Markus Borner wins Blue Planet Prize

Published: 23 June 2016

The University of Glasgow's Dr Markus Borner has been named as one of this year's winners of the prestigious Blue Planet Prize.

The University of Glasgow's Dr Markus Borner has been named as one of this year's winners of the prestigious Blue Planet Prize.

The prize is awarded by the Japanese Asahi Glass Foundation which supports advanced research in the fields of science and technology and gives recognition to efforts to solve environmental issues that call for global solutions. Asahi, more commonly known as AGC, is a Japanese global glass manufacturing company.

Dr Borner is Honorary Professor in the Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine. He is a former Director of the Africa Program in the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Based at the Africa Regional Office in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania he oversaw all FZS conservation programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Having experience with all five rhino species in the wild, Dr Borner established the rhino conservation programme in Ngorongoro, Tanzania which included the translocation of rhinos from South Africa to Ngorongoro. He also established conservation programmes for the black rhino population in the Moru area of the Serengeti National Park as well as in the Mara Game Reserve, Kenya, and was responsible for initiating and coordinating the "Serengeti Rhino Re-patriation Project", using the black rhino as a flagship species to support resource protection.

Dr Borner's fellow Blue Planet prize winner is Pavan Sukhdev (India), UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Founding Trustee of Green Indian States Trust (GIST), Founder & CEO of GIST Advisory, Associate Fellow of Davenport College, Yale University. The commemorative lectures by the winners will be held at the United Nations University (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) on November 17.

Blue Planet Prize website


First published: 23 June 2016

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