Queen guitarist Brian May, 79, said he felt "unworthy" as he received the Jane Goodall Earth Medal at the Starmus VIII festival in Tenerife, in recognition of his efforts to protect wildlife.
The award honours individuals and institutions championing life on Earth, wildlife conservation, sustainable programmes, and better treatment of animals and the environment. Colonel Chris Hadfield announced May as the recipient during the festival's opening event.
A Surprise Honour at Starmus VIII
"Not only does he have a PhD in astrophysics, but he's also a champion of nature and animal rights," Hadfield said. "For his incredible work fighting for the rights of animals, for planting countless trees, doing what he can, trying to embody what Jane says of being one individual making a difference, and for creating the Save Me Foundation, we are delighted as a group to present the Jane Goodall Earth Medal to Sir Brian May."
Accepting the award, May admitted: "I never thought, when we were lovingly putting this medal together with Jane, that I would be the recipient of one, and needless to say, I feel kind of unworthy."
May's Legacy with Save Me
May spoke of his work with the charity he founded with his CEO, Anne Brummer, around 15 years ago. "Most of my wildlife work has been done for Save Me, which is a charity... I founded with Ann Brummer, my CEO, about 15 years ago. We called it Save Me with the idea that it would give wild animals a voice, and that's what we've been doing," he said.
He added that the Harpers Asprey Wildlife Rescue, known as Save Me headquarters, has rescued thousands of animals across Britain. "So, on behalf of Anne and Save Me, I would like to accept this Jane Goodall Medal with extreme gratitude," he concluded.
Inaugural Recipients and Junior Honour
May was among the first recipients of the honour, which was unveiled on Jane Goodall's birthday on April 3 this year, months after her death at the age of 95 on October 1, 2025. Former United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres also accepted the award, recognised for her role in brokering the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Eleven-year-old Aneeshwar Kunchala, a CBeebies and YouTube wildlife presenter, received the Junior Jane Goodall Earth Medal for his conservation and science communication work. He first gained prominence in 2022 on Britain's Got Talent at age seven, finishing seventh in the live finals.
