Mathew Akon, one of the Conservation Officers with the Tenkile Conservation Program in Papua New Guinea, has been awarded an Associate Award at the 2008 Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) Awards ceremony in London.

The Associate Award provides GBP.10,000 (approx. AUD.21,000) to the program and is one of only four awards granted by the Fund’s reviewers from more than 100 submissions. Zoos Victoria’s Wildlife Conservation & Science Department and the Tenkile Conservation Alliance endorsed Mathew's application, and Zoos Victoria facilitated subsequent advice to the WFN to overcome the difficulties in communicating directly with Mathew in the remote PNG Torricelli Mountains.

The Award will enable:

• A 75,000ha Conservation Area to be fully mapped.
• Preparation and submission of the Conservation Area proposal to the PNG Government.
• Community training in managing the Conservation Area.
• Wildlife monitoring and analysis to maintain effectiveness of the moratorium on hunting wildlife.
• Purchase of two-way radios to allow for greatly improved communication between the field teams and TCA bases.
• Infrastructure upgrading to provide staff accommodation at TCA Base in Lumi.

The Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a UK-registered charity offering a range of Awards and grants to outstanding nature conservationists around the world.  The Fund recognises dynamic conservation leaders and supports projects founded on good science, community involvement and pragmatism. Above all, they “champion passionate individuals who are committed to precipitating long-lasting conservation benefits on the ground”.

The Tenkile Conservation Program is Zoos Victoria’s most important international conservation partnership.

Find out more about the Tenkile Conservation Program