Behler Turtle Conservation Award presented to Peter Paul van Dijk

by Jordan Gray

This year the 12th annual Behler Award for Turtle Conservation celebrates and honors Peter Paul van Dijk for his quarter-century of dedication to turtle science and conservation! The Turtle Survival Alliance and Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group are honored to be joined again this year by the Turtle Conservancy and the Turtle Conservation Fund as co-presenters of the prestigious Behler Turtle Conservation Award, bringing together the four organizations most closely tied to John Behler's legacy.

"Peter Paul is a walking encylopedia or turtle biology, taxonomy, and conservation, and is both critically important resource and leader for the global turtle conservation community, having focused a large portion of his efforts on imporving regulatory aspects of the unsustainable global turtle trade. More than that, he is also a close and trusted friend and highly-respected colleague. We are honored to present him with this well-deserved award." - Anders G. J. Rhodin