Conservation biologist Bibhab Talukdar elected Fellow of Linnean Society of London

Guwahati, Jul 6 (PTI) Renowned conservation biologist Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the highest international recognitions in the field of natural history and biological sciences. Talukdar, the founder Secretary General and Executive Director of Assam's biodiversity organisation Aaranyak, has been conferred the honour by the world’s oldest active biological society, according to a release. The Linnean Society of London, founded in 1788, is dedicated to the study and dissemination of knowledge on natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. Fellows (FLS) are elected based on their significant contributions to these fields. Election to its Fellowship is a significant academic and scientific honour, the release said. Past Fellows include luminaries such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, the release added. Talukdar, an Ashoka Fellow (2007) and recipient of the IUCN SSC Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership (2024), has dedicated over three decades to biodiversity conservation, with a special focus on Asian rhinos. He served as the chair of IUCN SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group from 2007 till end of 2021-2025 IUCN quadrennium and has played a pivotal role in rhino conservation, habitat protection, prevention of wildlife crimes, and community-based conservation in Northeast India’s biodiversity hotspots, the release added. PTI DG NN