University of Kent PhD student Samia Saif has won the Future of Nature Award 2013 for her groundbreaking research on the protection of tigers in Bangladesh.
Samia’s research has revealed, for the first time, the scale of tiger poaching in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest region, the only area in the country where they are found. The research also identified poaching as the most significant threat to Bangladesh’s last tiger population.
By working closely with local communities to improve conservation in the region, Samia’s research involved starting a community information network and policing system to reduce tiger poaching activities. She gained the trust and respect of villagers from communities which border the Sundarbans and was able to garner valuable information about tiger poaching.
Samia also managed to interview professional poachers who described how they kill tigers, what they do with them, the trade routes they use, prices of tiger parts and the demand for them. This information also highlighted the prevalence and importance of locally-traded tiger parts to culture and economic activity in the Sundarbans.
Furthermore, Samia’s in-depth research has provided information about the black market trade of other local species, including deer, otter and crocodile.
The prestigious annual award will be presented to Samia by well-known conservationists, Jane Goodall, and Saba Douglas-Hamilton, at an event in the Netherlands on 22 February 2013. Samia will also receive 50,000 Euros towards a conservation project of her choice from Future of Nature, the world-recognised conservation organisation tackling species protection.
Speaking about Samia’s achievement, Professor Douglas MacMillan of the University’s School of Anthropology and Conservation, said: ‘Despite conservation not being a traditionally respected, or financially rewarding, vocation in Bangladesh, Samia has been steadfast and determined in her decision to pursue a career in conservation.
‘While graduates in Bangladesh typically vie for desirable government jobs, Samia has actively pursued opportunities to improve both her conservation knowledge and skills, readily accepting the research and field-work challenges presented to her, and contributing significantly to species protection efforts in Bangladesh. Her achievements to date are particularly noteworthy given Bangladesh’s patriarchal and male-dominated culture.’
Samia Saif said: ‘I am happy that my work for the tigers has been acknowledged and supported when the tigers really need it.
‘This achievement makes me proud to be a conservationist and I believe this award will encourage the youth, especially the women in Bangladesh, to take conservation as a profession.
‘I am thankful to Professor Md. Anwarul Islam for creating the platform ‘WildTeam’ to work for nature conservation in Bangladesh and giving me the opportunity to be a conservationist, and also to Professor Douglas MacMillan for guiding and supporting me throughout my research.’
Alongside her research on tiger poaching, Samia worked closely with local communities to improve the conservation prospects for hoolock gibbons and Asian elephants, both critically endangered in Bangladesh.
For more information on the Future of Nature Foundation, visit: www.futurefornature.net.
Samia’s route into conservation work began with WildTeam (former Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh), in 2009. For more information, visit: www.wild-team.org.
Contact: k.scoggins@kent.ac.uk