Six Conservation Champions Named as DeHaan Finalists for the 2025 Indianapolis Prize

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indianapolis Prize has named six distinguished conservationists as DeHaan Finalists for the 2025 award. The biennial award recognizes animal conservationists who have achieved major victories in saving an animal species or group of species. The DeHaan Finalists will each receive a $50,000 award to continue their efforts.

Now celebrating its 20^th anniversary, the Indianapolis Prize is the world's leading award for animal conservation, honoring individuals who are at the forefront of species protection and research.  

The 2025 DeHaan Finalists were chosen from a group of 44 nominees based on the measurable outcomes from their work, the quality of science applied to their efforts and a demonstrated spirit of cooperation.

"These six extraordinary conservationists have achieved tangible results in safeguarding threatened species across the globe. Through the Indianapolis Prize, we are proud to shine a light on these conservation heroes whose work gives us hope for the future of our planet's vulnerable species," said Dr. Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society.

The six DeHaan Finalists are:

Alberto Alves Campos (Aquasis, Brazil, and University of British Columbia, Canada) – Conservation biologist serving as a founder of Aquasis, a non-profit organization promoting endangered species and habitat conservation in Brazil. Campos helped improve the conservation status of the Antillean manatee in Brazil and created a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network site for the wintering grounds of the endangered Red knot.

Lisa Dabek, Ph.D. (Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, Papua New Guinea, and Woodland Park Zoo, USA) – Creator of the first conservation area in Papua New Guinea focused on tree kangaroos. Dr. Dabek is the founder of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program where she works with local indigenous communities and regional governments to establish long-term conservation plans for the species.

Biruté Mary Galdikas, Ph.D. (Orangutan Foundation International, USA) – Orangutan researcher who first documented the long orangutan birth interval and recorded more than 400 types of food consumed by orangutans. As president and co-founder of Orangutan Foundation International, Dr. Galdikas has contributed to the release of more than 500 rehabilitated orangutans back into the wild and provided unprecedented detail about orangutan ecology. Galdikas was named an Indianapolis Prize DeHaan Finalist in 2023.

Julie Packard (Monterey Bay Aquarium, USA) – International leader in ocean conservation, Packard strives to protect marine species and ecosystems. She has led the charge for the sustainable seafood movement by building a global seafood program grounded in ecosystem-based science and a market-based approach. As the founding executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Packard is a leading voice for science-based policy reform in support of a healthy ocean.

Lily-Arison René de Roland, Ph.D. (The Peregrine Fund, Madagascar) – Revolutionizing conservation in Madagascar, Dr. René de Roland has contributed to the establishment of five national protected areas totaling 1,550 square miles. Serving as The Peregrine Fund's national director of its Madagascar Program, René de Roland has helped discover several new species, including the Madagascar pochard duck, lemur species and a wolf spider. His community-based models alleviate human-wildlife conflicts and allow the conservation of Madagascar's threatened animal species.

Lee James Taylor White, Ph.D. (Institute for Tropical Ecology Research, Gabon, and University of Stirling, Scotland) – Working as a field biologist and conservationist for 40 years, Dr. White's research focuses on the critically endangered African forest elephant and its keystone ecological role in the countries of the Congo Basin. White has directed extensive population assessments, combated habitat loss, created a network of 13 national parks in Gabon and founded new collaborations, thus protecting half of the world's forest elephants.

The Winner of the 2025 Indianapolis Prize will be announced in May and will receive a $250,000 award. The Winner and DeHaan Finalists will be honored at the Indianapolis Prize Gala on Sept. 27, 2025, presented by Cummins, Inc., in downtown Indianapolis.

For additional media assets for the 2025 Indianapolis Prize DeHaan Finalists, click here.
To learn more about the previous Indianapolis Prize Winners, visit IndianapolisPrize.org.

The Indianapolis Prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. Since 2006, the Indianapolis Prize has awarded more than $7 million in unrestricted cash awards, advancing the work of conservation scientists through financial support and public awareness. The Indianapolis Prize is a signature conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc.

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Media Contacts

Alliy Moyer
Indianapolis Zoo
317-630-3265
[email protected]

Camille Pipino
VOX Global
614-588-6488
[email protected]