Assam conservationist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar elected Fellow of prestigious Linnean Society of London

Renowned conservation biologist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the highest international honours in the field of natural history and biological sciences.

Talukdar, founder Secretary General and Executive Director of Assam-based biodiversity organisation Aaranyak, received the recognition from the world's oldest active biological society, according to a statement issued on Monday, July 6.

Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London is dedicated to advancing the study of natural history, evolution and taxonomy. Fellowship of the society is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to these fields and is regarded as a major academic and scientific distinction.

The society's past Fellows include eminent naturalists Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

Talukdar, an Ashoka Fellow (2007) and recipient of the IUCN SSC Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership in 2024, has devoted more than three decades to biodiversity conservation, particularly 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. During his tenure, he played a key role in rhino conservation, habitat protection, combating wildlife crime and promoting community-based conservation across biodiversity-rich landscapes in Northeast India.

Talukdar's election to the Fellowship is being seen as a significant international recognition of his longstanding contribution to wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection in India, particularly in the Northeast.