Renowned conservation biologist and founder Secretary General and Executive Director of Aaranyak, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, has been elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the world’s most prestigious honours in the fields of natural history and biological sciences.
Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society and is dedicated to advancing the study of natural history, evolution and taxonomy. Its distinguished Fellows have included eminent scientists such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. Fellowship is conferred on individuals who have made significant contributions to biological sciences and natural history.
Dr. Talukdar, an Ashoka Fellow (2007) and recipient of the IUCN SSC Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership (2024), has devoted more than three decades to biodiversity conservation, with a special focus on the conservation of Asian rhinoceroses.
He served as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Asian Rhino Specialist Group from 2007 until the conclusion of the 2021–2025 IUCN quadrennium. Over the years, he has played a key role in rhino conservation, habitat protection, efforts to combat wildlife crime and community-based conservation initiatives across the biodiversity-rich landscapes of Northeast India.
His election as a Fellow of the Linnean Society is being regarded as a significant international recognition of his contributions to global wildlife conservation and biological sciences.
