Trending Now - Nigerian Activist Honored for Efforts to Protect Bats

WHO:

BBC - Iroro Tanshi, a Nigerian ecologist and activist, is recognized for her efforts to protect bats.

WHAT:

BBC - Iroro Tanshi won the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in trying to save bats in Nigeria.

BBC - Many Nigerians associate bats with witchcraft, which complicates conservation efforts.

WHERE:

BBC - The efforts to protect bats are taking place in Nigeria.

WHEN:

BBC - The Goldman Environmental Prize was awarded in 2026.

WHY:

BBC - The local population often resorts to dealing with wildfires on their farms, which impacts bat habitats.

HOW:

BBC - Tanshi described the impact of wildfires, stating, "That fire burned for about three weeks until the rain came. There was nothing people could do - we just kept watching it every day."

(UPDATED April 20, 2026 19:37 UTC)

Iroro Tanshi, a Nigerian ecologist and activist, has been awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her dedicated efforts to protect bats in Nigeria. Many in the local population associate bats with witchcraft, which complicates her conservation work, especially as they often face wildfires that threaten bat habitats. Tanshi described the devastating impact of these wildfires, recalling how one fire burned for about three weeks until the rain finally arrived, leaving the community helpless as they watched it unfold each day.