Indian Scientist Wins Green Oscar
Parveen Sheikh was awarded the Whitley Award, often referred to as the “Green Oscars,” for her work in the preservation of the Indian skimmer, a river bird
Scientist Parveen Shaikh has received the prestigious Whitley Award for her work to protect the endangered Indian skimmer along India’s river systems. The award, presented by the UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature, recognises outstanding grassroots conservation efforts around the world.
The honour also comes with funding support that will help Shaikh expand her successful community-led conservation model from the Chambal River to Prayagraj, where the Ganga River and Yamuna River meet.
The Indian skimmer is one of India’s most distinctive river birds. It is known for its bright orange bill and its unique feeding style, flying low over water while skimming the surface to catch fish. India is home to more than 90 percent of the global population of the species, with only around 3,000 birds remaining worldwide. This makes conservation efforts in the country especially important.
The bird nests on seasonal sandbars and mid-river islands, which are highly vulnerable to flooding, predators, and human activity. Changes in river flow, fishing activity, and disturbances near nesting areas have increasingly threatened the species in recent years.
Shaikh, who works with the Bombay Natural History Society, launched her “Guardians of the Skimmer” initiative in 2017 along the Chambal river. At the time, the local Indian skimmer population was estimated at around 400 birds.
Since then, the programme has shown significant results. By 2025, the population in the region had increased to nearly 1,000 birds. Nest survival rates also improved sharply, rising from 14 percent to 27 percent.
“Local guardians help identify new sandbars, monitor nests, and prevent disturbance during the breeding season,” Shaikh said. “Some now proudly refer to the skimmers as ‘our birds,’ which reflects a growing sense of ownership.”
The initiative relies heavily on local community participation. Residents living near the river are trained to monitor breeding colonies, protect nests, and report threats. According to conservationists, this sense of local involvement has played a major role in the project’s success.
With the new Whitley Award funding, Shaikh and her team will now focus on expanding conservation work to Prayagraj, an ecologically and culturally important river region. The area supports breeding populations not only of Indian skimmers but also of species such as the River lapwing and Little tern.
However, the region faces several conservation challenges. Heavy boat traffic, fishing activities, religious gatherings along riverbanks, and increasing urban pollution continue to put pressure on nesting habitats.
To address these issues, the team plans to appoint new community guardians, install predator-proof fencing around nesting sites, and use GPS mapping systems for real-time monitoring of nests.
The Whitley Award, often referred to as the “Green Oscars,” is presented annually to conservation leaders working to protect threatened species and habitats through community-based approaches.
This year, two Indians were among the six global winners. Alongside Shaikh, Barkha Subba was also honoured for leading the first grassroots movement to protect the Himalayan salamander and its fragile wetland habitat in the Darjeeling Himalaya.
