As the world’s leading award for animal conservation, the Indianapolis Prize is given every two years to one of the most important wildlife conservationists working in the field today. WCS Senior Scientist Joel Berger has advanced to the final round of candidates, which includes a total of six exceptional nominees.

Joel has travelled across Arctic and alpine tundra to understand the struggles that land animals such as muskoxen and wild yaks are facing due to climate change, and what can be done about it. Applying science-based solutions to conservation challenges, Joel is effecting change throughout the world for large mammals. For example, his studies and economic analyses have led African nations to reevaluate the practice of rhino dehorning and U.S. officials to create the first federally-protected American wildlife corridor, Wyoming’s Path of the Pronghorn.

“Globally, his work has set into motion new excitement in conservation and research on migration ecology, from pronghorn in North America to saiga in Mongolia and beyond,” said John Robinson, WCS Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science. “He is a quiet conservation science hero with an impressive publishing record, and he is deserving of the Indianapolis Prize.”

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