We are very excited to announce our 2025 Marion Paviour Award winner – Samik Bista!

Samik’s work will be on the stunning Steppe Eagle. These Endangered eagles get their name from their preferred breeding habitat – the steppes of Central Asia. While the current estimate for their global population stands at just over 31,000 pairs and around 94,000 individuals in total, this is based on studies from 2015 and 2016, and there may well be fewer now as their population trend is declining.

Alarmingly, a study in 2014 showed that Steppe Eagles are also impacted by exposure to diclofenac (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat livestock) in the same way that many vultures in South Asia are and have been – a major conservation concern that we have worked on for many years. The use of these toxic NSAIDs have resulted in an unprecedented decline in vulture population numbers in South Asia. This serves to underline the importance of our work with our partners in Asia to help remove toxic NSAIDs from the market but also the need for wider collaborations and work on different species, such as with our Marion Paviour Award winners, to try and best conserve and protect as many birds of prey as possible.

Samik’s work will take place in Nepal, where a considerable amount of work to ban NSAIDs and make the environment safer for birds of prey has already happened and is yielding positive results for vulture populations. Threats to vultures and other birds of prey still exist here nonetheless, and Samik’s work will look at how to address some of these and encourage long-term and sustainable protection of these birds through engaging communities in this work.

Hear from Samik below as he introduces himself and his project and what winning the Hawk Conservancy Trust’s Marion Paviour Award means to him.

“My name is Samik Bista, and I am leading a project titled “Breaking Barriers to Steppe Eagle Conservation through Research, Education, and Community Action in Hetauda, Central Nepal.” The Steppe Eagle, listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, is experiencing rapid population decline from threats including habitat loss, persecution, and collisions with powerlines. Despite regular winter sightings in Hetauda, very little is known about what habitat they are using and what local threats they face. Through systematic surveys and community engagement, this project aims to generate vital data, identify key habitats, and inspire local stewardship for Steppe Eagle conservation.

The Marion Paviour Award will be transformative in enabling both research and community action. It will directly support our field surveys, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building programs, allowing us to train local birdwatchers and students as ‘Steppe Eagle Guardians.’ Beyond funding, this award provides recognition and encouragement that strengthens my commitment to raptor research and conservation. It will help me develop advanced field, analytical, and leadership skills essential for my long-term goal of becoming a conservation biologist dedicated to protecting birds of prey and promoting community-based wildlife conservation across Nepal.”

Come along to the Trust to see Stilton, our Steppe Eagle, as he showcases these stunning birds, helping raise awareness about the species and the realities the wild population faces.

Congratulations to Ivan Oruka – the winner of our 2023 Marion Paviour Award!

Ivan is currently studying at Gulu University, Uganda, undertaking a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management.

Ivan is currently undertaking a project that is leading the way for research on Critically Endangered Rüppell’s Vultures. His work is focused in the Luku Central Forest Reserve, where he is studying the only known breeding colony of these important birds in the entire country of Uganda.

This project is the first of its kind in the country – trailblazing the way forward for future conservation efforts to conserve this species of vulture. Ivan is currently gathering data to determine the size of the breeding population within this area, identify what seems to influence which cliff ledges the vultures use to nest on, and finally, what their breeding success rate is and what could influence their success.

Our Marion Paviour Award grant has supported Ivan with this research. These funds have allowed him to cover costs associated with travel to the reserve, some of the equipment he is using to carry out his research, and local costs to cover permits for access to protected forest sites.

On winning the award, Ivan commented:

“To receive this award from you, joy and happiness are an understatement. This award is a timely fuel to my work and just like my birds of interest, my research activities are definitely going to soar. Because I am studying the last members of the species, this award is a dawn of hope to them. In fact, I dedicate it to my birds. All together for community transformation to save the plight of vultures.”

Since receiving the award, Ivan has collected four months of data, and is beginning to interpret what the research can tell us about these precious birds. He has also observed new chicks at the nest sites over the winter months – fantastic news!

Keep your eyes peeled as we continue to share updates from Ivan’s work conserving these Critically Endangered vultures.