Dr. Tulshi Laxmi Suwal has received a 2023 Whitley Award for her work protecting pangolins – the most trafficked mammal in the world. She has been involved in pangolin conservation for the past 15 years. Pangolin habitat is increasingly threatened by the growing prevalence of forest fires, which also put an important reforestation programme at risk in one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Nicknamed ‘the pangolin woman, Dr. Suwal was the first person in Nepal to receive a PhD in pangolin studies and serves as a role model for female conservationists across the country. She is one of seven winners of the Whitley Awards, given out this year on April 26 at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Dr. Suwal will…
👩🚒Assess the impact of forest fires on pangolin populations, and train local conservation groups on fire protection and habitat monitoring
🌱Restore fire-impacted pangolin habitat by planting 20,000 saplings
💸Raise conservation awareness and provide microfinancing opportunities to develop forest-friendly alternative livelihoods