Whitley Award Honors Indian Conservationist's Success

Indian scientist Parveen Shaikh was awarded the prestigious 2026 Whitley Award for her dedication to protecting the endangered Indian skimmer. This recognition from the Whitley Fund for Nature highlights the success of her community-led conservation model, which has gained international acclaim. The award ceremony, held at the Royal Geographical Society, saw Princess Anne present the award, underscoring the global importance of grassroots conservation.

Shaikh's work focuses on the Indian skimmer, a unique bird whose population is estimated at around 3,000 globally, with over 90% residing in India. Facing threats such as predation and habitat disturbance, the species' nesting survival rate was critically low. Shaikh's "Nest Guardian Programme" empowers local communities to protect the birds' nests, significantly improving survival.

This community-driven initiative has seen the Indian skimmer population grow from approximately 400 in 2017 to nearly 1,000. Nest survival rates in the National Chambal Sanctuary improved from under 15% to over 25%. The Whitley Award funding will facilitate the expansion of this successful model to Prayagraj, a site presenting new challenges due to heavy pilgrimage and industrial activities.

Shaikh, holding a Master's degree in Environmental Science, has a strong academic background and has contributed to national species status reports. Her conservation efforts have also benefited other bird species and riverine turtles. She has previously received several other accolades for her conservation leadership.