South African biologist Dr Jeanne Tarrant has won the prestigious 2020 Whitley Award worth £40,000 (R904,335) for her research and work in amphibian conservation.
Fondly known as the ‘Frog Lady’, Tarrant is involved with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), where she manages the Threatened Amphibian Programme. The EWT is the only NGO in South Africa to include frogs as a conservation focus.
The Whitley Awards, also referred to as the ‘Green Oscars’, are awarded annually by UK-based conservation charity the Whitley Fund for Nature.
Tarrant was one of six conservationists to receive the award and the prize money in funding for further work.
‘While South Africa has excellent environmental legislation, illegal developments continue to destroy frog habitat,’ said Tarrant according to Social Tv. ‘Our aim is to not only improve appreciation of frogs through research and education but use our slippery friends as flagships for the wider conservation of vital freshwater and terrestrial areas that are under the increasing threat of humans. The fact that almost half of amphibians are experiencing declines should be a massive wake-up call to humanity that all is not right with our planet – most people however are unaware that amphibians are even in trouble.’
Edward Whitley, Founder of the Whitley Fund for Nature, said: ‘Jeanne is an inspiring leader who tirelessly advocates for amphibians – an often overlooked group. We hope that this Whitley Award will allow her to spread her important message far and wide, and bring about real change for amphibians and their habitat through science, policy, and community education.’
Image: Facebook/Jeanne Tarrant
