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Last month the Albatross and Petrel Agreement's honorary Information Officer, John Cooper was honoured by the Pacific Seabird Group with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its 39th Annual Meeting in Oahu, Hawaii (click here).

Hot on the heels of this award, John received the Gill Memorial Medal of BirdLife South Africa at its 83rd Annual General Meeting, known as "The Flock", held last weekend in Port Elizabeth.  The society's AGM followed a two-day conference "Frontiers in South African Ornithology" (click here).

John receives the Gill Memorial Medal from Vernon Head, BirdLife South Africa's Chairperson
Photograph by Ross Wanless

The Gill Memorial Medal has been awarded previously to 18 ornithologists, both professionals and amateurs, commencing in 1960.  The engraved bronze medal, BirdLife South Africa's most prestigious award, is given for an outstanding lifetime contribution to the knowledge of southern African birds.  This is the first time the medal has been awarded to an ornithologist who has concentrated on studying seabirds over his career.

Edward Leonard Gill (1877-1956) was an ornithologist based in Cape Town who was active within BirdLife South Africa's predecessor, the South African Ornithological Society.

In his introduction to the award Peter Ryan of the University of Cape Town's Percy FitzPatrick Institute and Honorary President of BirdLife South Africa mentioned the role John had played in the formation of ACAP and his current role as its Information Officer and Editor of ACAP Latest News.

Mark Anderson (Birdlife South Africa CEO), John Cooper and Vernon Head
Photograph courtesey of  BirdLife South Africa

The two recent awards made to John Cooper indirectly reflect a belief that the Albatross and Petrel Agreement fulfils an important conservation and information role on the international stage.

ACAP Secretariat, 19 March 2012