Credentials

At four, Aneeshwar Kunchala was deeply moved by a picture of a whale that had died after ingesting plastic. Today, he is turning that early concern into a mission to protect wildlife and inspire children to care for the planet.
The 11-year-old wildlife presenter and conservationist, who lives in the UK and has family roots in Andhra Pradesh, India, is set to receive the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal for his work in wildlife conservation and biodiversity.
Announced by STARMUS, an international festival celebrating science, space exploration, technology, music and the arts, the award recognises his conservation efforts.
Through documentaries, television, writing, art and public speaking, Kunchala encourages young audiences to understand environmental challenges and take action to protect the natural world.
Kunchala's conservation journey began in November 2019, during his first year at school, when his teacher showed the class a picture of a whale that had died due to plastic pollution.
The image left a lasting impression on him. He began to understand how human activities, particularly plastic waste, could threaten wildlife and marine ecosystems.
What started as a young child's concern gradually developed into a sustained effort to educate others about animals, biodiversity and environmental protection.
In March 2020, he began making animal videos, starting with a wildlife documentary about a baby robin in his garden, which he named Regee. His official website identifies the film, Regee the Robin, as his first wildlife documentary.
The project helped him turn his fascination with wildlife into a way of connecting with wider audiences. Over time, his work expanded to include documentaries, educational programmes, poetry, painting and public speaking.
His conservation activities have also extended beyond the screen. He participates in community litter-picking drives, tree planting, fundraising and initiatives to attract wildlife to gardens, including installing bird boxes and creating ponds that support biodiversity.
Through these activities, Kunchala encourages children to see conservation as something they can practise in their everyday lives.
Kunchala rose to international prominence through his television work at a remarkably young age. In 2022, he presented COP27: Six Ways to Save Our Planet, a Sky Kids documentary featuring six children from different continents exploring environmental challenges and possible solutions.
He also holds multiple Guinness World Records, including the title of youngest newspaper columnist. In January 2025, he identified 28 different animal sounds in one minute, setting another record in the under-16 category.
Beyond television, Kunchala published his first book, Adventures of a Young Naturalist: Arctic Expedition, in 2024 and became the Kennedy Centerโs first Youth Ambassador for Arts and the Environment. He also featured in Save Our Wildlife, a Sky Kids documentary exploring wildlife conservation across five continents.
The Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal adds to a growing list of honours recognising Kunchala's contribution to environmental awareness and youth engagement.
In 2024, he received the Diana Award for his work involving children and wildlife conservation. He has also received the British Citizen Youth Award and an honorary Young Scientific Explorer award from the Scientific Exploration Society.
His achievements also include becoming the National Trustโs first ambassador and taking part in major conservation events.
In 2024, he co-presented the International Union for Conservation of Nature's World Species Congress, which focuses on protecting biodiversity and endangered species. He has also addressed large public gatherings, including the Restore Nature Now event in the UK, where his website says he spoke to an audience of more than 70,000 people.
In January 2024, the Kennedy Center appointed him its first Youth Ambassador for Arts and the Environment. The role recognised his use of storytelling, science and nature to engage young audiences. He also received the International Society for the Performing Arts' Celebrate Our Planet award that year.
In 2024, Kunchala visited NASA's Earth Science Division to learn about how satellite technology and space research help scientists understand changes in the Earth's environment. His project Discovering Earth from the Stars: Aneeshwar at NASA subsequently premiered at the Kennedy Center's Earth to Space festival and was featured by STARMUS.
In 2026, he was invited to the celebration of naturalist Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. He has also spoken at Climate Action Week London's Youth Summit, continuing his efforts to bring young people's voices into conversations about environmental challenges.
Kunchalaโs conservation journey has also taken him across India, where he has explored the countryโs diverse wildlife and habitats. In August 2022, he went birdwatching in India and the UAE, observing species such as weaver birds, tailorbirds, kingfishers, bulbuls and bee-eaters.
In December 2023, he visited Koundinya Forest and Nelapattu Nature Reserve in southern India to learn more about the regionโs wildlife.
His experiences highlight how wildlife education can connect children with nature, encouraging them to understand local biodiversity and global environmental challenges.
The Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal recognises young people working to protect biodiversity, promote environmental awareness and inspire conservation. Named after renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, the medal reflects her belief that young people can make a difference in protecting the planet. Kunchalaโs work encourages children to learn about wildlife and take practical steps towards conservation.
STARMUS has also announced the Junior Stephen Hawking Medal for Spanish science communicator Valeria Corrales for making science accessible to wider audiences.
At 11, Kunchalaโs journey shows how an early interest in wildlife can grow into a mission to protect nature and inspire others.
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