U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe presented Ted Turner and the Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) with the Service’s 2011 Recovery Champion Award at an event at the Ladder Ranch in Caballo, New Mexico. The award was given in recognition of TESF’s conservation initiatives, which continue to play a significant role in the recovery of numerous endangered species.
For more than a decade, Turner and the TESF have partnered with the Service and been active participants in recovery programs benefitting imperiled species such as the black-footed ferret, red-cockaded woodpecker, Chiricahua leopard frog, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Northern Aplomado falcon, Bolson tortoise (found in Mexico), Northern gray wolf, and the Mexican gray wolf.
“The close working relationship we’ve developed with Ted Turner and the Turner Endangered Species Fund is arguably the world’s most significant public/private conservation effort,” said Director Ashe. “The innovation, dedication and resources that the Fund has brought to bear on endangered species conservation are second to none, and I can’t think of a more worthy recipient.”
A Recovery Champion is a person or organization who helps recover endangered or threatened species. Recovery actions may help to prevent extinctions, conserve or restore habitat, conduct scientific research, or promote public awareness.
