ONE BIOLOGIST’S UNWAVERING QUEST FOR RAPTORS
advanced our understanding of threatened raptor populations worldwide. These efforts have also led to innovative conservation strategies, including the establishment of major TPF programs in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Our Vice President of Conservation, who oversees International Programs, Dr. Evan Buechley, works closely with Russell. “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 Evan. “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.” TPF is proud of Russell’s extraordinary dedication to conserving raptors worldwide.
TPF Complete Conservation™ Pillar
Thought Leadership Russell Thorstrom’s career is a testament to what thought leadership looks like in the field: decades of rigorous science in the world’s most remote landscapes, quietly advancing conservation.
In 2025, the Raptor Research Foundation presented our Madagascar & West Indies Conservation Director, Russell Thorstrom, with the Tom Cade Award. This award, named in honor of our founder, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the conservation of raptors.
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 gathering critical natural history data on poorly studied raptors in Guatemala through our Maya Project, his work has 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. –Evan Buechley, Vice President of Conservation – International Programs
Courtesy of TPF
Russell (far right) in Tikal National Park, Guatemala with members of the Maya Project during that project’s first season in 1988.
Courtesy of TPF
Russell and a TPF collaborator tracking radio- tagged Ridgway’s Hawks in the Dominican Republic in 2005.
Evan Buechley
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