Dara McAnulty
Age: 17
Country: UK
Special skill: Conservation and writing
I’m a naturalist, writer and environmental campaigner. Being a naturalist means I know a lot about plants and animals. It’s my passion to help protect our environment by teaching others all about animal conservation – I especially love birds!🐦🦉🦆
My Guinness World Records title is for the youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal.
RSPB = Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
It felt really strange to receive this medal.🏅
Previous recipients have dedicated their lives to conservation, so I wondered if it was premature!
I have worked tirelessly, though, and campaigning for nature has taken over my life. 📣
To be rewarded for my efforts is a great honour and responsibility. 💚
Why I love watching wildlife 🌳🦔👀
As an autistic person, the calm and focus required to watch wildlife can be very therapeutic. 😊
I think having the ability to really delve deeply into your passions is very important for autistic people, to feel valued by society is essential to our mental health and well-being. 🤗
Everyone is dependent on nature
Our fast-paced society has pushed nature to the fringes. 🏃📱📺
We need everyone, especially educators and those in power, to get the message out there that we are dependent on nature. 🌍🔄
Young people do have refreshing ideas and energy that older generations could gain insight from, but we should all be working together. 👦🤝👵
The changes we so desperately need for a healthy planet require everyone to understand what’s at stake.
I have always been fascinated by nature and so being able to not only have the opportunity to enjoy wonderful experiences with my family, but also share this with the world; it has given my life purpose and meaning.
Dara McAnulty
How to get involved in environmental activism 🌍♻️
What does it mean too be an activist?
It feels so good to be a part of the GWR family! We have the GWR book in our Christmas pile every year and my dad has his old childhood copies. So, it’s such a cool thing.
Dara
My plans for the future
When I’m older and a working biologist, I would like to explore other global habitats to study them and learn from their amazing wildlife. 🐯🦏
I would love to visit the Black Forest in Germany, they have bears! 🐻
I haven’t really seen very many cetaceans, so I definitely want to see Orca or Humpback whales too. 🐳
