Meet Dara McAnulty, the young naturalist who became the youngest RSPB medal recipient

Young people speaking out about the environment can help to shine a light on nature and conservation. Dara McAnulty is a Northern Irish naturalist, writer and environmental campaigner with an extraordinary history of conservation work from a young age.

In 2019, McAnulty became the youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal for conservation. He was just 15 years and 209 days old at the time, joining a group of popular naturalists that includes Sir David Attenborough.

As per Guinness World Records, the achievement made McAnulty the youngest person to get the conservation medal.

A passion for conservation

McAnulty has explained his interest in protecting nature as a personal passion, mainly his love of birds.

He has also emphasized the significance of cooperation between young people, experts and organizations when addressing environmental concerns.

Work across conservation and broadcasting

McAnulty has obtained many awards and recognitions for his conservation work. These are recognition from BBC Springwatch, The Daily Mirror and Birdwatch magazine.

His work has also gone into natural history broadcasting. He has written and presented numerous natural history programs for BBC radio and television.

Along with his conservation activities, McAnulty has served as an ambassador for the RSPCA, the iWill campaign and the Jane Goodall Institute.

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Author and nature writer

McAnulty is also an author. He has written two children's books, Wild Child and A Wild Child's Book of Birds, both illustrated by Barry Falls.

His first book, Diary of a Young Naturalist, obtained the 2020 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing.

Wild Child later achieved a place on the shortlist for the 2022 Wainwright Prize for Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation.

Recognition beyond conservation

McAnulty's work has received recognition beyond his environmental activities. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2023 New Year Honours list for services to the environment and individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

His conservation work and communication regarding nature have also made him an advocate for greater environmental awareness in young people.

His work combines conservation, writing, broadcasting and environmental campaigning, while his achievements have arrived at an unusually young age.

His record as the youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal for conservation continues to be one of the defining milestones of his work. His message also focuses on encouraging people to understand the significance of protecting nature and the role young people can play in creating environmental change.

Source: Guinness World Records and Pan Macmillan India