The Indianapolis Prize, a prestigious award that recognizes leaders in wildlife conservation, has awarded its second Emerging Conservationist Award to Mwezi Badru Mugerwa. A Ugandan researcher and conservationist who combines community work with technology, Mugerwa has been working to stop the poaching of the little-known African golden cat (Caracal aurata) and bolster efforts to ramp up conservation of the species. In an email interview with Mongabay, Mugerwa called the recognition “surreal.” The Indianapolis Prize, awarded by Indianapolis Zoo, has long recognized individuals who have spearheaded successful conservation efforts around the world. The Emerging Conservationist Award, a new category which comes with prize money of $50,000, was established only in 2022 to recognize people under the age of 40 who have worked for the conservation of a species or a group of species. The main Indianapolis Prize will be announced in May, and both winners will be honored at a gala in Indianapolis in September. “Mwezi’s passion for involving the local community in conservation efforts is what makes him so worthy of receiving this award,” Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, said in a press statement. Over the past 15 years, Mugerwa has worked with local communities to stop the poaching of the African golden cat. Image courtesy of Embaka. Mugerwa, whom  Mongabay profiled last year, founded the community-driven conservation organization Embaka to monitor and protect the African golden cat, which is endemic to West and Central Africa. Over the past 15 years, Mugerwa and his team…This article was originally published on Mongabay