The National Geographic Society Announces 2025 Explorers of the Year
The global nonprofit honors this year’s Rolex National Geographic Explorers of the Year, Pablo Garcia Borboroglu and Bertie Gregory, and celebrates their collaboration to protect and illuminate penguins, one of the world’s most iconic species
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In recognition of their powerful partnership in fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for penguins and their conservation through impactful research and storytelling, the National Geographic Society is honored to announce Pablo (Popi) Garcia Borboroglu and Bertie Gregory as the 2025 recipients of the Rolex National Geographic Explorers of the Year Award.
The award — presented at the National Geographic Society’s annual Explorers Festival, hosted in collaboration with Rolex, a long-standing partner of the Society — recognizes a member(s) of the National Geographic Explorer community who shines a critical light on important issues, discoveries and challenges facing our planet to generate a sustainable future.
“By uniting groundbreaking conservation science with masterful storytelling, Popi and Bertie not only deepen our understanding of penguins but also galvanize global action to protect them,” said Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society. “They exemplify the power of collaboration in exploration, and we are honored to recognize them as the 2025 Rolex National Geographic Explorers of the Year for their unwavering commitment to illuminating and safeguarding the wonders of our world.”
Both experts at the top of their respective fields, Borboroglu and Gregory recently worked together on the upcoming National Geographic series “Secrets of the Penguins” — executive produced by James Cameron, premiering on National Geographic Channel on April 20 and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu — demonstrating how this combination of research-driven conservation science, led by Borboroglu, and inspirational storytelling, led by Gregory, can further the Society’s mission in supporting impactful, collaborative Explorer work.
An award-winning marine biologist, researcher, educator and conservationist, Borboroglu is pioneering innovative approaches to protect declining penguin populations in Patagonia and around the world. With 36 years of experience in marine conservation, he is the founder and president of the Global Penguin Society, an active member of the Explorer community, and has served as a mentor and advisor to other Explorer projects. Borboroglu has helped protect over 32 million acres of ocean and coastal habitat, benefiting at least 2.5 million penguins. His work led to the creation of multiple protected areas, and his scientific evidence and testimony were crucial in an unprecedented trial that secured full protection for one of the planet’s largest Magellanic penguin colonies, home to around 182,000 breeding pairs. Since 1998, Borboroglu has coordinated management plans for eight protected areas and led educational initiatives reaching hundreds of thousands of students. With a Ph.D. in marine biology, he is a researcher at CONICET Argentina and co-founder of the IUCN Penguin Specialist Group. His work has earned him numerous awards, including the Whitley Gold Award, the National Geographic/Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation, the Rolex Award for Enterprise, the Indianapolis Prize, and an honorary recognition by the Congress of Argentina.
“Conservation science can only do so much on its own — you have to know how to make people care,” said Borboroglu. “That’s why it’s been so special to work with Bertie and our entire team on this series, educating the world about penguins and the protection of marine species everywhere while showcasing the power of science and research through immersive storytelling. Receiving this award with Bertie reinforces that this work is valued, and I’m thankful that the Society strives to bring Explorers together to create even more compelling work.”
A BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning wildlife filmmaker, photographer and presenter, Gregory has worked on many National Geographic projects in the past decade, including “Epic Adventures” and his multiple Emmy Award-winning series “Animals Up Close.” He created a 16-part digital series from his Society-funded Explorer work tracking down and filming the elusive coastal wolf on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Most recently, Gregory lent his expertise leading the “Secrets of the Penguins” series. His past work, filmmaking skills and engaging communication style have solidified his critical role as an advocate for the natural world, going to the extremes of our planet to seek out the best filmmaking opportunities and bringing back stories that resonate in surprising, emotional and connective ways. Gregory’s career began when a childhood nature obsession earned him the title of Youth Outdoor Photographer of the Year. He graduated with honors in zoology from the University of Bristol before assisting National Geographic magazine photographer Steve Winter in attempting to photograph the urban leopards of Mumbai and the jungle leopards of Sri Lanka. In addition to filming for the BBC David Attenborough documentary series and becoming the BAFTA’s youngest cinematography winner, Gregory also received a 2019 Jackson Wild Media Award for his work on the National Geographic project “Resurrection Island.”
“Filming this series was already a dream come true, but having the opportunity to work with Popi and learn so much more about these amazing seabirds in an effort to conserve and protect them made our story so much richer,” said Gregory. “I’m grateful to share this award with Popi and that I get to continue working with the Society to produce more documentary work that will ignite curiosity and drive to protect our planet.”
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SOURCE National Geographic Society
