Welcoming Two EDGE of Existence Fellows

Congratulations and welcome, EDGE Fellows Malyasri Bhattacharya and Waruni Tissera! ZSL’s EDGE Fellowship is a 28-month program that builds conservation leadership where it is needed most. Fellows receive funding, training, and mentorship to implement a two-year project focused on a species from the EDGE species list—species that are Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. This past year, The Peregrine Fund partnered with the EDGE of Existence program to support two fellows focusing on raptor conservation, and Malyasri and Waruni were selected from a competitive field of applicants. 

Malyasri (pictured above) will be researching the Critically Endangered White-rumped Vulture, a species once common in India that experienced a 99.9% population decline. Malyasri hopes to reverse that decline by identifying key nesting habitat, analyzing movement patterns and threats, mapping priority conservation zones, and raising awareness within communities. Her work will be focused in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. 

Waruni (pictured below) will be working to protect the elusive Serendib Scops-owl in the rainforests of Sri Lanka. Waruni’s research on this Endangered owl will be challenging—the species is rarely heard and even more rarely seen. It was only identified as a species in 2004, and habitat loss and fragmentation are threatening its future. Waruni will identify key habitat, monitor threats, promote the protection of lowland forests, and raise awareness through education.  

We are excited to see what these two fellows accomplish in conserving two important EDGE species! Keep an eye out for updates from their projects. 

Are you an early-career conservationist studying an EDGE species, or do you know of someone who is? The EDGE Fellowship 2026 application is open until July 21, 2025, so apply now!