Mumbai-based conservationist Parveen Shaikh has won the prestigious 2026 Whitley Award, often referred to as the “Green Oscar”, for her efforts to protect the endangered Indian Skimmer, a rare river bird threatened by habitat loss, human disturbance, and predation. The UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) recognised Shaikh’s community-led conservation model, which has helped improve skimmer survival rates in the National Chambal Sanctuary.
With support from the award, Shaikh now plans to expand her work to Prayagraj, where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet, while addressing challenges such as pollution, fishing pressure, boat traffic, pilgrimage-related activity, and habitat disturbance.
A Community-Led Conservation Success
Shaikh’s journey with Indian Skimmers began during field visits to the Chambal River, where she observed that free-ranging dogs and jackals were preying heavily on the birds’ eggs and chicks. Concerned by the low survival rates, she launched the Nest Guardian Programme, a conservation initiative centred on local community participation. Under the programme, villagers are trained to monitor nests, protect breeding sites from predators and human disturbance, and actively support conservation efforts.
According to project data cited by conservation organisations, chick survival rates increased from around 14 per cent to 27 per cent, while the monitored Indian Skimmer population in the project landscape grew from approximately 400 birds in 2017 to nearly 1,000 today. Overall nest survival in the National Chambal Sanctuary also improved from below 15 per cent to over 25 per cent. Supported by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), the programme is also reported to have benefited other riverine species, including the Black-bellied Tern, Little Tern, River Tern, Small Pratincole and freshwater turtles.
Why Indian Skimmers Need Protection
The Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Known for its distinctive feeding technique, in which it skims the water’s surface with its elongated lower bill, the species depends on undisturbed sandbanks along large rivers for nesting and breeding. However, these habitats have come under increasing pressure from sand mining, infrastructure development, changing river flows, pollution, and human activity.
Many conservationists consider the bird an indicator of river ecosystem health, meaning its survival is closely linked to the condition of freshwater habitats. According to Shaikh, many community members involved in the project now refer to Indian Skimmers as “our birds”, reflecting a growing sense of ownership over conservation efforts. Building on this success, Whitley Award funding will enable Shaikh and her team to expand the model to Prayagraj, a region that supports important river biodiversity but also faces significant ecological pressures.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Parveen Shaikh’s recognition highlights the power of combining scientific research with community participation to address conservation challenges. Her work demonstrates that local communities can play a crucial role in protecting biodiversity when they are given the knowledge, tools, and opportunity to become active partners in conservation.
At a time when many of India’s river ecosystems face increasing environmental pressures, the success of the Nest Guardian Programme offers an encouraging example of collaborative action delivering measurable results. Protecting endangered species is not only about saving wildlife; it is also about preserving ecosystems that support both nature and people.
As Shaikh’s conservation model expands beyond Chambal, an important question emerges: Can community-led conservation become a scalable solution for protecting more endangered species and ecosystems across India?
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