IUCN bestows Harry Messel Award to Assam scientist

Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a renowned conservation scientist from Assam, was honored with the prestigious Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership by the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Key Points:

Award Significance: The Harry Messel Award recognizes exemplary service to the IUCN SSC, a science-based network of over 10,000 volunteers from almost every country.

Dr. Talukdar's Contributions: He has been associated with the IUCN SSC since 1991 and became the Chair of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group in 2008.

Aaranyak: Dr. Talukdar is the founder Secretary General and CEO of Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization based in Northeast India.

Indian Rhino Vision 2020: He played a vital role in the successful translocation of 22 wild rhinos from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park to Manas National Park.

About the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 

Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) was an ambitious conservation initiative launched in 2005 by the Government of Assam in partnership with organizations like the International Rhino Foundation, WWF India, and the Bodoland Territorial Council.

The primary goal was to attain a wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven protected areas in Assam by the year 2020.

Key Points: 

Protected Areas: The target areas included Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Orang National Park, Manas National Park, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

Translocation Efforts: The program involved moving rhinos from densely populated parks to those needing more rhinos, such as Manas National Park.

Success: By the end of the program, a total of 22 rhinos were tran slocated from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park to Manas National Park.