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Indian Researcher Wins UNESCO MAB Young Scientist Award for Rhinoceros Conservation
A young researcher from Guwahati, India, Brinda Kashyap, has won the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Young Scientist Award for her innovative work in rhinoceros’ conservation. Kashyap's research uses GIS and complex modeling to create a habitat suitability model for rhinoceros’ populations at the Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The model aims to serve as a reference for future land cover simulations and socio-economic impact assessments, offering a robust tool for conservation efforts. One of the main focuses of her research is to assess how climate change may affect rhinoceros habitats in Manas National Park. Knowing these factors is key to developing better conservation techniques to save these the rhinoceros habitat.
Kashyap is one of 15 young scientists in the world to receive the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Young Scientist Award, recognizing her exceptional work in the field of biosphere reserve research and management. Her work not only promises to have a lasting impact on rhinoceros conservation in India but also offers valuable insights at an international level.
My work aims to integrate advanced geospatial analysis with community engagement to elevate the conservation efforts in Manas National Park to a global scale. By combining scientific research with local socio-economic insights, I am aiming to contribute toward the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage, showcasing Manas as a model for conservation worldwide.
The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) has been listed as ‘vulnerable’ under the IUCN Red Data List of Endangered Species. Only ca. 3,000 – 4,000 individuals of this iconic species exist today globally in the wild. I sincerely congratulate Brinda for her remarkable efforts towards the conservation of this species, as a young woman in conservation sciences.
Mr Böer further emphasized the need to continue to live in harmony with nature as a whole and said that:We must understand that the protection of flagship conservation species requires the science-based management of the whole ecosystems, including the soils, the water, the air, and all biota. For the successful conservation of the rhinos, it is key to conserve the habitats that rhinos need, such as the grasslands and wetlands in the Himalayan foothills and in the large riparian ecosystems of the Brahmaputra and Ganga. It would be desirable to consider this for the future identification of additional UNESCO-designated sites in India.
The MAB Young Scientist Awards, created in 1989, exemplify UNESCO's belief in fostering a new generation of scientists whose research is crucial to understanding ecological and sustainability problems. They provide up to US$5,000 to young researchers that are doing interdisciplinary research in a field that is related to UNESCO's MAB Programme. This program focuses on ecosystems, natural resources, and biodiversity, with a strong emphasis on biosphere reserves.
The purpose of the MAB Young Scientist Awards is to inspire young scientists, especially those from developing countries, to do their research in MAB research sites and biosphere reserves. The prizes are aligned with the MAB Strategy and Lima Action Plan (LAP), which is the framework for the MAB Programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves until 2025. These frameworks are designed to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
