a more positive way and made people aware of
their value. Similar projects have been established in Bolivia, Costa Rica and Guatemala
to good success and the Latin American Network for Bat Conservation has also been
established.
The Whitley Gold Award is accompanied by £30,000 project funding which Rodrigo will
use to continue his conservation work. Upon receiving the award Rodrigo said “This
Award gives me an additional reason to strive and surpass anything I’ve done before."
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Cronica
10th May 2012
http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=659714
Reconocen a Rodrigo Medellín por conservación de murciélagos
El científico de la UNAM, Rodrigo Medellín, una autoridad internacional en
materia de murciélagos, fue premiado por el Fondo Whitley para la Naturaleza en
Londres por su investigación sobre estos mamíferos voladores, lo que para él
supone una prueba de que el público ha empezado a valorarlos.
El experto dijo que este premio es para él “un honor” porque “significa que los
murciélagos están siendo reconocidos por lo que valen y por los beneficios que
nos aportan a los seres humanos”.
“He dedicado mi vida -dijo- a demostrarle al mundo que realmente los
murciélagos son una fuente de beneficios constantes para el ser humano. Este
premio me hace pensar que el sentimiento de la gente hacia los murciélagos está
cambiando de manera significativa”.
Lamentó que el principal riesgo para los murciélagos es la ignorancia y la falta de
conocimiento del público, que tristemente genera un miedo y un odio
completamente irracional a estos animales.
El científico mexicano subrayó que uno de los principales beneficios de los
murciélagos para los seres humanos es el control biológico de las plagas
agrícolas, ya que la mayoría de estos animales se alimentan de insectos.
“Según nuestros estudios, cada millón de murciélagos destruye aproximadamente
diez toneladas de insectos cada noche. Sin ellos, los insectos se comerían
cosechas enteras de maíz, algodón, frijol o chile”, precisó Medellín.
En este sentido, Medellín descubrió en sus investigaciones que el valor
económico del control de plagas agrícolas por parte de los murciélagos equivale a
700 mil dólares por cada cien kilómetros cuadrados de cultivo de algodón.
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Conservation on Migratory Species
15th May 2012
http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2012/05_may/nw_150512_medellin_whitley.h
tm
CMS Congratulates Year of the Bat Ambassador Rodrigo Medellin on Whitley
Award 2012
Bonn, 15 May 2012 - CMS would like to express its
congratulations to Latin America’s most renowned bat
researcher for his outstanding conservation
achievements. The Whitley Fund for Nature bestowed
its newly-created Gold Award to Rodrigo Medellín on
9th May at a ceremony at the Royal Geographical
Society in London.
Professor Medellín has been teaching conservation
biology and community ecology for over 20 years in Mexico City and other universities
abroad. He specializes in community ecology, plant-animal interactions, population
biology and, more recently, molecular ecology.
Thanks to his awareness training pertaining to the vital role of bats in ecosystems, the
general perception of bats in Mexico and the rest of Latin America has dramatically
changed. During the Year of the Bat and in the run up to Rio+20, his scientific findings
have contributed substantially to highlighting the environmental and economic benefits
bats that are able to provide regarding US cotton crops.
As a result of his conservation measures, he recently achieved an outstanding and most
rare success in the conservation world. The lesser long-nosed bat will no longer have to
be included on Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species.
For more information, please visit the Whitley Awards website.
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Mexico Today
Mexican Embassy Newsletter
Spring edition
Dr. Rodrigo Medellin became the first winner of the Whitley Fund
for Nature’s annual Gold award, which recognises the outstanding
work in the field of conservation of endangered species. This
distinction was part of the Whitley Award Ceremony 2012, which
took place at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 9th
of May.
Dr. Medellin is widely acknowledged as spearheading one of the most important
conservationist efforts in Latin America. Among his many achievements are the
rediscovery of the long thought extinct “Flat Headed Bat” and the upcoming removal of
the "Long Nosed Bat" from Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species. Dr. Medellin
implements his work through his NGO "Bioconciencia", which has made terrific
accomplishments thanks to highlighting the crucial role bats play in maintaining
ecological balance, disease control and food production, thus transforming the way they
are perceived by the public.
Dr. Medellin has also expanded his conservationist work through Latin American Bat
Conservation Network, an international NGO which he founded.
For more information on Dr. Medellin’s work, please visit the following website:
http://www. bioconciencia.org.mx
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Natural (translated)
10th May 2012
http://www.abc.es/210120510/natural-biodiversidad/abci-murcielagos-rodrigomedellin-201205101147.html
Seven things not known about bats
How many insects are eaten every night, what are their main threats, what plants exist
only thanks to them
Rodrigo Medellín has received the Whitley Award from Princess Anne, daughter
of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Geographical Society, London
1. A million bats destroy approximately ten tons of insects every night.
2. The economic value of agricultural pest control by bats equals 700,000 dollars (541.000
euros) for every 100 square kilometres of cultivation of cotton, for example.
3. Bats play a very important role in the pollination of plants as agave - which removes
the tequila-, or the Saguaro cactus.
4. Bats sucking, those that feed on blood, inspired Bram Stoker for his novel 'Dracula'.
5. Their main threats: destruction of their shelters with dynamite, the vandalism in the
caves, the use of gas cyanide to end them, invasive species and the white nose syndrome
(a disease caused by a fungus and that it has been detected in the northeast of the United
States.)(UU.).
6. But, perhaps, "the main risk to bats is ignorance and lack of knowledge of the public,
which, sadly, generates a fear and a hate completely irrational towards these animals",
complains the biologist of the Autonomous National University of Mexico Rodrigo
Medellín.
7. The Mexican scientist, an international authority in the field of bats, has been awarded
by the Whitley Fund for nature for its investigations aimed at the safeguarding of the
species, which for him is a test that citizens have begun to value them. The award, known
as Whitley gold, is given for the first time, advises Efe.
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Bat Conservation International
May 2012
Batcon.org
Bats in the News - Honors for a Mexican Bat Expert
Rodrigo Medellín of Mexico, a leading bat scientist and member of Bat Conservation
International’s Science Advisory Committee, is the first winner of the Whitley Fund for
Nature’s new Gold Award for “outstanding individual contribution to conservation,”
reports the Telegraph of the United Kingdom.
The award was presented by Her Royal Highness The
Princess Royal (Princess Anne) during a ceremony May 9
at the Royal Geographical Society in London, the
newspaper said. The honor includes grant of £30,000
(about $46,750) for conservation work. The Fund also
announced seven winners of Whitley Awards who will
share £210,000 ($327,400) in project support. Medellin
won a Whitley Award in 2004 and said it helped him found the nonprofit conservation
organization BIOCONCIENCIA.
Among the Whitley Award recipients was BCI friend and colleague Bernal Rodriguez
Herrera of Costa Rica, who was honored for “reaching across national borders to
coordinate conservation action for Central America’s rich array of bats.”
In a film shown at the ceremony, the Telegraph reported, wildlife broadcaster Sir David
Attenborough said, “There is arguably no one who has done more for the conservation
of bats in Latin America than Rodrigo Medellin. His pioneering work to highlight the
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vital role that bats play in the ecosystem, and their importance to people’s lives, has had a
tremendous impact on the way bats are perceived in his native Mexico and beyond.”
The Whitley Fund cited Medellin’s most recent achievement: “Thanks to conservation
measures he put in place, the lesser long-nosed bat will soon become the first species
ever to be removed from Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species,” the Telegraph
wrote.
“Most people won’t have heard of this species,” Whitley Fund Acting Director David
Wallis said, “but they will know of a product which might also be in danger if this bat was
lost: tequila. The drink is made from the agave plant and lesser long-nosed bats are its
main natural pollinator. Mexico’s commercial [agave] crops are currently being hit by a
new infection, which has already damaged a third of the plants in a [critical] area. As a
result, farmers are turning back to the bats to add more variety to the crop. ... In this way,
what is good for wildlife is proving helpful to people as well.”
21
EFE Verde.com
9th May 2012
http://www.efeverde.com/contenidos/noticias/el-mexicano-rodrigo-medellingalardonado-con-el-premio-whitley-de-la-naturaleza
Mexicano Rodrigo Medellín galardonado con el Premio Whitley de la
naturaleza
Madrid, 4 may (EFEverde).- El científico mexicano Rodrigo A. Medellín, una de las
máximas autoridades mundiales en murciélagos, ha sido galardonado con el premio anual
del Fondo Whitley para la Naturaleza, que reconoce proyectos de conservación y que
recogerá de manos de la Princesa Ana de Inglaterra la próxima semana en Londres.
La concesión del premio es un reconocimiento a su labor en informar y revertir
conceptos erróneos sobre los murciélagos, según explica la Fundación Whitney. Las
investigaciones de Medellín y su equipo han demostrado la importancia de los
murciélagos como grandes controladores de plagas, dispersores de semillas y
polinizadores de plantas ecológicas, además de servir para la conservación de las especies.
El próximo 9 de mayo se celebrará en Londres la ceremonia en la que la Fundación
Whitley galardonará al científico mexicano con un trofeo y una ayuda económica de
30.000 libras (37.000 euros) para financiar su proyecto.
22
Apoyo a la investigación desde 1994
Otros siete candidatos seleccionados en todo el mundo como finalistas en el certamen de
2012, viajarán también a Londres para entrevistarse con expertos de la Fundación,
quienes decidirán cuales de sus proyectos recibirán apoyo financiero.
El evento anual Whitley Awards ha apoyado desde 1994 a más de 130 científicos
destacados en la conservación de la naturaleza local en más de 60 países, entre los que
este año optan como candidatos otros proyectos todo el mundo, tales como la
conservación de la biodiversidad del paisaje Maya (México) o la conservación coordinada
de los murciélagos de América Central.
23
Planetaazul.com.mx
10th May 2012
http://www.planetaazul.com.mx/site/2012/05/10/bat-expert-wins-wfn%E2%80%99snew-gold-award-for-conservation-achievement/
BAT EXPERT WINS WFN’S NEW GOLD AWARD FOR CONSERVATION
ACHIEVEMENT
Bat expert Dr Rodrigo Medellin, of Mexico, tonight became the first winner of a newly-created annual
award from the UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) honouring an outstanding individual
contribution to conservation.
LONDON, U.K. May 10, 2012.- Dr Medellin received his award from the charity’s
Patron Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) during a ceremony at the
Royal Geographical Society, London, at which grants worth a total of £240,000 were
given out.
The Gold Award comes with £30,000 project funding, donated by The Friends of
Whitley Fund for Nature. The remaining £210,000 is shared by the latest seven winners
of Whitley Awards for inspirational leadership – an accolade Dr Medellin won in 2004
and which he credits with helping him to set up his conservation non-profit
BIOCONCIENCIA.
In a film shown at the ceremony, wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough told
guests:
“There is arguably no one who has done
more for the conservation of bats in Latin
America than 2004 Whitley Award winner,
Rodrigo Medellin. His pioneering work to
highlight the vital role that bats play in the
ecosystem, and their importance to
people’s lives, has had a tremendous
impact on the way bats are perceived in his
native Mexico and beyond. “
Dr Medellin’s most recent achievement is that, thanks to conservation measures he put in
place, the lesser long-nosed bat will soon become the first species ever to be removed
from Mexico’s Federal List of Endangered Species.
24
WFN’s Acting Director David Wallis said:
“Dr Medellin’s work with the lesser long-nosed bat is a shining example of the projects
Whitley Fund for Nature seeks to support through its flagship Whitley Awards scheme.
Most people won’t have heard of this species but they will know of a product which
might also be in danger if this bat was lost – tequila.”
David Wallis added: “The drink is made from agave plant and lesser long-nosed bats are
its main natural pollinator. Mexico’s commercial crops are currently being hit by a new
infection which has already damaged a third of the plants in a 400,000 hectares area. As a
result, farmers are turning back to the bats to add more variety to the crop, to try to fend
off damage. In this way, what is good for wildlife is proving helpful to people as well –
exactly what our judges look for.”
Other conservationists honoured at the ceremony were:
Lisel Alamilla (BELIZE) for a community empowerment and education project in the
biodiversity-rich Maya Golden Landscape of Southern Belize. For more information:
www.yaaxche.org /. Whitley Award donated by The William Brake Charitable Trust.
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto (PERU) for her work to engage and involve coastal fishing
communities in the conservation of several marine species, including turtles and seabirds.
For more information: www.prodelphinus.org /. Whitley Award donated by Goldman
Sachs.
Ir ‘Budi’ Budiono (INDONESIA) for rallying local support in the wetlands of the
Mahakam River to save his country’s last freshwater dolphins. For more information:
www.ykrasi.110mb.com /. Whitley Award donated by WWF-UK.
Inza Koné – IVORY COAST – for acting to secure a better future for people and
wildlife in a last stronghold of West Africa’s three most endangered primates. For more
information: www.rasapci.org /. Whitley Award donated by The Shears Foundation.
Josia Razafindramanana – MADAGASCAR – for bringing sustainable benefits to local
people while also protecting newly-discovered populations of endangered crowned sifaka
lemurs. For more information: www.sifaka-conservation.org /. Whitley Award donated
by The LJC Fund, in memory of Anthea and Lindsey Turner.
Carlos Vasquez Almazan – GUATEMALA – for creating a network of ‘zero extinction’
zones for amphibians including an important new reserve. For more information:
www.fundaeco.org.gt/. Whitley Award donated by Fondation Segré.
Bernal Rodriguez Herrera – COSTA RICA – for reaching across national borders to coordinate conservation action for Central America’s rich array of bats. For more
information see: www.tirimbina.org /. Whitley Award donated by The Garfield Weston
Foundation.
25
Each receives a trophy and professional development training, as well as £30,000 in grant
aid, and becomes part of an influential global network of Whitley Award winners.
The Whitley Awards scheme is an annual competition, first held in 1994. Since the
scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £9m to support over 140
conservation leaders worldwide. To learn more about the charity, its donors, past
winners, and how to apply for the 2013 awards scheme, please see:
www.whitleyaward.org.
26
Terra.com
May 2012
http://noticias.terra.com.co/ciencia/el-mexicano-rodrigo-medellin-premiado-por-suinvestigacion-sobre9th
El mexicano Rodrigo Medellín premiado por su investigación sobre murciélagos
El científico mexicano Rodrigo A. Medellín, una de las máximas autoridades mundiales
en murciélagos, ha sido galardonado con el premio anual del Fondo Whitley para la
Naturaleza, que reconoce proyectos de conservación y que recogerá de manos de la
Princesa Ana de Inglaterra la próxima semana en Londres
La concesión del premio es un reconocimiento a su labor en informar y revertir
conceptos erróneos sobre los murciélagos, según explica la Fundación Whitney. Las
investigaciones de Medellín y su equipo han demostrado la importancia de los
murciélagos como grandes controladores de plagas, dispersores de semillas y
polinizadores de plantas ecológicas, además de servir para la conservación de las especies.
El próximo 9 de mayo se celebrará en Londres la ceremonia en la que la Fundación
Whitley galardonará al científico mexicano con un trofeo y una ayuda económica de
30.000 libras (37.000 euros) para financiar su proyecto.
Apoyo a la investigación desde 1994
Otros siete candidatos seleccionados en todo el mundo como finalistas en el certamen de
2012, viajarán también a Londres para entrevistarse con expertos de la Fundación,
quienes decidirán cuales de sus proyectos recibirán apoyo financiero.
El evento anual Whitley Awards ha apoyado desde 1994 a más de 140 científicos
destacados en la conservación de la naturaleza local en más de 60 países, entre los que
este año optan como candidatos otros proyectos todo el mundo, tales como la
conservación de la biodiversidad del paisaje Maya (México) o la conservación coordinada
de los murciélagos de América Central.
27
Univision Noticias.com
Mexican website
9th May 2012
http://feeds.univision.com/feeds/article/2012-05-09/el-mexicano-rodrigo-medellinpremiado
El mexicano Rodrigo Medellín premiado por su investigación sobre murciélagos
El científico mexicano Rodrigo Medellín, una autoridad internacional en materia de
murciélagos, ha sido premiado por su investigación sobre estos mamíferos voladores, lo
que para él supone una prueba de que el público ha empezado a valorarlos.
El galardón, que le entregará esta noche en Londres el Fondo Whitley para la Naturaleza
y está dotado con 30.000 libras (37.200 euros), reconoce los esfuerzos de Medellín por
conservar a los murciélagos.
En una entrevista telefónica hoy con Efe, el experto dijo que este premio es para él "un
honor" porque "significa que los murciélagos están siendo reconocidos por lo que valen y
por los beneficios que nos aportan a los seres humanos".
"He dedicado mi vida -dijo- a demostrarle al mundo que realmente los murciélagos son
una fuente de beneficios constantes para el ser humano. Este premio me hace pensar que
el sentimiento de la gente hacia los murciélagos está cambiando de manera significativa".
Con la dotación económica que recibirá, Medellín espera ampliar sus programas de
conservación a otros cuatro estados de México, además de los veintidós en los que ya está
presente.
"El principal riesgo para los murciélagos es la ignorancia y la falta de conocimiento del
público, que tristemente genera un miedo y un odio completamente irracional a estos
animales", se lamentó el biólogo de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Entre los problemas que afrontan estos animales, Medellín citó la destrucción de sus
refugios con dinamita, el vandalismo en las cuevas, el uso de gas cianuro para terminar
con ellos, las especies invasoras y el síndrome de la nariz blanca (una enfermedad causada
por un hongo y que se ha detectado en el noreste de EEUU).
El científico mexicano subrayó que uno de los principales beneficios de los murciélagos
para los seres humanos es el control biológico de las plagas agrícolas, ya que la mayoría
de estos animales se alimentan de insectos.
28
"Según nuestros estudios, cada millón de murciélagos destruye aproximadamente diez
toneladas de insectos cada noche. Sin ellos, los insectos se comerían cosechas enteras de
maíz, algodón, frijol o chile", precisó Medellín.
En este sentido, Medellín descubrió en sus investigaciones que el valor económico del
control de plagas agrícolas por parte de los murciélagos equivale a 700.000 dólares
(541.000 euros) por cada cien kilómetros cuadrados de cultivo de algodón.
Medellín recordó también que estos animales desempeñan un papel muy importante en la
polinización de plantas como el agave -del que se extrae el tequila-, o los cactus saguaros,
que no podrían existir sin ellos.
Entre sus líneas de investigación presentes y futuras figuran las rutas y fechas migratorias
de estas especies y el estudio del comportamiento de los murciélagos hematófagos,
aquellos que se alimentan de sangre y que, según Medellín, inspiraron a Bram Stoker para
su novela "Drácula".
Medellín recibirá el premio Whitley durante una ceremonia que tendrá lugar en la Real
Sociedad de Geografía de Londres, de manos de la princesa Ana, hija de la reina
Elizabeth II.
29
Pavlova Diaries
May 11th
Bats go for gold
Notting Hill-based Whitley Fund for Nature reaches across the globe to finance
conservationists working with communities to protect their wildlife. Last week it’s patron
Princess Anne handed out eight awards worth £240,000 to winners at the Royal
Geographical Society. Rodrigo Medellin (above) won the gold award worth £30,000 for
his work with bats in Mexico. Supporter of Whitley Fund for Nature David
Attenborough said at the ceremony: “His pioneering work to highlight the vital role that
bats play in the ecosystem, and their importance to people’s lives, has had a tremendous
impact on the way bats are perceived in his native Mexico and beyond.” Attenborough
added: “There are more and more people in the world and the problems of conservation
are never going to cease. Sometimes people think why don’t we give up? but I could
never look my grandchildren in the face and say we were giving up.”
www.whitleyaward.org
30
Lisel Alamilla
Belize
Uniting Stake Holders for the effective conservation of the Maya
Golden Landscape
_________________________________________________
Winner of The Whitley Award donated by
The William Brake Charitable Trust
___________________________________________________
31
WEBSITES
Lisel’s film has been shown on many websites including:
 Youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9r9iFsQveY
 Frequency.com
http://www.frequency.com/video/lisel-alamilla-speech-at-whitley-awards/49492228

Caribdaily.com
CARIBDAILY
caribbean news, aggregated
32
Telegraph online showing Lisel’s film
17th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Awardgiven-to-bat-expert-for-conservation-achievement
Lisel Alamilla, Belize, wins an award for her work at the Ya‟axché Conservation Trust,
a community empowerment and education project in the biodiversity-rich Maya Golden
Landscape of Southern Belize.
Winners receive a trophy and professional development training as well as £30,000 in
grant aid, and become part of an influential global network of Whitley Award winners.
conservation leaders worldwide.
33
Daily Telegraph
16th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9258064/Dame-Kelly-Holmesstruggles-to-dress-for-the-Duchess-of-Cambridge-at-Olympic-Ball.html
Prince Harry’s recent tour of the Caribbean was hailed as a great success, but did he
enjoy it a little too much? His aunt, the Princess Royal, handed out the Whitley Fund
for Nature awards this week. One of the winners was Lisel Alamilla, the minister of
forestry, fisheries and sustainable development in Belize. She tells mandrake: “When
I went up to collect my award, Princess Anne asked me about my home country of
Belize and said how Prince Harry had been there recently. I replied, “I know – he
had a lot of fun.” She made a wry look and said, quite forcefully, “we sent him there
to work”.
34
Fauna and Flora International website
18th May 2012
http://www.fauna-flora.org/news/fauna-flora-internationals-partner-in-belize-winswhitley-award/
Fauna & Flora International’s partner in Belize wins Whitley Award
Lisel Alamilla, former Executive Director of Ya’axché Conservation Trust (Ya’axché –
Fauna & Flora International’s partner in Belize) has been announced as a winner at this
year’s Whitley Awards.
The funds from the award will help Ya’axché continue its ongoing work to raise national
awareness and support for protected areas throughout Belize.
Belize is home to a spectacular range of plant and animal species, from the sleek and
beautiful jaguar to the much sought-after xaté palm. With the lowest human population
density in Central America, the country currently boasts a comprehensive protected area
network, which covers 45% of the country’s land surface.
However the discovery of oil, combined with a crippling national debt, rapid population
growth and agricultural expansion, is putting increasing pressure on the government to
open these areas up to development.
The Whitley Award funding will help Ya’axché tackle what it sees as the greatest threat to
the integrity of Belize’s priority habitats: poorly planned and unsustainable development,
35
compounded by public apathy towards (and a failure to comply with) laws governing
Belize’s protected areas.
Ya’axché's is working to secure the future for Belizean wildlife, such as the jaguar (credit:
"Wild Amazon" by Nick Gordon, Evans Mitchell Books).
To achieve this, Ya’axché will build on its extensive experience in conservation advocacy
to increase community participation in the sustainable management of the Maya Golden
Landscape – one of Central America’s last unbroken stretches of broadleaf forest.
Ya’axché is also working to involve private landowners in the planning and management
of Belize’s protected area system, at a local and national level.
The ultimate aim is to strengthen public awareness of and support for protected areas,
and ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved at every step of the decision-making
process.
In this way, Ya’axché hopes to counter any moves towards unsustainable development
within protected areas, thus ensuring lasting protection for Belize’s natural resources.
36
San Pedro Sun
Weekly newspaper, Belize
10th May 2012
http://www.sanpedrosun.com/environment/2012/05/10/hon-lisel-alamilla-winsprestigious-whitley-award-fund/
Hon. Lisel Alamilla wins prestigious Whitley Award Fund
Lisel Alamilla receiving the 2012 Whitley Fund for Nature Award from the Princess Royal, Princess
Anne
Hon. Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, is one
of the recipients of the 2012 Whitley Foundation Awards. She received the Whitley Fund
for Nature award from the Princess Royal at the 2012 Whitley Awards Ceremony, held
on the 9th of May at The Royal Geographical Society in London.
Alamilla joins six other nominees from countries like Indonesia, Madagascar, Peru, and
Costa Rica in competing for project funding worth £30,000 (US$48,480). The honour
37
recognises the Minister’s work to unite and equip the people who live in the Maya
Golden Landscape to match development pressures, including population growth,
agricultural change and increased demand for natural resources, with protection for the
area’s world-class scenery, wildlife and traditions. The Whitely Foundation granted her
the funding, donated by the William Brake Charitable Trust, which she has stated to hand
over to the Ya’axche Conservation Trust here in Belize.
The San Pedro Sun would like to congratulate Minister Alamilla on this award and to thank
her for all the hard work and dedication that she has given to Belize and its people. We
are immensely proud of her and this wonderful achievement.
Here is a full transcript of her acceptance speech:
Lisel Alamilla, Whitley Fund for Nature Award Speech
I really take after my father; he was a champion for social justice. Six week ago I learnt that when my
dad dropped me off for my first day of preschool he told the teacher “take good care of her as you have in
your care a future minister of government”. Was this coincidental or did he see something in me?
He took all of us, his five children to political rallies. During school holidays he dropped me off at the
Supreme Court so that I could listen to interesting cases and see women lawyers in action. And he took
me to his work on the weekends where I sat in his chair and pretended I was the boss. And most
interesting when there were riots against Belize getting its independence he took me to observe the protest. I
was just 14 and I clearly remember being tear-gassed. But what I learnt from all of this is the importance
of being the voice of the voiceless and making the “invisible people” visible. By definition wildlife does not
have a voice I want to give it a voice and make sure that they never become invisible
So, without consciously planning it I became an activist seeking social justice. And today I firmly believe
that we cannot achieve conservation goals without creating a society that is based on the principles of
equality and solidarity. A society that understands and values human rights.A society that recognizes the
dignity of every human being.Ya’axche’ Conservation Trust believes in this, practices it and is passionate
about it. And I ask all of you to learn from what we have done in Belize
38
Channel 5 News
Belize Television
10th May 2012
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/70227
Whitley Fund for Nature Award features Lisel Alamilla
As we reported on Wednesday night,
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and
Sustainable
Development
Lisel
Alamilla, is now also an award winning
conservationist. Alamilla received the
2012 Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)
Award and £30,000 to continue her
work with Ya’axche Conservation Trust
in the south. The recognition is
particularly for conservation efforts in
the area known as the Maya Golden
Landscape, which is home to over three
thousand plant species, one hundred and ten mammals, four hundred birds as
well as ninety-two reptiles and amphibians. Known for its biodiversity, the
landscape is fragile and is threatened by development and agriculture, which
Alamilla has been working with Ya’axche to prevent. Here’s a video by the WFN
on the project that won the award narrated by WFN Trustee, Sir David
Attenborough
The Maya Golden Landscape of Southern Belize; this three hundred thousand acre
patchwork of rainforest, small villages and farmland is home to a stunning array of
biodiversity. More than three thousand species of plant are found here as well as a
number of endemic and threatened species, including jaguars and Belize’s national
animal, the tapir. Although sixty-two percent of Belize’s forests are still intact and with
nearly half lying in protected areas a rapidly growing population is driving demand for the
conversion of land for development and agriculture. Economic debt and pressure to
deregulate protected areas for oil exploration is further moving focus away from
preservation and putting an increasing strain on natural resources.
Lisel Alamilla and the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, however, are fighting to keep
conservation and sustainability at the top of the agenda in Belize. Through advocacy,
39
outreach and education, Lisel and Ya’axche are uniting stakeholders at all levels, ensuring
that the demands of communities at the grassroots are given the
same attention as those at the very top. By improving access to
relevant information, Lisel and her team are empowering
communities to participate in local and national consultations
and decision making, whilst encouraging a lasting commitment
to environmental stewardship. The first of its kind in Belize,
Ya’axche’s integrated approach is building a platform for
effective sustainable development and ensuring that the Maya
Golden Landscape remains a critical haven for biodiversity.
40
Love Television
Televison channel, Belize
9th May 2012
http://www.lovetv.com.bz/2012/05/09/minister-alamilla-wins-the-whitley-award/
Minister Alamilla wins the Whitley award
Lisel Alamilla
The Honorable the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Ms.
Lisel Alamilla has won one of the prestigious Whitley Awards. Alamilla received her
award today from the Princess Royal, during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical
Society in London England. Alamilla joins six other nominees from countries like
Indonesia, Madagascar, Peru, and Costa Rica in competing for project funding worth
£210,000. She won the award for a community empowerment and education project in
the biodiversity-rich Maya golden landscape of southern Belize and along with it, Alamilla
is bringing home £30,000. That money, according to Alamilla will be handed over to the
Ya’axche Conservation Trust.
41
7 Newsbelize.com
Belize News Chanel
11th May 2012
http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=22433
Lisel Alamilla's Award, A Closer Look
Earlier this week we told you about the prestigious international conservation award won
by the Minister of forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Lisel Alamilla.
It's the Whitley Fund For Nature Award for inspirational conservation leadership for the
work Alamilla did to protect the Maya Golden Landscape as Executive Director of the
Ya'axché Conservation Trust.
Tonight we'll share with you the video cataloguing that work - which was prepared by the
Whitely Fund and narrated by renowned naturalist David Attenborough:
As noted before, this is the second year in a row that Belize has a Whitley Award winner last year a similar prize went to marine conservationist Dr Rachel T. Graham. But that's
not all, Marine Biologist Nicole Auil Gomez was the first Belizean to win it back in 2005.
42
Village Post
Belize website
11th May 2012
http://www.villageviewpost.com/2012/05/belizean-won-whitley-fund-for-nature.html
BELIZEAN WON WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE AWARD 2012
Hon. Lisel Alamilla receiving award from Princess Royal, HRH Princess Anne
Hon. Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, is one
of the recipients of the 2012 Whitley Foundation Awards. She received the Whitley Fund
for Nature award from the Princess Royal at the 2012 Whitley Awards Ceremony, held
on the 9th of May at The Royal Geographical Society in London.
Alamilla joins six other nominees from countries like Indonesia, Madagascar, Peru, and
Costa Rica in competing for project funding worth £30,000 (US$48,480). The honour
recognises the Minister’s work to unite and equip the people who live in the Maya
Golden Landscape to match development pressures, including population growth,
agricultural change and increased demand for natural resources, with protection for the
area’s world-class scenery, wildlife and traditions. The Whitely Foundation granted her
the funding, donated by the William Brake Charitable Trust, which she has stated to hand
over to the Ya’axche Conservation Trust here in Belize.
The San Pedro Sun would like to congratulate Minister Alamilla on this award and to thank
her for all the hard work and dedication that she has given to Belize and its people. We
are immensely proud of her and this wonderful achievement.
43
The Guardian
Daily Newspaper, Belize
11th April 2012
http://www.guardian.bz/index.php?option=com
Minister Lisel Alamilla wins a Place in the Finals of Prestigious Conservation Award
Competition
Belize’s newly appointed Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development,
Hon. Lisel Alamilla has been named as a finalist in one of the world’s most prestigious
wildlife competitions, the Whitley Awards.
The nomination means that Hon. Alamilla will now travel to London in May for
interviews with the panel of experts who will decide which of this year’s seven
international candidates will win a share of Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) grants worth
a total £210,000 for their projects.
The results will be announced during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society,
Kensington Gore, London, on Wednesday 9 May at which WFN’s patron, Her Royal
Highness The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) will present the prizes. Commenting on the
shortlist, WFN’s acting director David Wallis said: “Winning a place on the Whitley
Awards shortlist is in itself a major achievement. Entries are always high, and of high
caliber, and only the most committed and effective nature conservationists win through
to the finals. The candidates, we are inviting to London for the next stage of judging, are
particularly impressive. Each one is taking inspirational steps to create a better future
both for people and wildlife and we know that our judges are going to find it very
difficult to choose between them.”
Hon. Lisel Alamilla has won through to the finals because of her work with the Ya’axché
Conservation Trust in promoting conservation of Maya Golden Landscape in southern
44
Belize through multiple-level advocacy. If she is awarded the prize, it will fund Ya’axché
to continue this important work across the Maya Golden Landscape. In addition to
meeting the judges and HRH The Princess Royal, the trip to London includes
opportunities to hear about the work of the six other finalists, attend receptions with
leading conservation organizations and academics, meet WFN donors, and receive
professional development training.
Each Whitley Award winner will also have a new short film made about their work,
narrated by the internationally-acclaimed wildlife broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, a
long-standing supporter and trustee of WFN. The films will be premiered as part of the
awards ceremony and, later, be available to view online on YouTube.
The Whitley Awards scheme is an annual competition, first held in 1994. In the 19 years
since the scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £9m to support the work of
more than 140 grassroots conservation leaders in over 60 countries. To learn more about
the charity, its donors and past winners, please see: www.whitleyaward.org
45
AmberGris.com
April 12th 2012
http://www.ambergristoday.com/content/stories/2012/april/12/minister-lisel-alamilla%E2%80%93-finalist-prestigious-conservation-award
Minister Lisel Alamilla – Finalist of Prestigious Conservation Award
Belmopan, 11 April, 2012 - Belize’s newly appointed Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and
Sustainable Development, Hon. Liselle Alamilla has been named as a finalist in one of
the world’s most prestigious wildlife competitions, the Whitley Awards.
The nomination means that Hon. Alamilla will now travel to London in May for
interviews with the panel of experts who will decide which of this year’s seven
international candidates will win a share of Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) grants worth
a total £210,000 GBP for their projects.
The results will be announced during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society,
Kensington Gore, London, on Wednesday 9 May at which WFN’s patron, Her Royal
Highness The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) will present the prizes.
Commenting on the shortlist, WFN’s acting director David Wallis said: “Winning a place
on the Whitley Awards shortlist is in itself a major achievement. Entries are always high,
and of high caliber, and only the most committed and effective nature conservationists
win through to the finals. The candidates we are inviting to London for the next stage of
judging are particularly impressive. Each one is taking inspirational steps to create a better
future both for people and wildlife and we know that our judges are going to find it very
difficult to choose between them.”
Hon. Lisel Alamilla has won through to the finals because of her work with the Ya’axché
Conservation Trust in promoting conservation of Maya Golden Landscape in southern
46
Belize through multiple-level advocacy. If she is awarded the prize it will fund Ya’axché
to continue this important work across the Maya Golden Landscape.
In addition to meeting the judges and HRH The Princess Royal, the trip to London
includes opportunities to hear about the work of the six other finalists, attend receptions
with leading conservation organizations and academics, meet WFN donors and receive
professional development training.
Each Whitley Award winner will also have a new short film made about their work,
narrated by the internationally-acclaimed wildlife broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, a
long-standing supporter and trustee of WFN. The films will be premiered as part of the
awards ceremony and, later, be available to view online on YouTube.
The Whitley Awards scheme is an annual competition, first held in 1994. In the 19 years
since the scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £9m to support the work of
more than 140 grassroots conservation leaders in over 60 countries. To learn more about
the charity, its donors and past winners, please see: www.whitleyaward.org.
47
My Belize.net
14th May 2012
Lisel Alamilla wins Whitley Fund for Nature Award 2012(0)
The 2012 Whitley Awards Ceremony was held on the 9th of
May at The Royal Geographical Society in London. The
Ceremony was hosted by writer and broadcaster John McCarthy
with Whitley Awards presented to the winners by WFN Patron,
HRH The Princess Royal. Bat expert Dr Rodrigo Medellin, of
Mexico, became the first winner of a newly-created annual [...]
48
Pole to Tropics Blog spot
May 2012
http://poletotropics.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/yaaxche-in-whitley-awards-2012.html
49
Raggamuffin Tours.com
11th May 2012
http://raggamuffintours.com/2012/05/hon-lisel-alamilla-wins-whitley-award/
Hon Lisel Alamilla wins Whitley Award!
Belize glows with pride again as yet another of our Belize eco-warriors earns
International recognition by winning a major conservation award in England from
Princess Anne. Hon Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable
Development was this years prize winner of thirty thousand pounds, donated by the
William Blake Charitable Trust.
Alamilla has been selected for the prestigious Whitley Award for inspirational
conservation leadership for her work to protect the Maya Golden Landscape when she
was Executive Director of the Ya’axché Conservation Trust – a post which she left after
the election in February to become a Senator-Minister.
Although Alamilla has been noted in the past for her more terrestrial work, she is very
much linked with last year’s winner of the same award, Dr Rachel Graham, who is
Belize’s resident Shark and all round Marine biologist who will not allow her to take her
eye off our precious reef in her current position.
Congratulations Lisel – it has been too long since you visited Caye Caulker, come back
soon
50
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto
Peru
Marine Conservation through the empowerment of coastal fishing
communities
_____________________________________________________
Goldman Sachs
51
WEBSITES
The websites below and many more showed Joanna’s films
http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Joanna-Alfaro-Shigueto-empowering-coastal-fishing6229498/
52
Telegraph online showing Joanna’s film
17th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Award-given-tobat-expert-for-conservation-achievement
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto, in Peru, wins an Award for her work with the NGO
ProDelphinus to engage and involve coastal fishing communities in the conservation of
several marine species, including turtles and seabirds.
Winners receive a trophy and professional development training, as well as £30,000 in
conservation leaders worldwide
53
BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour
8th May 2012
Joanna was interviewed for 10 minutes on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on 8th May.
54
El Comercio
Daily Newspaper, Peru
May 15th 2012
Circulation 130,000
55
56
57
58
Western Morning News
UK regional daily newspaper
22nd May 2010
Marine conservation work lands top award
A West Country academic has been presented with an award by the Princess Royal for
her dedication to conservation.
University of Exeter research fellow Joanna Alfaro Shigueto received the Whitley Award
for inspirational conservation leadership for her work to build a better future for Pacific
coast wildlife and fishing communities.
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto with the Princess Royal who presented the award for
inspirational conservation leadership
Originally from Peru, the academic is a recent graduate of the Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the University's Tremough Campus. She is currently working with
University of Exeter colleagues on a Darwin Initiative-funded project which involves
working with fishermen, non-governmental organisations and national fisheries agency in
Peru to promote the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable fishing.
Ms Alfaro Shigueto, the head of the conservation non-profit organisation ProDelphinius,
received the honour during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London,
hosted by Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) – the UK-based charity which organises the
international awards scheme.
Her Whitley Award comprises a project grant of £30,000 – donated by Goldman Sachs –
an engraved trophy, membership of the influential network of past Whitley Award
winners and professional development training.
59
The award recognises Ms Alfaro Shigueto's efforts to protect the many marine species
which feed and breed off Peru's long Pacific coast, including turtles, rays, sharks and
Humboldt penguin, while also improving catches and profits for the many thousands of
coastal families who depend on small-scale fishing for food and income.
The Westcountry research fellow said: "This award means so much to me and will make a
huge difference to my work. This work could have an impact on the livelihoods of
thousands of small-scale fishermen in Peru, but also could reduce the impact of their
fisheries on threatened fauna such as turtles, dolphins and seabirds."
Professor David Hosken, director of the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the Tremough Campus, said: "Joanna plays a key role in our work in
Peru, where we are working with local fishermen, NGOs and national fisheries to
promote sustainable fishing. This award will help to raise the awareness of the
importance of this work, which is helping to protect Peru's amazing marine biodiversity
and ensure that local people can continue to support themselves through sustainable
fishing."
scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £6 million to support more than 140
60
UK Embassy
Lima, Peru
22nd May 2012
http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/ukinperu/es/2012/05/22/pesca-iniciativa-darwin-y-premiopara-una-peruana/
Pesca, iniciativa Darwin y premio para una peruana
El 22 de mayo se celebra el Día Internacional de la Biodiversidad y el tema de este año
está basado en los ecosistemas marinos. La peruana Joanna Alfaro, Directora de
ProDelphinus, acaba de recibir un prestigioso premio en el campo de la conservación
otorgado por la Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN).
ProDelphinus, trabaja desde el 2001 para la conservación de especies marinas en peligro
en el Perú, como tortugas y aves marinas, nutrias marinas, cetáceos y tiburones. Los
proyectos que se llevan a cabo están relacionados a la captura no deseada de estas
especies en la pesca artesanal. Actualmente, ProDelphinus está focalizado en cómo
solucionar y reducir la pesca no deseada de estas maravillosas especies.
“El Océano Pacífico del lado del Perú es una de las zonas más productivas del planeta.
Sostiene una de las pesquerías más grandes a nivel mundial- la pesca de la anchoveta. Esta
gran productividad de sus aguas, nos permiten recibir especies, algunas en peligro de
extinción, que viajan miles de kilómetros para alimentarse – como las tortugas laúd
(Dermochelys coriacea) que vienen desde las playas de anidación en México o Costa Rica; así
como las tortugas amarillas (Caretta caretta) que vienen desde Australia a 8000 kilómetros
de distancia”, expresa Jeffrey Mangel, PhD, de la Universidad de Exeter, Reino
Unido.
61
Etiqueta Verde
Environment Magazine
March - April 2012
62
This is Cornwall website
22nd May 2012
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Marine-conservation-work-lands-award/story16153131-detail/story.html
Marine conservation work lands top award
A West Country academic has been presented with an award by the Princess Royal for
her dedication to conservation.
University of Exeter research fellow Joanna Alfaro Shigueto received the Whitley Award
for inspirational conservation leadership for her work to build a better future for Pacific
coast wildlife and fishing communities.
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto with the Princess Royal who presented the award for
inspirational conservation leadership
Originally from Peru, the academic is a recent graduate of the Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the University's Tremough Campus. She is currently working with
University of Exeter colleagues on a Darwin Initiative-funded project which involves
working with fishermen, non-governmental organisations and national fisheries agency in
Peru to promote the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable fishing.
63
Ms Alfaro Shigueto, the head of the conservation non-profit organisation ProDelphinius,
received the honour during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London,
hosted by Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) – the UK-based charity which organises the
Her Whitley Award comprises a project grant of £30,000 – donated by Goldman Sachs –
an engraved trophy, membership of the influential network of past Whitley Award
The award recognises Ms Alfaro Shigueto's efforts to protect the many marine species
which feed and breed off Peru's long Pacific coast, including turtles, rays, sharks and
Humboldt penguin, while also improving catches and profits for the many thousands of
coastal families who depend on small-scale fishing for food and income.
The West Country research fellow said: "This award means so much to me and will make
a huge difference to my work. This work could have an impact on the livelihoods of
thousands of small-scale fishermen in Peru, but also could reduce the impact of their
fisheries on threatened fauna such as turtles, dolphins and seabirds."
Professor David Hosken, director of the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the Tremough Campus, said: "Joanna plays a key role in our work in
Peru, where we are working with local fishermen, NGOs and national fisheries to
promote sustainable fishing. This award will help to raise the awareness of the
importance of this work, which is helping to protect Peru's amazing marine biodiversity
and ensure that local people can continue to support themselves through sustainable
fishing."
scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £9 million to support more than 140
64
Exeter University Website
May 2012
University of Exeter website
+
Latest news
Exeter physicist sheds light on science with Ethiopian school children
A University of Exeter physicist has shared his love of science with nearly 600 school
children in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa.
£30,000 award to South West sea-life scientist
HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) has presented a Whitley Award for
inspirational conservation leadership to University of Exeter research fellow Joanna
Alfaro Shigueto for her work to build a better future for Pacific coast wildlife and fishing
communities.
65
Exeter University website
May 12th 2012
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/sustainability/newsandevents/archive/title_209503_en.html
Sustainability
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto receives her award from HRH The Princess Royal. Photo: James
Finlay.
£30,000 award to South West sea-life scientist
HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) has presented a Whitley Award for
inspirational conservation leadership to University of Exeter research fellow
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto for her work to build a better future for Pacific coast
wildlife and fishing communities.
Originally from Peru, Joanna is a recent graduate of the Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the University’s Cornwall Campus.
She is currently working with University of Exeter colleagues on a Darwin Initiativefunded project which involves working with fishermen, non-governmental organisations
and national fisheries agency in Peru to promote the conservation of marine biodiversity
and sustainable fishing.
Joanna, the head of the conservation non-profit organisation ProDelphinius, received the
honour during a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London, hosted by
Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) – the UK-based charity which organises the
Her Whitley Award comprises a project grant of £30,000 – donated by Goldman Sachs an engraved trophy, membership of the influential network of past Whitley Award
66
The award recognises Joanna’s efforts to protect the many marine species which feed and
breed off Peru’s long Pacific coast, including turtles, rays, sharks and Humboldt penguin,
while also improving catches and profits for the many thousands of coastal families who
depend on small scale fishing for food and income.
Joanna Alfaro Shigueto said: “This award means so much to me and will make a huge
difference to my work. This work could have an impact on the livelihoods of thousands
of small-scale fishermen in Peru, but also could reduce the impact of their fisheries on
threatened fauna such as turtles, dolphins and seabirds.”
Professor David Hosken, Director of the University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and
Conservation at the Cornwall Campus said: “Congratulations to Joanna on winning this
prestigious international award. Joanna plays a key role in our work in Peru, where we are
working with local fishermen, NGOs and national fisheries to promote sustainable
fishing. This award will help to raise the awareness of the importance of this work, which
is helping to protect Peru’s amazing marine biodiversity and ensure that local people can
continue
to
support
themselves
through
sustainable
fishing.”
Congratulating Joanna on her success, David Wallis, Acting Director of Whitley Fund for
Nature, said: “The aim of the Whitley Award is to commend conservationists from
around the world who are inspiring real and positive change for people and wildlife. In
Joanna’s case, the judges were particularly impressed by her success in persuading coastal
communities not only that fishing and sea-life conservation can co-exist but that it can
also be more efficient and profitable, and by her efforts to convince Peru’s famous fish
restaurants that selling sustainably-caught fish is better for everyone.”
The presentations were watched by a 350-strong audience, including embassy
representatives, Whitley Fund for Nature donors and leading environmentalists.
As part of the ceremony, The Princess Royal and other guests watched a series of short
films showing finalists at work. The screenings included a film about Joanna’s work
narrated by the world-renowned wildlife broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, a Trustee
of WFN. The Whitley Awards scheme is an annual competition, first held in 1994. Since
the scheme began, it has given grants worth more than £9m to support over 140
67
CeDePesca
Peruvian website
May 2012
http://www.cedepesca.net/detalle-articulo-boletin.php?id=438
PERU: Biologist Receives Award for her work in Marine Conservation
ProDelphinus - Dr. Joanna Alfaro Shigueto won the award given by Fundacion
Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) , thanks to a project that encourages Peruvian
fishermen to fish without impacting marine species threatened with extinction.
The awards show was in London and responsible for making the presentation was
WFN Patron, HRH Princess
Anne.
The award recognizes their work
and inspiration for leadership for
turtles, dolphins and seabirds.
Shigueto as ProDelphinus director,
was responsible for receiving the
30,000 pounds (about 50, 000
dollars) at the ceremony held at the
Royal Geographical Society in
London. Princess Anne, gave out
Awards worth a total of 240,000 pounds (about 500.000 thousand dollars) towards the
conservation of selected countries around the world. The audience of 350 people
comprised of representatives from the embassies of the winning countries, donors and
leading conservationists.
WFN is a UK charity which organizes the system of international awards. Since 1994
has delivered a total of 140 awards for conservationists from 60 countries for a total of 9
million pounds. Video on the work of ProDelphinus, narrated by Sir David
Attenborough, narrator of the BBC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hfc0r_1_LSg
68
Budiono
Indonesia
Conserving Indonesia’s last freshwater dolphins: Community–
action for Protected Area management
_________________________________________________
WWF-UK
69
WEBSITES
The websites below and many more showed Budi’s films
http://www.5min.com/
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xquz5x_dolphin-conservation-in-indonesia_news
http://www.naomane.com/Budiono/
http://www.channels.com/episodes/12706822#/episodes/12706822
70
Telegraph online showing Budi’s film
17th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Awardgiven-to-bat-expert-for-conservation-achievement
Ir ‘Budi’ Budiono, director of Yayasan Konservasi in Indonesia, wins an Award for
rallying local support in the wetlands of the Mahakam River to save his country’s last
freshwater dolphins
conservation leaders worldwide
71
News Organiser website
May 17th 2012
http://www.newsorganizer.com/article/whitley-awards-ir-budi-budiono9e5bc0ebc9c69b21d6c261b07c40f562/
Whitley awards: Ir ‘Budi’ Budiono in Indonesia
Indonesia- Wetlands- Pollution
Ir ‘Budi’ Budiono is the Director of Yayasan Konservasi (YK-RASI), an NGO working
in the wetlands around the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan, Indonesia – the last
refuge for a critically endangered population of freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin, (or pesut,
as it is known locally).
The pesut is the official emblem of the region and a symbol of good luck but numbers
have crashed in recent years, partly because of over-fishing and competition with humans
for fish but also because of pollution, development and wetland drainage for palm oil
plantations.
Today it is believed that there may be as few as 90 pesut left. Hope is far from lost,
though. Through YK-RASI, Budi is using the pesut as the flagship for a conservation
initative designed in partnership with local people and enabling them to become effective
wetland wildlife guardians. Measures include amending fishing methods to prevent
entanglements, learning how to free dolphins safely, reducing pressure on natural
resources and exploring eco-tourism opportunities.
Pesut aren’t the only creatures which will benefit. The Mahakam River system supports
many other disappearing species, such the false gavial and Siamese crocodiles, proboscis
monkeys, smooth- coated otters and the bold lesser adjutant bird.
FROM DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’S VOICE-OVER: “Having already reached 8,000
households along the river, Budiono is rallying strong local support for conservation and
ensuring a brighter future for Indonesia’s last population of freshwater dolphins.”
For more information: www.ykrasi.110mb.com .
72
Biofresh Blog
11th May 2012
http://biofreshblog.com/
Two freshwater conservationists win a prestigious Whitley Award for
Conservation
At this week’s 2012 Whitley Awards Ceremony two freshwater conservationists were
among the eight winners. The Whitley Fund for Nature locates and recognizes the
world’s most dynamic conservation leaders and support projects founded on good
science, community involvement and pragmatism.
Ir Bundioni was honored for his efforts to conserve Indonesia’s last
population of freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mahakam River
system. In 2000 Budi, founded the NGO Yayasan Konservasi RASI
(YK-RASI) to protect endangered aquatic species and their habitats
in Indonesia. They are working to established community-supported
protected areas for the dolphins and their prey and deploying the dolphin as a flagship
species to promote the adoption of less harmful fishing practices and the development of
ecotourism and other alternative livelihoods.
Carlos Vasquez Almazan, Curator of Herpetology at Guatamla’s
National Museum of Natural History and Coordinator of the
Amphibian Conservation Programme of Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation (FUNDAECO), was honored
efforts to rally support for protection of the Sierra Caral cloud forest
on the border of Guatemala and Honduras. Carlos has led amphibian surveys across
Guatemala discovering new species and re-discovering others thought to be extinct. In so
doing he has raised interest in the country’s diverse amphibian fauna. As a result,
Guatemala’s first reserve for amphibian conservation, encompassing 2,300 hectares, and
protecting five critically endangered species was declared in 2011. The BioFresh Blog
salutes the great work of Budi and Carlos and we wish them every success in the future.
73
Inza Kone
Ivory Coast
Community-based conservation of critically endangered West
African primates
_________________________________________________
The Shears Foundation
74
RADIO
 Inza was interviewed for BBC World Network Africa – 12th May 2012
(50 million audience
French version & English links below
http://www.bbc.co.uk/afrique/nos_emissions/2012/05/120511_invite.shtm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/2011/04/000000_network_africa.sht
ml
 Cote d’Ivoire National Radio – Inza was interviewed on 27th June 2012
75
Telegraph online showing Inza’s film
17th May 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Award-given-tobat-expert-for-conservation-achievement
Inza Koné, in the Ivory Coast, head of Biodiversity and Food Security with the Swiss
Centre for Scientific Research wins an Award for acting to secure a better future for
people and wildlife in a last stronghold of West Africa’s three most endangered primates.
76
L’Inter
Daily Newspaper, Ivory Coast
17th May 2012
77
Fratmat.info
Daily Newspaper, Cote d’Ivoire
17th May 2012
http://www.fratmat.info/accueil/sciences-et-technologies/18287-sauvegarde-desprimates-en-dangerdr-i-kone-de-la-l-responsabilisation-effective-des-communautes-r.html
Sauvegarde des primates en danger/Dr I. Koné : DE LA
«RESPONSABILISATION EFFECTIVE DES COMMUNAUTÉS »
Il est de retour de Londres, où il a reçu, le
9 mai dernier, le Whitley Award for
Nature, prix récompensant les meilleures
initiatives de scientifiques dans le domaine
de la conservation de la nature. Dans cette
interview accordée à www.fratmat.info, le
Dr. Inza Koné, primatologue à
l’Université d’Abidjan-Cocody et directeur
du département biodiversité et sécurité
alimentaire au Centre suisse de recherche
scientifique, revient sur les études qui lui
ont permis d’atteindre cette performance.
Le Whitley Award for Nature peut être assimilé au Nobel de la Conservation de la
nature. Que ressent-on de recevoir une distinction d'une telle envergure?
Une joie indescriptible, un sentiment de fierté, une grande satisfaction et un sentiment de
reconnaissance vis-à-vis de toutes les personnes morales ou physiques qui ont contribué
de près ou de loin au rayonnement de notre travail. Une mention spéciale aux
communautés locales du département de Tiapoum (Sud-Est de la Côte d’Ivoire) dont
l’engagement constant aura permis d’obtenir des résultats remarquables.
78
Pouvez-vous résumer les études qui vous ont valu ce prix?
Il s’agit d’une série d’études et d’actions visant la conservation de la forêt des Marais
Tanoé-Ehy qui est la seule abritant les derniers survivants de trois espèces de singes : le
Colobe Bai de Miss Waldron, le Cercopithèque Diane Roloway et le Cercocèbe couronné,
respectivement appelés Etachié, Kakahua et Kpamlêh en N’zima. Il s’agit des trois
espèces les plus menacées de disparition en Afrique de l’ouest, qui font également partie
des vingt-cinq primates les plus menacés de disparition au monde.
Notre travail a, d’abord, consisté à faire des recherches, d’une part pour bien connaître la
forêt des Marais Tanoé-Ehy, ses animaux et ses plantes et d’autre part, pour comprendre
ce que cette forêt représente pour les communautés riveraines. Ensuite, il a été question
d’amener les villageois à s’appuyer sur leurs valeurs, leurs forces et leurs aspirations. Ce,
afin d’être en première ligne des actions pour la sauvegarde de leur patrimoine
exceptionnel.
Ces
actions
comprennent
la
sensibilisation,
l’organisation
des
communautés, le renforcement des capacités de groupes cibles, la surveillance de la forêt,
les démarches officielles pour le classement de la forêt en Réserve naturelle volontaire et
la recherche du bien-être.
Les juges disent avoir été impressionnés par la façon dont vous impliquez les
populations locales à chaque étape du projet de conservation. Qu'est-ce qui a
guidé votre démarche?
Nous avons voulu aller au-delà des approches dites participatives qui se limitent trop
souvent à associer simplement les communautés à la mise en œuvre des actions de
conservation en leur confiant des tâches secondaires (main d’œuvre, participation
symbolique à de grandes rencontres…, etc.). Ces approches ayant montré leurs limites,
nous sommes plus dans la logique de responsabilisation effective des communautés. Elles
doivent savoir que la conservation de leur patrimoine est leur affaire avant tout et elles
doivent se sentir capables de s’organiser à cette fin. Mon équipe et moi, nous nous
contentons d’apporter aux communautés le complément d’information et de technicité
dont elles ont besoin pour être plus efficaces.
Quel est votre prochain challenge?
79
Le prochain défi est de faire en sorte que les communautés riveraines parviennent à
obtenir un statut officiel de Réserve naturelle volontaire pour la forêt des Marais TanoéEhy. Et que les singes en voie de disparition qui n’existent plus que dans cette forêt y
prospèrent définitivement grâce à l’action combinée des communautés et de partenaires
engagés dans une vision à long terme.
Au-delà de la satisfaction de voir nos efforts jouir d’une reconnaissance exceptionnelle au
plan international, obtenir un prix si prestigieux est une invitation à plus d’engagement et
d’actions. Cela est l’affaire de tous et je sais pouvoir compter sur le ministère de
l’Environnement et du Développement durable, le corps préfectoral du département de
Tiapoum, le Centre suisse de recherches scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, l’Ufr Biosciences
de l’Université de Cocody, les Ong nationales et internationales, et surtout les
communautés locales et leurs élus pour continuer de jouer leur partition dans le
processus.
80
Fratmat.info
Cote d’Ivoire
18th May 2012
http://www.fratmat.info/component/content/article/69-slide/18100distinctionconservation-de-la-nature-le-dr-inza-kone-laureat-du-whitley-award-fornature.html
Ivory Coast has just had one more reason to proclaim its back on the international stage.
Dr. Inza Koné, a primatologist at the University of Abidjan Cocody and Director of
Biodiversity and Food Security at the Swiss Center for Scientific Research, has won this
Wednesday, May 9, the Whitley Award for Nature Award for best initiatives scientists in
the field of nature conservation. The ceremony was held at the Royal Geographical
Society in London.
His fight to save the forest Tanoé (southeast of Ivory Coast at
the border with Ghana) and fauna (which includes at least
three species of endangered monkeys) is the reason that Dr.
Inza Koné is distinguished by Her Royal Highness, Princess
Anne.
"The judges were particularly impressed by how Inza involves
local people at every stage of the conservation project including the monitoring of wildlife - while improving the
welfare of families with means that reduce the pressure on
natural resources” said the statement announcing the
coronation of scientific Ivorian.
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Chester Zoo
July 2012
http://www.chesterzoo.org/conservation-and-research/latest-field-news/whitley-awardivory-coast-conservation
Prestigious Award for Chester Zoo Supported Project
Inza Koné, project manager of a Chester Zoo-supported
community-based conservation project in Tanoé Forest
on West Africa’s Ivory Coast has won a prestigious
Whitley Award for his work. The 12,000 hectare Tanoé
forest is home to at least three critically endangered
subspecies of monkey; the Roloway guenon, the Whitenapped mangabey and Miss Waldron’s red colobus.
In fact, it is the only place where all three primates are thought to exist in the same area.
Poaching, logging and small-scale agricultural clearings are the main threats on the forest
and in 2008, Inza led a successful campaign to protect the forest against proposals to
convert 8,000 hectares of it into a palm oil plantation.
Inza Kone receiving his award from HRH Princess Anne
The project also works to improve the welfare of local communities and build capacity
for them to conduct routine conservation activities and implement development projects.
Chester Zoo has supported the Tanoé Forest project for the past five years via its French
partner CEPA (Conservation des Espèces et des Populations Animales) and we are
delighted that the Whitley Fund for Nature has recognised Inza’s achievements through
this award. Congratulations Inza!
82
CSRS website
18th May 2012
http://www.csrs.ch/index_csrs.php
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All Africa.com
12th May 2012
http://allafrica.com
Afrique de l'Ouest: Conservation de la nature - Le Dr Inza Koné lauréat du Whitley
Award for nature
La Côte d'Ivoire vient d'avoir une raison de plus de clamer son retour sur la scène
internationale. Le Dr Inza Koné, primatologue à l'université d'Abidjan Cocody et
directeur du département Biodiversité et Sécurité alimentaire au Centre Suisse de
Recherche Scientifique, vient de remporter, ce mercredi 9 mai, le Whitley Award for
Nature, prix récompensant les meilleures initiatives de scientifiques dans le domaine de la
conservation de la nature. La cérémonie de remise s'est tenue au Royal Geographical
Society à Londres.
C'est pour son combat pour la sauvegarde de la forêt Tanoé (sud-est de la Côte d'Ivoire à
la frontière avec le Ghana) et de sa faune (qui comprend au moins trois espèces de singes
en voie d'extinction) que le Dr Inza Koné est distingué par Son Altesse Royale, la
princesse Anne.
« Les juges ont été particulièrement impressionnés par la façon dont Inza implique les
populations locales à chaque étape du projet de conservation - y compris la surveillance
de la faune - tout en améliorant le bien-être des familles dans les moyens qui réduisent la
pression sur les ressources naturelles », indique le communiqué annonçant le sacre du
scientifique ivoirien.
Félicitant le lauréat 2012 du Whitley Award for Nature, David Wallis, directeur par
intérim du Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN, initiateur du prix) a désigné le Dr Koné
comme faisant partie des « écologistes qui inspirent un changement réel et positif pour les
personnes et les animaux sauvages, ainsi que pour les habitats qu'ils partagent ».
Le Whitley Award for Nature comprend une subvention de projet de 30,000 Livres
Sterling (environ 24 millions 400 mille francs CFA), un trophée gravé, l'introduction au
réseau influent des derniers lauréats Whitley et un perfectionnement professionnel.
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Grasp.org
15th May 2012
http://www.un-grasp.org/news/87-grasp-scientific-advisor-earns-whitley-award
GRASP Scientific Advisor Wins Whitley Award
Primate expert Inza Koné, who has served as a member
of the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP)
Scientific Commission since 2007, has won a Whitley
Fund for Nature award in support of community
conservation projects in his native Cote d’Ivoire.
Koné was honored for his work to protect the 12,000hectare Tanoé Forest, which is home to critically endangered monkey species, including
Miss Waldron’s red colobus, which is so rare that scientists had considered it extinct as
recently as 2000.
Koné received his Whitley Fund for Nature award at a ceremony the Royal Geographical
Society in London, where he was lauded for “acting to secure a better future for people
and wildlife in a last stronghold of West Africa’s three most endangered primates. “
Princess Anne presented the award, which included a USD $50,000 cash prize.
Koné is the Head of Biodiversity and Food Security at the Swiss Centre for Scientific
Research in Cote d’Ivoire and the leader of the Country’s Research and Actions for the
Conservation of Primates programme (RASAP-CI).
“GRASP is extremely proud of Inza and his work to protect primates and their habitat in
West Africa,” said GRASP coordinator Doug Cress. “Although based upon science, his
work also required the mobilization of communities to play an active role in conserving
85
the forests. That sort of broad-based effort – while difficult – gives us hope that Africa’s
primates can have a secure future.”
The Tanoé Forest forms a natural border between Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, but the
region traditionally received little conservation attention. It wasn’t until surveys revealed
the existence of roloway guenons, white-naped mangabey monkeys, and Miss Waldron’s
red colobus – coupled with plans to convert much of the forest in palm oil plantations
beginning in 2008 – that Koné could assemble the necessary community support to
protect the area.
Said Koné: “Local chiefs were enthusiastic about initiating a conservation programme
based on the empowerment of local communities. Discussions with them and other
community members highlighted their willingness to be organized to protect ancestral
heritage and biodiversity for future generations.”
To maintain local commitment, Koné and his team provided access to safe drinking
water, medical supplies and education to demonstrate that conservation does not have to
be a choice between protecting wildlife and human welfare, but instead that conservation
and poverty reduction can go hand-in-hand. They are also working to return forest
management and biodiversity monitoring responsibilities back to the communities.
For more information, please visit http://whitleyaward.org.
86
Synapse website
Ivory Coast
18th May 2012
Dr. Inza Koné, lauréat de l’édition 2012 du Whitley Award for Nature
Londres, Royal Geographical Society, 9 Mai 2012 – Le Dr Koné Inza a reçu cette
semaine des mains de son Altesse Royale, la princesse Anne, le Prix Whitley Award for
Nature comprenant le montant de 30,000 Livres Sterling soit 24 400 000 CFA, un
trophée gravé, l’introduction au réseau influent des derniers lauréats Whitley et un
perfectionnement professionnel.
Le Dr. Koné Inza, primatologue à l’université d’Abidjan Cocody et directeur du
département Biodiversité et Sécurité alimentaire au Centre Suisse de Recherche
Scientifique, est distingué pour son combat inlassable en faveur de la sauvegarde de la
Forêt des Marais Tanoé située dans le sud-est de la Côte d’Ivoire à la frontière avec le
Ghana et comprenant au moins 3 espèces de singes en voie d’extinction.
Ce prix de renommée internationale, vise à récompenser d’éminents chercheurs ayant
apporté une contribution majeure dans le domaine de la conservation de la nature.
La Côte d’ivoire, de manière plus spécifique, le Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques
en Côte d’Ivoire en tire une grande fierté pour avoir contribué à faire naitre un talent
avéré dont les mérites sont plus que jamais reconnus à l’échelle internationale.
87
RASAP-CI website
www.rasapci.org
LES SINGES SONT EN PERIL : AGIR EST UN DEVOIR !
88
Les singes sont les espèces animales les plus proches de l’homme aussi bien sur le plan
morphologique, comportemental que génétique. Les études sur ces proches cousins
peuvent donc être très utiles à l’homme sur plusieurs plans. Malheureusement, sous l’effet
de plusieurs menaces dont la principale est la perte de leur habitat, ces sympathiques
animaux sont en train de disparaître. La situation est très alarmante dans toute la zone
tropicale ouest africaine. En Côte d’ivoire, c’est seulement au Parc National de Taï qu’il
existe des programmes de recherches qui assurent encore le maintien de populations
viables. De ces programmes est même née une fondation pour la sauvegarde des
chimpanzés sauvages. En dehors de cet espace et particulièrement à l’est du fleuve
Sassandra, rien n’est fait et les forêts sont presque vidées de leurs populations simiennes.
Certaines espèces sont devenues très rares quand d’autres ont carrément disparu. Il y a
alors nécessité de mener des actions dans les autres forêts de Côte d’Ivoire, pour dans un
premier temps, connaître le statut des singes qui y restent et dans un second temps,
assurer la survie de ces derniers. Le temps presse, il faut agir avant qu’il ne soit trop tard !
Le temps presse, il faut agir avant qu’il ne soit trop tard !
A travers ce site, vous verrez ce que le programme Recherche et Actions pour la
Sauvegarde des primates de Côte d’Ivoire (RASAP-CI) fait pour répondre à cet appel...
89
Bernal Rodriguez Herrera
Costa Rica
A cooperative regional strategy for the conservation of Central
American bats
_________________________________________________
The Garfield Weston Foundation
_________________________________________________
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Telegraph on line showing Bernal’s film
17th May 2011
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Awardgiven-to-bat-expert-for-conservation-achievement.html
Bernal Rodriguez Herrera, at Tirimbina in Costa Rica, wins an Award for reaching
across national borders to coordinate conservation action for Central America’s rich
array of bats.
91
La Nación
National Daily Newspaper, Costa Rica
21st May 2012
http://www.nacion.com/2012-05-21/AldeaGlobal/desmitificar-murcielagos-en-procurade-su-conservacion.aspx
Desmitificar murciélagos en procura de su conservación
Por su trabajo en favor de la conservación de los murciélagos en Centroamérica, el
investigador costarricense recibió esta semana el Premio Whitley 2012. Este
galardón internacional reconoce a líderes en temáticas de medio ambiente.
Bernal Rodríguez biólogo
Su trabajo como investigador ha ayudado a desmitificar a los murciélagos en
Centroamérica y, más bien, ha dado a conocer cuán importantes son estos mamíferos
para mantener la salud del ecosistema, ya sea como polinizadores o como controladores
de plagas.
Princesa Anne de Inglaterra, en una ceremonia realizada en el Royal Geographical
Society, en Londres.
Aparte de ser profesor e investigador de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), Rodríguez
se desempeña como director académico de Reserva Biológica Tirimbina .
Con motivo del premio, Rodríguez intercambió estas palabras con La Nación:
92
¿Qué significa para usted y para la investigación que se hace en murciélagos un
reconocimiento de este tipo?
El reconocimiento es importante, ya que para mí es una forma de apoyo y estímulo al
trabajo que venimos realizando. Por supuesto que me alegra, pero, sobre todo, nos
asegura continuidad en el trabajo de conservación a nivel regional.
El conocimiento es esencial al tomar acciones de manejo y conservación, ¿cuáles
deberían ser las prioridades de investigación en este sentido?
Precisamente, es prioritario capacitar a conservacionistas a nivel regional, formar
investigadores, que generen conocimiento para esa toma de decisiones.
“Cada país tiene sus prioridades, pero generar, por ejemplo, listas de especies prioritarias
en riesgo de extinción y áreas prioritarias para su conservación, es el tipo de información
básica en la que estamos trabajando a nivel regional”.
¿Qué se ha logrado en cuanto a conservación de murciélagos en comparación a
diez años atrás? ¿Qué nos falta por hacer?
Estoy muy contento. Hace diez años, no teníamos libros de murciélagos de Costa Rica;
ahora hay al menos dos. Comenzábamos a publicar claves de identificación de especies, a
estudiar las distribuciones con colecciones deficientes y, bueno, eso ha cambiado.
“Hoy hay producción científica nacional, nuestro conocimiento no depende de quién
venga o se vaya. Por el contrario, ya hay estudiantes con maestrías y doctorados
trabajando por su país.
“Nos falta, claro. No podemos olvidar que el conocimiento es continuo. Tenemos un
reto inmenso por delante en términos de conservación. Por mencionar dos ejemplos,
creo que es importante entender cómo impactan los cultivos a la diversidad de
murciélagos y cómo podemos disminuir esos impactos, o cómo podemos amplificar los
servicios ambientales que nos brindan estos mamíferos. También falta mucho trabajo en
la difusión de la ciencia para hacer llegar a la sociedad ese conocimiento”.
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News Organiser.com
17th May 2012
http://www.newsorganizer.com/article/whitley-awards-bernal-rodr%C3%ADgue624e68716d2b83f90dd774226bc34e33/
Whitley awards: Bernal Rodríguez Herrera
Bernal Rodríguez Herrera is the Founder and President of the Costa Rican Bat
Conservation Programme, is one of the only people ever to film Latin America’s unusual
white tent-making bat actually making a tent, and now also spear-heads the co-ordination
of bat conservation across Latin America.
Costa Rica and its neighbouring countries are home to more species of bat than
anywhere else in the world but, where once bats were revered by ancient local cultures as
gods and emblems of good luck and fertility, today they are suffering from habitat loss,
misunderstanding and persecution.
Through the Costa Rican programme and a new Latin American network, Bernal is trying
to develop a cross-borders strategy for bat protection. This includes identifying and
training young scientists in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to expand
on his own research and conservation work and rally local support.
In addition, he wants to give the Central American public more ways to find out about
bats and become aware of the vital role they play in eco-system health, especially as
pollinators of food crops and as pest controllers.
FROM DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’S VOICE-OVER: “Community involvement and
education is central to success, with management plans for each country being developed
in partnership with local people who are quickly learning that healthy populations of bats
are valuable allies.
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Carlos Vasquez Almazan
Guatemala
Establishing Guatemala’s first network of nature reserves for
amphibian conservation
_________________________________________________
Fondation Segré
_________________________________________________
95
Telegraph on line showing Carlos’ film
17th May 2011
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9271764/Whitley-Fund-for-Nature-Award-givento-bat-expert-for-conservation-achievement.html
Carlos Vasquez Almazan, in Guatemala wins an Award for work at the Foundation
for Ecodevelopment and Conservation creating a network of ‘zero extinction’ zones for
amphibians including an important new reserve.
96
Amphibian Specialist Group
23rd May 2012
http://www.amphibians.org/blog/2012/05/23/froglog102/
FrogLog has undergone something of a metamorphosis in the past year or so with thanks
to the vision of James Lewis and input of the ASG community. A year ago, almost to the
day, we launched the first “Regional Focus” edition to shine the spotlight on the
impressive array of work being done in different regions, both in understanding and
combating amphibian declines. The response to this new format was inspiring, as are the
stories of success from around the world.
We are bombarded on a daily basis by negative stories from the global media, and news
about the state of our environment is rarely positive. But every now and then we are
offered glimmers of hope that can serve to empower and inspire. Earlier this month
Carlos Vasquez Almazan traveled to London to receive a prestigious Whitley Award for
his incredible contribution to amphibian conservation in Guatemala. Carlos has been a
key player in identifying and securing key habitat for amphibians including the Sierra
Caral, home to a dozen globally threatened amphibians, five of which are found nowhere
else in the world. Carlos is an inspiring example of an individual working tirelessly to
bridge the gap between science and conservation, and has been a valuable ASG partner.
The ASG is also proud to have supported the recent creation of the Rana Terribilis
Amphibian Reserve in Colombia, another conservation victory thanks to an collaboration
among international and local partners. And then of course there is the Search for Lost
Frogs, a simple idea that has caught the attention of the masses from scientist to school
children.
While we should not mislead people to believing that there is not a problem, we must
give them something to believe in if we want them to support the cause to protect
amphibians. This sentiment was echoed in a recent comment on Facebook in response to
a post about the conservation efforts for the Mountain chicken frog (Leptodactylus fallax):
“Successful programs like this need to become more widely known. I think people are
willing to support them if they are aware that they pay off.” So let’s keep raising
awareness about the plight of amphibians, let’s document and learn from our failures, but
let’s also be sure to celebrate and spread the word about our successes, no matter how
small or trivial they may seem, because these success stories may just help foster support
for the cause.
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Biofresh Blog
11th May 2012
http://biofreshblog.com/
Two freshwater conservationists win a prestigious Whitley Award for
Conservation
At this week’s 2012 Whitley Awards Ceremony two freshwater conservationists were
among the eight winners. The Whitley Fund for Nature locates and recognizes the
world’s most dynamic conservation leaders and support projects founded on good
science, community involvement and pragmatism.
Ir Bundioni was honored for his efforts to conserve Indonesia’s last
population of freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mahakam River
system. In 2000 Budi, founded the NGO Yayasan Konservasi RASI
(YK-RASI) to protect endangered aquatic species and their habitats
in Indonesia. They are working to established community-supported
protected areas for the dolphins and their prey and deploying the dolphin as a flagship
species to promote the adoption of less harmful fishing practices and the development of
ecotourism and other alternative livelihoods.
Carlos Vasquez Almazan, Curator of Herpetology at Guatamla’s
National Museum of Natural History and Coordinator of the
Amphibian Conservation Programme of Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation (FUNDAECO), was honored
efforts to rally support for protection of the Sierra Caral cloud forest
on the border of Guatemala and Honduras. Carlos has led amphibian surveys across
Guatemala discovering new species and re-discovering others thought to be extinct. In so
doing he has raised interest in the country’s diverse amphibian fauna. As a result,
Guatemala’s first reserve for amphibian conservation, encompassing 2,300 hectares, and
protecting five critically endangered species was declared in 2011. The BioFresh Blog
salutes the great work of Budi and Carlos and we wish them and their teams every
success in the future.
98
Sociedad.com
http://www.sociedadonline.com/Junio2012/1125144151310.htm
Reconocido en Europa
Guatemalteco destaca por su trabajo ecológico.
Carlos Vásquez Almazán recibió en Londres, Gran Bretaña, el premio Whitley Award
por su proyecto Establecimiento de la primera red de reservas naturales para la
conservación de anfibios en Guatemala.
El galardonado es el curador de Herpetología del Museo de Historia Natural de la USAC
y coordinador del Programa de Conservación de Anfibios, de la Fundación para el
Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación -Fundaeco-. Desde 2008 Vásquez dirige esfuerzos
nacionales para redescubrir anfibios que se distribuyen en sitios ecológicamente
importantes de la Alianza para la Cero Extinción -AZE-, a lo largo del país.
99
Repeating Islands.com
2nd June 2012
http://repeatingislands.com/2012/06/02/blue-vipers-endangered-frogs-and-threatenedbirds-protected-by-new-guatemalan-reserve/
Blue Vipers, Endangered Frogs, and Threatened Birds Protected By New
Guatemalan Reserve
Conservationists are celebrating
the establishment of the new
6,000-acre Sierra Caral Amphibian
Reserve in Guatemala, which will
protect some of the country’s most
endangered wildlife. The reserve is
home to a dozen globally
threatened frogs and salamanders,
five found nowhere else in the
world, three species of threatened
birds, and the recently discovered
Merendon Palm-pitviper
(Bothriechis thalassinus), an
arboreal, blue-toned viper.
Tucked away in the eastern corner of Guatemala near the Caribbean Sea, and running
along the Honduran border, the Sierra Caral is an isolated mountain range that is home
to numerous rare and endangered animals and plants.
Exploration of these mountains has yielded several new discoveries of beetles,
salamanders, frogs, and snakes over the past two decades.
The site will offer protections for many birds including threatened species such as: the
Highland Guan, Great Curassow and Keel-billed Motmot. Furthermore, the site is
known as a haven for an abundance of migratory birds including the Canada Warbler,
Kentucky Warbler, Wood Thrush, Painted Bunting, Worm-eating Warbler, and Louisiana
Waterthrush.
100
“The new Sierra Caral Reserve safeguards key stopover habitat for perhaps millions of
migrating U.S. birds, making it an invaluable addition to Central America’s roster of
protected areas and a real benefit to U.S. bird conservation efforts,” said Dr. George
Fenwick, president of American Bird Conservancy (ABC).
The Sierra Caral forests are especially diverse due to the convergence of floras and faunas
from North and South America, as well as many species unique to the region. Only a few
Merendon Palm Pit Vipers have been found, most often in a palm native to the Sierra
Caral. Guatemalan biologist Carlos Vasquez Almazan, one of the few individuals to find a
Merendon Palm-pitviper in the wild, drew international scientific attention to the
conservation importance of the Sierra Caral in recent years. He was recently awarded the
prestigious Whitley Award for Conservation that recognizes outstanding nature
conservationists around the world.
Speaking to the accomplishments of Carlos Vasquez Almazan in Guatemala, Sir David
Attenborough noted, “Surveys of the area uncovered not only species new to science, but
also led to the rediscovery of several previously thought to have become extinct.”
Brian Sheth, chair of Global Wildlife Conservation said, “The Sierra Caral reserve is
important not only for the rare and endangered species that are unique to the region, but
also as a corridor for animals between the continents.”
The remaining wild lands of the Sierra Caral are a critical component of the “Jaguar
Corridor” that will permit large-ranging species such as Mountain Lions, migratory birds,
and other wildlife to continue moving between the continents as they have done for
millennia. Still largely unexplored by scientists, the almost 6,000 acres of core forest in
this isolated site, and the species that depend on them, were almost lost.
“Each year 70,000 hectares of Guatemala’s forests disappear due to the expansion of
agriculture and timber extraction, threatening not only wildlife but also the well-being of
local people who rely on the clean water and other ecosystem services they provide,” said
Sir David Attenborough.
Despite official pleas for forest protection by the local communities and a leading
Guatemalan conservation organization, FUNDAECO, this area has been steadily
deforested over the past decade. Rampant clear-cutting and shortsighted conversion of
the mountain slopes into cattle pasture have followed large land acquisitions by a few
individuals. As a result of these activities, the rivers that originate in these mountains and
provide freshwater for thousands of people have been degraded for surrounding
communities, and the risk of devastating landslides has increased. Local communities
persuaded the Guatemalan Congress to declare the area a nationally protected area;
however, budgetary restrictions prevented the government from purchasing the privately
owned lands.
Over the past year, a consortium of fifteen international conservation groups, led by
Global Wildlife Conservation, partnered with FUNDAECO to raise the funds needed to
purchase the last stands of primary forest in the Sierra Caral. Critical support was
received from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (USFWS), World Land
101
Trust-US, International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC), American Bird
Conservancy, Conservation International, and others.
“This is a real triumph for the planet – conservationists across North and Central
America banded together to save the last stand of this unique rainforest.” said Dr. Paul
Salaman, CEO of World land Trust-US.
102
FIRSTPOST.com
103
Facebook.com
Hecho en Guatemala
¿Sabía usted? recientemente el guatemalteco, Carlos Vásquez Almazán, un experto en
anfibios de Guatemala, fue uno de los siete ganadores del Fondo Whitley de este año
para los Premios de la naturaleza. Carlos gana el premio Whitley por su trabajo para crear
la primera red de Guatemala, de las áreas protegidas de anfibios en peligro de extinción.
Carlos, un experto en anfibios y el coordinador del programa a la conservación sin fines
de lucro, FUNDAECO, recibió el honor durante una ceremonia en la Royal
Geographical Society en Londres, organizada por Whitley para la Naturaleza (WFN) - la
organización benéfica del Reino Unido que organiza el esquema de premios
internacionales. El premio Whitley comprende una subvención para el proyecto de £
30,000 - donado por la Fundación Segr é - un trofeo grabado, miembro de la influyente
red de últimos ganadores de los premios Whitley y la formación de desarrollo profesional.
El premio reconoce sus esfuerzos para establecer por primera vez en Guatemala reserva
natural de los anfibios en la Sierra Caral, tras el descubrimiento de muchas especies que
se creía extintas o desconocidas para la ciencia, y crear una red nacional de otros
santuarios en todo el país. Al felicitar a Carlos por su éxito, la actuación de la WFN
director David Wallis, dijo: "El objetivo del régimen Premio Whitley es identificar y
apoyar a los conservacionistas que están inspirar el cambio real y positivo para la gente y
la vida silvestre y los hábitats que comparten. En el caso de Carlos Vásquez Almazán, los
jueces quedaron particularmente impresionados por la forma en que aumenta el
conocimiento y fomenta el orgullo por estas fascinantes criaturas, y por su determinación
para hacer de Guatemala una zona de 'extinción cero' para los anfibios". Fuente: Whitley
Fund Nature; Sitio Web: http://bit.ly/M5Absj. Vea el video de agradecimiento de Carlos
Almazán: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pAbuNNfjRI
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqYVKVVF7uY
Carlos Vasquez Almazan, an amphibian expert from Guatemala, is one of seven winners
of this year's Whitley Fund for Nature Awards. Carlos wins a Whitley Award for his work
to create Guatemala's first network of protected areas for endangered amphibians. The
video narrated by Sir David Attenborough, describes his work.
105

Whitley Awards 2012: UK and International Media Coverage Dossier

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