Russell Thorstrom Receives Prestigious Conservation Award

The Peregrine Fund is proud to announce that Russell Thorstrom, our Madagascar & West Indies Conservation Director, has been honored with the 2025 Tom Cade Conservation Award. Though the award is named in honor of our founder, Dr. Tom Cade, The Peregrine Fund does not determine the winner of the accolade. It is instead awarded by the Raptor Research Foundation, an organization Dr. Cade co-founded.

The Tom Cade Conservation Award is the Raptor Research Foundation's premier conservation award, recognizing individuals who have made significant advances in or exceptional contributions to the conservation of raptors. The award encompasses all aspects of conservation science and practice, including population restoration programs, captive propagation and reintroduction techniques, identifying conservation biology problems and solutions, and studies of rare, threatened, and endangered species. Russell's recognition marks the second time in three years that one of our biologists has received this honor, with our Aplomado Falcon Program Director Brian Mutch earning the award in 2023.

“Russell has had an illustrious career as a prolific scientist and an exemplary conservation biologist. His focus and commitment have always been in the field with the species, landscapes, and people that drive his passion for conservation,” says our Vice President of International Conservation Programs Dr. Evan Buechley. “He is soft-spoken and never in search of the spotlight, but those who have had the pleasure of working alongside Russell recognize him as one of the eminent conservationists of our time.”

Throughout his career with The Peregrine Fund, Russell has demonstrated unwavering dedication to protecting birds of prey in some of the world's most challenging and biodiverse regions. From searching for lost species in Madagascar and Brazil to establishing local conservation programs in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and much more, his work has advanced our understanding of threatened raptor populations and developed innovative conservation strategies that benefit species and ecosystems alike.

“Russell's recognition with the Tom Cade Conservation Award reflects both his extraordinary dedication to conserving raptors in the world's most challenging environments and The Peregrine Fund's ongoing commitment to Dr. Cade's vision of science-based conservation,” says our President & CEO, Chris Parish. “It's entirely fitting that Russell is honored in the name of our founder. Russell doesn't just represent The Peregrine Fund, he embodies its very spirit and purpose.”