The award, created in honour of the founder of Loro Parque and Loro Parque Fundación, rewards the French conservationist with 80,000 dollars to support his work to protect biodiversity.
Global Humane, the world’s largest animal welfare certifier, has awarded Arnaud Desbiez with the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation 2024. This is the third edition of this award, created in honour of the founder of Loro Parque and Loro Parque Fundación, which rewards conservationists who contribute significantly to the protection of species and their ecosystems, with a prize of 80,000 dollars.
The French conservationist is the founder of the Wild Animal Conservation Institute (ICAS). With the support of zoos, ICAS has developed innovative strategies ranging from basic research to complex modelling, citizen science and certification, while focusing on environmental education, advocacy and communication.
His work has been widely disseminated to the general public, appearing in some of the world’s leading media outlets, including National Geographic, BBC and PBS.
‘It is a great honour for me to receive the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation 2024,’ said Dr Desbiez. ‘This award will help shine a light on the plight of our South American giants, the giant armadillo and giant anteater. It will also honor the hard-working multi-disciplinary team at ICAS dedicating their lives to the species as well as help celebrate our long-term partnership with zoological institutions’, he said.
The Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation was once again a great success. Nominations were received from qualified candidates representing more than 25 countries on six continents. To help recognise their far-reaching impacts, Global Humane has named five finalists, acknowledging their enormous contributions to species conservation. The list consists of: Dr Robert Aruho, head of conservation, veterinary services and the bongo conservation programme at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy; Dr Kathleen Dudzinski, founder and director of Dolphin Communication Project; Dr Danté Fenolio, vice president of the San Antonio Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center; Dr Alejandro Granal, president and CEO of Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo; and Vivek Menon, founder and executive director of Wildlife Trust India.
‘Conservation is not just about saving species; it is about ensuring the survival of our planet’s most precious ecosystems and the intricate web of life they support. The Wolfgang Kiessling Award was created to honour those who demonstrate exceptional commitment and creativity in this vital task. Dr Arnaud Desbiez’s pioneering work in the conservation of endangered species such as the giant armadillo and anteaters in South America exemplifies the dedication and innovation needed to safeguard biodiversity,’ explained Wolfgang Kiessling.
Global Humane CEO Dr Robin Ganzert singled out Arnaud Desbiez for his work in ‘training the next generation of conservationists by working with zoos and aquariums to prevent the sixth mass extinction’.
An award created to encourage species protection
The Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation came about following an independent, external audit of Loro Parque by the US-based organisation Global Humane. This assessment is part of the organisation’s global efforts to monitor animal welfare in different parts of the world. During several days of inspection, Global Humane concluded that the welfare standards, facilities, procedures and animal care at the Animal Embassy exceeded international standards for such enclosures.
The auditors singled out Loro Parque as an exceptional global benchmark, not only for its commitment to the welfare of the animals it houses, but also for its hard work in species conservation. This dedication to the protection and care of all species is an essential part of the vision that Wolfgang Kiessling, founder and president of Loro Parque, has instilled in the park since its inception.
Those interested in participating in the next edition of the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation can follow Loro Parque on its social networks where all registration information will be posted.
