| The
winner of the UNEP/CMS Thesis Award of 10,000 Euro sponsored
by National Geographic Deutschland and Deutsche Lufthansa
is Zeb Hogan, a scientist from the United States. Carlos Rodriguez
from Spain and Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete from Chile were nominated
second and third laureates. This is the result of the meeting
of the jury on 27 July at Museum Koenig in Bonn.
 During
the period October 2004 to April 2005, 36 candidates from
21 countries submitted abstracts of their theses online.
They covered a geographical area covering North- and South
America, India and Germany. The panel of experts requested
20 candidates to submit their full thesis including certificates.
Among these 16 complied with the request. After close examination
of the scientific studies the referees created a ranking.
The importance of the species for the Bonn Convention as
well as new data and insights into the biology of migratory
species that can help to better conserve them during their
migration are the main criteria.
 With
his thesis on the critically endangered Mekong Giant Catfish
(Pangasiidae) Zeb Hogan has made a significant
contribution to improve its conservation status under the
Convention. The relevance to the vision and goals of UNEP/CMS
to protect and improve the conservation status of migratory
animals made this thesis rank at the top. The extraordinarily
long migratory journey of the species up the Mekong river
was a key discovery. He tagged the freshwater fish and thus
collected new data about its migration patterns. Hogan developed
efficient conservation strategies some of which have already
been implemented. By including local stakeholders such as
fishermen, his concept provides for sustainable use of the
species.
Carlos Rodriguez with his thesis on the impact of climate
change and agricultural intensification on the Lesser Kestrel
as well as Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete with research on the distribution
of the Blue Whale also provided new data on the biology
UNEP-Executive Director Dr Klaus Töpfer will award
the prize on 20 November at the beginning of the 8th
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties in
Nairobi, Kenya.
For more information:
 Statement
of Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary of the Convention
on Migratory Species at the press conference to announce
the results of the UNEP/CMS Thesis Award 2005
(PDF Format)
Jury
members of the UNEP/CMS Thesis Award (PDF Format)
Theses
of CMS Laureates (German)
General
information on the UNEP/CMS Award
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