Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize 2026
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) has awarded its 2026 Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize to Dr Krithi K. Karanth, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) in Bengaluru, India, and Professor Alexandre Antonelli, Executive Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The Prize, first awarded in 2023, was created by a generous bequest from the late renowned geographer and conservationist Esmond Bradley Martin. It recognises outstanding individual achievement in the pursuit and application of geographical research, with a particular emphasis on wildlife conservation and environmental research studies.
This year’s Prize recipients hold leading roles at major public-facing research institutions. Each has made crucial contributions to our understanding of the world’s ecosystems, as well as tirelessly working to protect the planet’s biodiversity.
At both a local and global scale, they have increased public engagement, creating and championing timely and accessible scientific storytelling. Their innovative work has advanced global understanding of biodiversity and its links to societal and environmental challenges.
Karanth’s research integrates wildlife ecology with human dimensions, revealing how education, gender, and livelihoods interact with biodiversity loss and inform practical conservation strategies.
Antonelli’s work focuses on the global diversity, distribution, evolution, conservation and sustainable use of species, addressing both the biodiversity and climate crises by developing methods to speed up scientific discovery and shape international policy. Together, their work ensures that science informs effective, evidence-based action to protect all life on Earth.
Both recipients of the 2026 Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize will be presented with their award on Monday, 13 April. Following the ceremony, Karanth and Antonelli will deliver an RGS Monday night lecture at 6.30pm, discussing their research and career journeys, moderated by the Chair of the Prize Award Committee Professor Jamie Woodward. Monday night lectures are open to Society Members and their guests. Media representatives can request a press pass by writing to press@rgs.org
On receiving the Prize, Dr Krithi K. Karanth said:
“I am deeply humbled and profoundly honored to be the first Asian recipient of the Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize. To be associated with a legacy shaped by Esmond’s courage, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation is both a privilege and a responsibility. His pioneering work reminds us that conservation is not just about protecting species – it is about standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult.
“At this critical moment for our planet, the need for science-based conservation – grounded in evidence, collaboration, and courage – has never been greater. We must nurture a growing community of stewardship – people who care deeply, act boldly, and work collectively to safeguard our shared future. This prize is a catalyst; it strengthens our resolve at CWS to innovate, to scale our efforts, and to deepen partnerships across the world. Together, we will continue working to conserve India’s extraordinary wildlife and wild places – ensuring they thrive for generations to come.”
On receiving the Prize, Professor Alexandre Antonelli said:
“I am deeply touched to be receiving this award and see it as recognition of the power of nature, science and Indigenous knowledge in helping us heal our planet. At a moment when the triple crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution loom larger than ever, our work at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is uncovering knowledge that can guide real solutions – from safeguarding threatened species and ecosystems to informing policy and sustainable practice worldwide.
“Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi not just for their intrinsic values, but because they are essential to healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and thriving livelihoods. By harnessing that science in strong partnership with colleagues around the world, we are helping to build a thriving planet for all – one that is truly powered by tapping the potential of the world’s incredible biodiversity.”
Professor Joe Smith, the Royal Geographical Society’s Director, said:
“The recipients of this year’s Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize have both made unique contributions in terms of understanding and protection of the world’s ecosystems. Krithi and Alexandre have applied hard-won new knowledge to develop innovative partnerships across government, international bodies and among members of the public. These have created tangible and wide-ranging action to protect environments and communities around the world. Their work embodies Esmond B. Martin’s conviction that geographical and related research, pursued in a spirit of collaboration, is a vital foundation for action to address the challenges facing wildlife."
About the Prize winners
Dr Krithi K. Karanth
A scientist, conservationist and educator with 28 years of experience specialising in the human element of wildlife conservation, Dr Krithi K. Karanth leads the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), one of India’s foremost international centres of scholarship, policy and public education about the country’s natural heritage.
With over 100 publications to her name, Dr. Karanth has studied trends in species distribution, extinctions and recovery, wildlife tourism, illegal wildlife hunting and trade, infrastructure impacts, diverse human-wildlife interactions, voluntary resettlement and the effect of land use change on animal populations throughout India and beyond.
She has published 100+ scientific and popular articles and served as an editor for several global scientific journals.
Krithi’s conservation work has focused on directly supporting people negatively affected by wildlife and strengthening coexistence across India’s wildlife reserves in the Western and Eastern Ghats. CWS’ award-winning programmes such as Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, Wild Surakshe, Wild Carbon and the Hunting & Trade Program, work in rural villages surrounding India’s wildlife reserves, which are often underserved by education, public health, and conservation infrastructure.
These programmes provide tangible, on-the-ground support, helping hundreds of thousands of adults and children navigate human–wildlife interactions safely, reduce zoonotic disease risks, facilitate alternate livelihoods and access ex-gratia government compensation for wildlife-related losses.
Throughout her career, Krithi has worked to bridge the gap between academic research and conservation impact for local people living with wildlife through multi-stakeholder, community-based initiatives and citizen science.
Her work has expanded pathways for low-income communities while fostering collaboration among researchers, government agencies, and civil society. She has mentored over 300 young scientists from around the world, and her research and conservation projects across India have engaged hundreds of citizen science volunteers in strengthening wildlife conservation, safeguarding wildlife populations and advancing environmental and public health awareness in their local areas.
Krithi has been a major player in changing the narrative around conservation projects in India and beyond, creating holistic interventions that build support networks in the communities closest to wildlife
She has collaborated with artists and documentarians for a variety of science storytelling projects, including co-producing five documentaries on CWS’ work, showcasing her work on the BBC, CBC in Canada and CNN, National Geographic and PBS in the United States, and her research has been covered by leading international outlets including Al Jazeera, the New York Times, Mongabay, Scientific American, Washington Post, National Public Radio (NPR) and Time.
Krithi is a Rolex and McNulty Laureate, and a recipient of more than 50 awards and honors, including recognition as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and the Wild Innovator. She is an Aspen and Eisenhower Fellow, and serves as Adjunct Professor at Duke University.
Professor Alexandre Antonelli
Professor Alexandre Antonelli is the Executive Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he leads the work of some 600 scientists working in more than 100 countries and is responsible for one of the world’s largest and most important collections of plants and fungi.
He was previously a Cisneros Visiting Scholar at Harvard University and Founder and first Director of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, established during his time as Scientific Curator of the Gothenburg Botanical Garden.
As an active researcher with over 300 scientific publications, Alexandre’s work has advanced our understanding of the biogeography, evolution and conservation of biodiversity around the world, with a particular focus on plants and the interactions between human geography and nature.
Alexandre has pioneered methods of using spatial data and machine learning to map contemporary and historical trends in species diversity and geographic ranges. He has specialised in tropical biomes, publishing innovative studies on the links between biodiversity, geology and climate.
He has spearheaded a groundbreaking study of Brazil’s tropical forests by establishing the Atlantic Forest Research and Conservation Alliance, an ongoing project that has created partnerships with local communities, scientists and conservationists to protect, restore and reconnect fragmented forest ecosystems.
He has also studied biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, created frameworks for identifying and delimiting biogeographic regions, and published influential work on the biodiversity of the American tropics and Madagascar.
To advance the study and protection of global biodiversity, and in particular poorly-studied species and ecological interactions, he co-founded the non-profit charity Hidden Universe: Biodiversity (HUB) Foundation, based in Sweden, alongside a sister foundation in Brazil – Fundação Antonelli para a Pesquisa e Conservação da Biodiversidade.
The inspiration for HUB was borrowed from his popular science book The Hidden Universe: Adventures in Biodiversity, which draws urgent connections between ecosystem degradation and issues like social inequality, pollution and extinction.
A key voice in international environmental policy, Alexandre has been crucial to building public and governmental awareness of workable pathways to safeguard the planet’s biodiversity.
In 2024, he led the publication of an innovative biodiversity credit framework in Nature, charting a path forglobal finance to support nature-based conservation solutions. He has consistently engaged the public and provided digestible and actionable advice on environmental best practice, for both policymakers and members of the public.
This has included initiatives like the 'Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits', a collaboration between Kew and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, which subsequently led to the development of the Global Biodiversity Standard – the world’s first international standard for ecological restoration.
Alexandre contributes actively to the conservation and research communities through membership of several global advisory panels and boards, including WWF International, the International Expert Advisory Panel to IUCN, the World Land Trust’s Conservation Advisory Panel, and the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits.
He is an elected Member of the Academia Europaea and a Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, among other societies, and is a Professor in Systematics and Biodiversity at the University of Gothenburg, as well as a visiting professor at the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Alexandre has also served as an editor of several influential journals, such as New Phytologist, Systematic Biology, and Global Change Biology.
He is currently Coordinating Lead Author for the Second Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
About the Prize and Esmond Bradley Martin
The Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize was created thanks to a generous bequest to the Society by the renowned geographer and conservationist, Esmond Bradley Martin, following his untimely death.
The Prize recognises outstanding achievement by individuals undertaking research into wildlife conservation and environmental studies, reflecting Esmond’s tireless work for the protection of wildlife and our natural environment.
Esmond dedicated his life’s work to the investigation of the illegal trade in rhino products and ivory, and to efforts to end their use. He was United Nations Special Envoy for Rhinos in 1992–1993, and subsequently worked in dangerous markets monitoring the illegal trade in wildlife commodities. His pioneering work helped China to ban their domestic rhino horn trade in 1993 and their ivory trade in 2017.
Esmond championed the importance of data for wildlife protection and undertook extensive fieldwork investigating the illegal trade in rhino horn and ivory – providing countries with the data required to shut down illegal markets.
He believed that through a combination of strong governance, robust law enforcement and effective management, the long-term protection of wild populations of rhinos, elephants, and other species, as well as their natural habitats in Africa and Asia, could be realised.
About the Centre for Wildlife Studies
The Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) is an internationally recognized centre-of-excellence in the areas of wildlife research, conservation, policy, and education. Our mission is to safeguard and conserve India's rich and diverse wildlife heritage through cutting-edge research, effective conservation strategies, and community engagement.
For over 40 years, we have been committed to advancing scientific knowledge, promoting sustainable practices, and inspiring a collective sense of stewardship to ensure the survival of India’s wildlife and their habitats for future generations.
Our vision is of a society that values and protects its natural heritage, fostering a sustainable environment where wildlife thrives and human well-being is interconnected with the health of the natural world.
Through our research, conservation efforts, and community empowerment, we aspire to create a future where wildlife and humans can coexist, ensuring the perpetuity of India's extraordinary natural wildlife heritage.
About the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a world-renowned charity and global centre for plant and fungal science, education, conservation, and horticulture. We work to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change through innovative research, our living collections and influential partnerships.
We welcome more than 2.5 million visitors each year to Kew Gardens, London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Wakehurst, our wild botanic garden in Sussex, home to the Millennium Seed Bank.
Our year-round programme of exhibitions, festivals, learning experiences and events brings our work to life, inspiring visitors of all ages to connect with and care for the natural world.
Funded through a mix of philanthropy, commercial activity, and government support, we are committed to widening access to nature and creating a thriving planet for all, powered by plants and fungi.