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Indian wins Golden Ark Award

Dr Charudutt Mishra

Arnhem (Netherlands), March 14: An Indian nature conservationist along with two others have become the first winners of the newly created prestigious 'Golden Ark Award' in the 'Future for Nature' event held in Burger's Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands today. The awards, including an amount of 50,000 Euros were given away by Vivek Menon, a distinguished conservationist also from India and the Chief Guest for the event, along with Saba Douglas Hamilton, the renowned BBC nature anchor.

The three award winners, Charudutt Mishra from India, Patricia Medici from Brazil and Michiel Hötte from Netherlands were selected by an international professional jury from a total of 69 candidates from 40 different countries.

Mishra, director, India Programme of the International Snow Leopard Trust was honoured with the prize for his project on the protection of snow leopard in the Himalayas based on the understanding of and for (the interests of) the local population. In 2005, he was also awarded the Whitley Gold Award for successfully reducing the retaliatory killings of the snow leopard by implementing a simple insurance scheme amongst communities whose livestock suffered its predation. He was involved in the post-conflict wildlife assessment in Afganistan on behalf of the United Nations. Founder and manager of the NGO- Nature Conservation Foundation, Charudutt Mishra is also a member of the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group.

From left to right: Alex Van Hooff (Director Burger Zoo), Saba Douglas Hamilton, Lady Mayor of Arnhem and Vivek Menon, International Jury member, Golden Ark Foundation

Medici was awarded for her successful efforts in saving the Brazilian lowland tapir, while Hötte was given the recognition for the protection of the rarest large felines in the world: the Amur Leopard, of which scientists estimate that only 30 remain in the wild.  

"The Golden Ark awards is meant to encourage excellence in protecting species, so vital to ensure that the future generations of young nature conservationists make the survival chances of so many endangered species, a little better," said Vivek Menon, member of the Golden Ark Award International Selection Committee and executive director of the Wildlife Trust of India.   

In addition to the tribute and the presentation of the works of the award winners, the 'Future for Nature' event also included a sponsor market which serves to establish contacts between conservationists- winners and nominees, and potential sponsors.

The awards, earlier known as the 'Order of the Golden Ark' and given away by Prince Bernard, was renamed 'Golden Ark Award' following his death and were given away in this new format for the first time ever this year. The host, Burger Zoo has committed to being the main sponsor of the 'Golden Ark Award' for the coming 10 years in order to make an important contribution to international nature conservation.

The 'Order of the Golden Ark' was established by Prince Bernard in 1971 to honour the people who have made significant contribution towards nature conservation around the world.