Adventure & Wildlife Magazine - Vol 1|Issue 5-6| Nov 16 - Jan 17 Vol 2 | Issue 1 | Mar - May 2017 | Page 39

ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
The community focus will be around the
provision of fuel- efficient stoves to reduce the reliance on
firewood collection from the habitat of the tigers and
thus, save many lives in the process. “The awards are about
recognising progress, winning those small battles which
cumulatively equate to change at the national-level.
In addition to the financial benefit of winning the award,
winners receive professional communications training to
turn scientists into ambassadors,” said Edward Whitley,
founder of the Whitley Fund for Nature, which set up
awards 24 years ago.
His other strength includes his work with a wide
cross-section of people including policy makers,
media and social leaders on the need for wildlife
conservation. He has published scientific papers
on conservation policies in leading international
journals. He has extensively authored about
conservation in the popular print media, and is
especially keen on fostering good writing about
wildlife in local languages. Apart from the several
Sanjay Gubbi holds a Master’s Degree in Conservation popular articles in English and Kannada, he has
Biology from University of Kent, UK where he received authored Vanyajeevigala jaadu hididu (On the Wildlife
the Maurice Swingland Award for the best postgraduate Trail), a book in Kannada, and co-edited another one,
student of the year. His dissertation from the M.Sc won Vanyajeevigala ramyaloka (The Delightful World of
two major international awards. He is the recipient of Wildlife).
Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award for 2011.
Recognising his efforts the Karnataka State
He works on protection of tigers and other wildlife Government has appointed him as the Member of
in the Western Ghats of Karnataka which has result- the State Wildlife Advisory Board chaired by the
ed in several successes in the state including closure of Chief Minister, State Tiger Conservation Steering
Governing
Council
of
Tiger
night traffic of highways in Bandipur and Nagarahole Committee,
Foundations
of
Karnataka
and
several
other
important
National Parks, halting of the mine at Kudremukh,
expansion of Anshi-Dandeli, Bandipur Tiger Reserves committees. He is one of the few in the country with a
and more recently several other protected areas. He scientific background and a strong understanding of the
was instrumental in the establishment of a new wildlife socio-economic and political aspects of wildlife
sanctuary at Rangayyanadurga for the four-horned conservation.
antelope in Davanagere district. Gubbi also works
towards the institution of new social security and One of his important contributions includes motivating
welfare measures for forest watchers and and guiding younger generation to work and contribute
guards serving in Karnataka’s protected areas. towards wildlife conservation.
Vol 2|Issue 1|Mar - May 2017
39