A whale’s death inspired him at four, now 11-year-old is set for Earth Medal

At just four years old, Aneeshwar Kunchala was deeply affected by a photograph of a whale that had died after ingesting plastic. The image opened his eyes to the devastating impact of human activities on wildlife and set him on a path towards conservation.

Seven years later, the 11-year-old wildlife presenter and conservationist, who lives in the UK and has family roots in Andhra Pradesh, India, is set to receive the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal for his efforts to protect wildlife, promote biodiversity and encourage children to care for the planet.

Announced by STARMUS, an international festival celebrating science, space exploration, technology, music and the arts, the award recognises young people making a difference through their work in conservation and environmental awareness.

Through wildlife documentaries, television programmes, writing, art and public speaking, Kunchala has built a platform to help young audiences understand environmental challenges and discover how they can contribute to protecting the natural world.

How a whale’s death changed a four-year-old’s outlook

Kunchala’s conservation journey began in November 2019, during his first year at school, when his teacher showed the class a picture of a whale that had died after ingesting plastic.

The image stayed with him. It helped him understand that plastic pollution was not merely an environmental problem but a direct threat to the lives of animals and the health of marine ecosystems.

What began as a child’s emotional response gradually developed into a commitment to raising awareness about wildlife, biodiversity and environmental protection.

In March 2020, he began making animal videos, starting with a wildlife documentary about a baby robin in his garden that he named Regee. His first film, Regee the Robin, marked the beginning of his journey as a young wildlife storyteller.

His work subsequently expanded to include documentaries, educational programmes, poetry, painting and public speaking, giving him different ways to connect with audiences and communicate the importance of conservation.

His efforts also extend beyond filmmaking. Kunchala takes part in community litter-picking drives, tree planting and fundraising activities. He has also promoted ways to attract wildlife into gardens, including installing bird boxes and creating ponds to support biodiversity.

His message to children is straightforward: protecting nature does not always require grand gestures. Small, consistent actions in everyday life can also make a difference.

From wildlife films to world records

Kunchala gained wider recognition through his television work at a remarkably young age. In 2022, he presented COP27: Six Ways to Save Our Planet, a Sky Kids documentary featuring six children from different continents exploring environmental problems and potential solutions.

He has also secured multiple Guinness World Records, including the title of youngest newspaper columnist. In January 2025, he identified 28 different animal sounds in one minute, setting another record in the under-16 category.

His work has reached audiences through books and documentaries as well. In 2024, he published Adventures of a Young Naturalist: Arctic Expedition and appeared in Save Our Wildlife, a Sky Kids documentary exploring conservation efforts across five continents.

These projects have helped him combine storytelling with environmental education, making wildlife conservation more accessible to younger audiences.

Awards recognise his growing conservation influence

The Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal adds to a growing list of honours recognising Kunchala’s contribution to environmental awareness and youth engagement.

In 2024, he received the Diana Award for his work involving children and wildlife conservation. His other honours include the British Citizen Youth Award, an honorary Young Scientific Explorer award from the Scientific Exploration Society and the International Society for the Performing Arts’ Celebrate Our Planet award.

The Kennedy Center appointed him its first Youth Ambassador for Arts and the Environment in January 2024, recognising his use of storytelling, science and nature to engage young people. He has also served as the National Trust’s first ambassador.

Kunchala has taken his message to major public platforms. In 2024, he co-presented the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Species Congress, which focuses on biodiversity and the protection of endangered species. He also addressed the Restore Nature Now event in the UK, where his website says he spoke to an audience of more than 70,000 people.

His interest in the relationship between science and the environment has taken him beyond traditional conservation settings. In 2024, he visited NASA’s Earth Science Division to learn how satellite technology and space research help scientists monitor changes to the planet.

His project, Discovering Earth from the Stars: Aneeshwar at NASA, later premiered at the Kennedy Center’s Earth to Space festival and was featured by STARMUS.

In 2026, he was invited to the celebration of naturalist Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. He has also spoken at Climate Action Week London’s Youth Summit, continuing to bring young voices into discussions about the planet’s future.

Exploring India’s rich wildlife heritage

Although based in the UK, Kunchala’s family roots connect him to Andhra Pradesh, and his conservation interests have also taken him to wildlife habitats in India.

In August 2022, he went birdwatching in India and the UAE, observing species including weaver birds, tailorbirds, kingfishers, bulbuls and bee-eaters.

In December 2023, he visited Koundinya Forest and Nelapattu Nature Reserve in southern India to learn more about the region’s wildlife.

These experiences have strengthened the connection between wildlife education and the need to protect local habitats. They also reflect the importance of helping children understand biodiversity not as a distant global issue, but as something present in their own surroundings.

Why the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal matters

Named after renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal celebrates young people working to protect biodiversity, raise environmental awareness and inspire others to take action.

Kunchala’s selection reflects a journey that began with a single troubling image and grew into a sustained effort to educate and mobilise others.

STARMUS has also announced the Junior Stephen Hawking Medal for Spanish science communicator Valeria Corrales, recognising her work to make science accessible to wider audiences.

At 11, Kunchala’s story offers a powerful reminder that concern for the planet can begin at any age. A photograph that once left a young child heartbroken has become the starting point for a wider mission: helping the next generation understand that protecting wildlife is also about protecting their own future.