Youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal

The youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal is Dara McAnulty (UK, b. 31 March 2004), who was awarded the medal for Services to Conservation, at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds AGM, on 26 October 2019.

The RSPB Medal has been awarded annually by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds since 1908. Dara joined an illustrious list of previous winners of the award, including Sir David Attenborough, Chris Mead, Dick Potts and Charles, Prince of Wales.

Claire Barnett, RSPB NI Area Manager (East), said: “Every year we recognise those individuals who inspire us all to celebrate, discover and be amazed by our natural world. Dara has embodied all of that as he brings more of us closer to the wonderful species found in Northern Ireland.

Dara’s knowledge, activism and work for nature is so amazing because he is autistic. Nature helps his anxiety and the challenges that come with being autistic in this world. He has inspired and engaged thousands of children and adults to speak up to campaign on issues including climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and the persecution of birds of prey."

In May 2020, Dara published his first book, titled 'Diary of a Young Naturalist'.