On June 24, in Washington, D.C., American Humane awarded Dr. Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, with the inaugural Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation. The award, created in honor of Wolfgang F. Kiessling, the founder of Loro Parque and a globally acknowledged leader in the conservation space, is the world’s leading honor for conservation and recognizes those who achieve significant positive change in the field of conservation practice, theory and research.
“There is simply no higher purpose than that to protect and preserve our world’s most precious asset – animal life.” – Wolfgang Kiessling
Dr. Rodríguez has spent a lifetime fighting for the preservation of the legacy of life on Earth and spearheads what may well be the world’s most effective coordinated effort to save endangered species, draw attention and public support to the cause of species survival, and push back the terrible tide of extinction. His life’s work is – literally – to save the world.
He was selected from a pool of dozens of remarkable candidates representing 16 countries across five continents who lead conservation projects that span the globe in virtually every aspect of conservation. Each of these candidates receives our greatest respect and admiration for their tireless perseverance in protecting our Earth’s magnificent animals.
Watch this video to learn more about the Kiessling Prize and how Dr. Rodríguez is saving the world!
