Guwahati: Renowned conservation biologist from Assam, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the highest international honours in natural history and biological sciences. Notable past Fellows include Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.Talukdar, founder secretary general and executive director of Assam-based biodiversity organisation Aaranyak, received the recognition from the Linnean Society, the world’s oldest active biological society, according to a statement issued on Monday.Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London promotes the study of natural history, evolution and taxonomy. Fellowship is conferred on individuals who have made significant contributions to these fields and is considered a prestigious scientific distinction.An Ashoka Fellow and recipient of the IUCN SSC Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership in 2024, Talukdar has spent more than three decades working in biodiversity conservation, with a particular focus on the protection of Asian rhinoceroses.He served as chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group from 2007 until the end of the 2021-2025 IUCN quadrennium, contributing to rhino conservation, habitat protection, anti-wildlife crime efforts and community-based conservation initiatives across Northeast India.Talukdar’s election as a Fellow is being viewed as a major international recognition of his long-standing contribution to wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection in India, especially in the Northeast.
