The Nominees

The Nominees for the 2012 Indianapolis Prize have been announced!  These 29 outstanding conservationists represent a wide range of scientific and educational programs involving animals from every corner of the globe.  Six of them will be selected as finalists for the Prize and the Lilly Medal.  One of them will win.  For detailed information, visit the Press Room.  In alphabetical order, they are:

Steven C. Amstrup, Ph.D., chief scientist for Polar Bears International who’s work includes research that led to the 2008 listing of polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and the development technology to locate polar bear dens under the snow.
P. Dee Boersma, Ph.D., conservationist dedicated to the study of global warming’s impact on penguins and successful in stopping harvesting and development through penguin colonies as director of the Center for Penguins as Ocean Sentinels.
Markus Borner, Ph.D., founder of the first Community Conservation Program in the Serengeti in effort to save its endangered black rhinos and ecosystem through biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Robert Buchanan, founded Polar Bears International and recognized as a champion for the Arctic environment, leader in polar bear conservation, and educator on the harmful effects of climate change.
Gerardo Ceballos, Ph.D., champion for jaguars in Mexico currently conducting the most comprehensive jaguar study to date; finalist for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize.
Lisa Dabek, Ph.D., founder of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program at Woodland Park Zoo responsible for the first conservation area in Papua New Guinea and using Crittercam© technology to record animals behavior and movement.
Jaret Daniels, Ph.D., butterfly conservationist dedicated to assisting imperiled butterfly species recovery by forming the Florida Butterfly Monitoring Network to train volunteers and engage researchers.
Karen L. Eckert, Ph.D., executive director of WIDECAST (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network) who’s been dedicated to the research, resource management and international conservation of sea turtles for more than three decades.
Lisa Hywood, founded Tikki Hywood Trust in her effort to preserve Zimbabwe’s wildlife through captive breeding, monitored release of endangered species and conservation education.
Rodney Jackson, Ph.D., founded the Snow Leopard Conservancy and remains dedicated to building local communities’ role as key players in conserving their native species; finalist for the 2008 and 2010 Indianapolis Prize.
Charlene Jendry, conservation specialist at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium who’s impact on mountain gorilla survival has resulted in significantly reduced poaching and deforestation.
Carl Jones, Ph.D., biologist at the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation who helped create the first national park in Mauritius while bringing five bird species, including the Mauritius kestrel, the pink pigeon, and the echo parakeet, back from populations of less than ten.
James A. Kushlan, Ph.D., co-founded HeronConservation and authored the 2004 North American Waterbird Conservation Plan to bring life to the needs of more than 200 species from Canada through the Caribbean.
Robert C. Lacy, Ph.D., population geneticist for the Chicago Zoological Society who pioneered research on the importance of genetic diversity thus developing industry-changing techniques and software for genetic management of wildlife populations.
David W. Macdonald, D.Sc., established conservation biology as a science among European universities by founding WildCRU (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit). 
Laurie Marker, D.Phil., founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund and led a conservation program from humble beginnings in rural Namibia to an unparalleled model for predator conservation; finalist for the 2008 and 2010 Indianapolis Prize.
Sharon Matola founded the Belize Zoo and has devoted her entire life to leading the country’s environmental education that aims to protect all of Central America's wildlife, from jaguars and tapirs to scarlet macaws and harpy eagles, many of the latter that she successfully reintroduced to the wild.
Charles Mayhew, MBE, co-founded Tusk Trust and backed the launch of a collection of community-managed conservancies now covering 3 million acres in northern Kenya.
Russell A. Mittermeier, Ph.D., visionary leader of Conservation International who is focused on the welfare and conservation of primates.
George B. Rabb, Ph.D., Chicago Zoological Society conservationist who is halting the decline of amphibians and facilitated discovery of the chytrid fungus that has been called the most devastating animal disease ever recorded.
Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D., large cat conservationist at Panthera whose dedication to the species has led to the development of multiple protected areas across the globe.
Terri Lynn Roth, Ph.D., Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden researcher who successfully bred the first Sumatran rhino calf to be produced in human care in 112 years.
Carl Safina, Ph.D., environmental activist and leader of the Blue Ocean Institute who has inspired a “sea ethic” through his writing and multiple media appearances; finalist for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize.
Joel D. Sartore, National Geographic photojournalist who is giving vanishing species and habitats a voice before they’re gone forever.
Anne Savage, Ph.D., Disney’s Animal Kingdom conservation biologist and tamarin specialist who established Aug.15 as “Day of the Cotton-top” in Colombia, South America – now declared a national holiday – and has created innovative programs in South America to reduce pollution and build jobs.
Claudio Sillero, Ph.D., founder and director of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, keeping watch over Africa's rarest and most endangered carnivore.
Jim Thomas, Tenkile Conservation Alliance founder who tripled the endangered Tenkile (tree kangaroo) population from 100 to 300 animals in eight years.
Charlie Welch, works alongside his wife at the Duke Lemur Center to preserve endangered lemurs in Madagascar.
Patricia Wright, Ph.D., discovered the golden bamboo lemur in 1986, a species that was then unknown to science, which helped to catalyze the transformation of Madagascar’s park systems, turning it into a model for global conservation efforts.

2010 Indianapolis Prize Nominees

2008 Indianapolis Prize Nominees

African lion photo by Jackie Curts