Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Prize finalists have shot at $250k for their work to save endangered animals

Published

11 months ago

January 29, 2025

Indianapolis Prize finalists have shot at 0k for their work to save endangered animals

The Indianapolis Zoological Society has named six DeHaan finalists for its biennial Indianapolis Prize honoring animal conservationists from around the world.

The finalists have spent their lives working to protect manatees, kangaroos, orangutans and elephants and the critical habitat each species needs for healthy populations.

The winner of this year’s prize will receive a $250,000 award and will be celebrated at the Indianapolis Prize Gala on Sept. 27. The remaining five finalists and the winner of the society’s Emerging Conservationist Award will each receive a $50,000 award.

Dr. Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, said the six finalists have produced tangible results while protecting threatened species across the globe.

Indianapolis Prize reaches milestone

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the prize, which has awarded more than $7 million since it began.

The society established the Indianapolis Prize to bring attention to animal conservation and the people who spend their lives saving endangered animal species. It is the largest individual monetary award for work in this area.

2025 DeHaan finalists

Here are this year’s DeHaan finalists for the Indianapolis Prize.

Alberto Alves Campos founded Aquasis, a nonprofit organization in Brazil that works with endangered species and habitat conservation. His work has improved the conservation status of the Antillean manatee.
Lisa Dabek founded the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, where she partners with indigenous communities and local governments to establish conservation plans in Papua New Guinea.
Biruté Mary Galdikas is the president and co-founder of Orangutan Foundation International, where she leads the way in orangutan ecology research. Galdikas was also an Indianapolis Prize DeHaan finalist in 2023.
Julie Packard is the founding executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and works to uplift the sustainable seafood movement using ecosystem-based science.
Lily-Arison René de Roland serves as the national director of The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar program and has helped establish five national protected areas totaling 1,550 square miles.
Lee James Taylor White is a field biologist with the Institute for Tropical Ecology Research working with the critically endangered African forest elephant in the countries of the Congo Basin.

2025 Emerging Conservationist Award

The society named its 10 finalists for the Emerging Conservationist Award in October last year. The award honors early-career efforts to save animal species.

The winner will be honored at the gala in September.

IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social

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Indianapolis, IN

Philip Rivers fell one throw short of storybook ending in his couch-to-Colts return

Published

11 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Philip Rivers fell one throw short of storybook ending in his couch-to-Colts return

He had one last throw left in that 44-year-old wing of his. For most of the afternoon, he’d been able to fool Father Time and frighten 68,771 Seattle Seahawks fans inside Lumen Field who’d come to bury Philip Rivers and, instead, watched him push their football team to the very brink of an impossible upset.

There had been a moment when it seemed Rivers might actually pull off the damn thing, too. That was with 1 minute and 55 seconds left in the game. The Colts led for so much of the game and were behind Seattle 15-13, but the ball was in the old man’s hands now. All day, he’d been careful and efficient. It got him a 13-3 lead at one point. Now, he needed to make a play.

And damned if he didn’t make a play.

Damned if he didn’t throw a 16-yard back-shoulder special to wide receiver Alec Pierce. Damned if that ball didn’t mean the Seahawks were now going to burn all of their timeouts because, in the NFL in 2025, just making it past midfield — as that throw did — means you’re in field goal range.

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Indianapolis, IN

Philip Rivers comes out of retirement for Indianapolis Colts: NFL world reacts

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Philip Rivers comes out of retirement for Indianapolis Colts: NFL world reacts

The Indianapolis Colts have cooled considerably as the season has progressed, going from the NFL’s best record to out of the playoff picture entering Week 15 action.

But one of today’s notable storylines is the return of quarterback Philip Rivers after five years away from the NFL. He’s on the Colts’ active roster as they prepare to play the Seattle Seahawks.

The 44-year-old was on Lumen Field hours before kickoff, taking mental reps.

Colts QB Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury last week, and backup Riley Leonard suffered a knee injury, though he remains on the active roster. With Brett Rypien the only other QB on their roster and list of available QBs lacking, the Colts called the last signal-caller to lead them in a playoff game (after the 2020 season).

His comeback has piqued the interest of a former Colts coach and players, his former teammates on the Chargers, former NFL quarterbacks and even those from outside football.