A Nigerian scientist has been honored with the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her groundbreaking work protecting endangered bats in a country where these creatures are often feared and misunderstood.
Iroro Tanshi, an ecologist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, received the award for her community-led campaign that successfully prevented wildfires threatening the rare short-tailed roundleaf bat in Nigeria's Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary.
"It's an incredible honor," Tanshi said of the recognition. "There are very few things in this world that signal to you that the work you're doing has global relevance."
The conservation journey began when Tanshi made a remarkable discovery—spotting the short-tailed roundleaf bat for the first time in nearly 50 years. But what should have been a celebratory moment quickly turned concerning when wildfires threatened the bats' habitat just days later.
"We suspect the fire was started by a farmer trying to clear land near the forest," Tanshi explained. "That fire burned for about three weeks until the rain came. There was nothing people could do—we just kept watching it every day."
This experience became the catalyst for her innovative approach to conservation. Rather than focusing solely on bat protection, Tanshi addressed a problem that affected both wildlife and local communities: wildfires.
"It's really the question of: 'How do we convince people to protect the habitat?'" she said. "In our case, it was because the wildfire problem was also a community problem—that was the hook."
Tanshi organized community fire brigades that have prevented serious wildfires in and around the 24,700-acre sanctuary between 2022 and May 2025. Her work represents a significant achievement in a country where bats are commonly associated with witchcraft and face widespread fear.
To change perceptions, Tanshi and her team engage communities through multiple forms of media, with particular focus on educating children. They don't shy away from difficult conversations about why bats matter.
"Bats contribute to their ecosystems by dispersing seeds and pollinating plants," Tanshi explained. "Your shea butter that a lot of people use—either raw or in cosmetic products around the world—is because of bats, which disperse the seeds of the tree. They play so many critical roles, it's almost impossible to ignore them."
Tanshi is one of six winners of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize, marking the first time in the award's 37-year history that all recipients are women. Her work demonstrates how addressing shared environmental challenges can bridge the gap between conservation goals and community needs, creating sustainable protection for endangered species.