Why in News? 

Researchers from Kerala have been awarded the Future Conservationist Award by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) for their project on conserving the Malabar Grey Hornbill. 

About Malabar Grey Hornbill 

• Endemic to: Western Ghats of India 
• Habitat: Found at an elevation of about 50 meters above mean sea level near coastal areas 
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Status: Vulnerable