A women’s collective in Nigeria is taking on illegal activities carried out by men within a protected area. Their grassroots conservation model is proving so effective that it is now being adopted by neighbouring villages.
With less than 100 individual surviving in the wild, the Sumatran rhino is likely to disappear. Tigers could become extinct in a decade, while Lonesome George, male Pinta Island tortoise that was the last known individual of the subspecies, died 2 years ago. We are witnessing animal and plant species disappearing at an alarming rate, so much so that
With less than 100 individual surviving in the wild, the Sumatran rhino is likely to disappear. Tigers could become extinct in a decade, while Lonesome George, male Pinta Island tortoise that was the last known individual of the subspecies, died 2 years ago.
We are witnessing animal and plant species disappearing at an alarming rate, so much so that scientists defined this phenomenon as the “sixth mass extinction” in history. Some species, with their peculiar beauty, are lost and gone forever and will only be admired in biology books. However, something could be done for other species.
Luckily, some people decided to dedicate their life to protecting endangered species, including those less known to the general public. To honour their essential work aimed at safeguarding this precious, common heritage, the Whitley Awards have been established in 1994. They are often referred to as the Green Oscars for nature conservation.
They are organised by the Whitley Fund, UK-based non-profit organisation that supports conservation projects worldwide. The awards ceremony was held on the 27th of April at the Royal Geographic Society in London and the prizes were given by the Princess Royal, Anne. Seven conservationists, chosen from a pool of over 120 applicants from 53 countries, have been honoured for their “innovative conservation projects”.
The winners of the 2016 Whitley Awards are Gilbert Baase Adum from Ghana, Farwiza Farhan from Indonesia, Makala Jasper from Tanzania, Karau Kuna from Papua New Guinea, Muhammad Ali Nawaz from Pakistan, Alexander Rukhaia from Georgia, and Juliette Velosoa from Madagascar. They received £35,000 in project funding.
The seven winning conservationists work to protect a wide range of species and habitats, including the Matschie’s tree-kangaroo, the snow leopard, the Giant Squeaker Frog from Ghana, coastal forests, birds of prey, and a long-necked turtle of the family of Chelidae.
“Whitley Award winners are simply exceptional people – passionate individuals who are committed to achieving positive environmental impact and long-term conservation and community benefits,” said Sir David Attenborough, renowned English broadcaster and naturalist.
Siamo anche su WhatsApp. Segui il canale ufficiale LifeGate per restare aggiornata, aggiornato sulle ultime notizie e sulle nostre attività.
![]()
Quest'opera è distribuita con Licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 4.0 Internazionale.
A women’s collective in Nigeria is taking on illegal activities carried out by men within a protected area. Their grassroots conservation model is proving so effective that it is now being adopted by neighbouring villages.
What if the International Criminal Court could prosecute ecocide? The debate remains open, and a new proposal is adding momentum to the discussion.
Home to breathtaking views of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains and nestled between the waters of the Puget Sound, Ebey’s National Historical Reserve, located on Whidbey Island in the US state of Washington, is a thriving rural community, with a history of exploration and settlement. Originally populated by the Lower Skagit Native American tribe, land use has remained
France, Spain, Portugal and Greece are fighting wildfires, some of which are still out of control.
Two powerful earthquakes have left at least 1,450 people dead and 50,000 missing in Venezuela. The country’s ongoing economic and social crisis is also hampering rescue operations.
An extreme heatwave is affecting many European countries: it is a consequence of the climate crisis. And it is only expected to get worse.
Much of Western Europe is already dealing with temperatures that in many cities are approaching or exceeding 35°C.
Its oceanic microclimate, fertile soils, and the alternation of rain and sunshine make Normandy the ideal place for flax cultivation. A journey through the region offers a close-up look at the European flax supply chain, from cultivation to fibre processing.
By calling for the introduction of mirror measures, Slow Food highlights the need for imported foods such as corn and wheat to comply with the same standards required of products grown within the European Union.

