Nigerian Biologist Rediscovered Tiny Short-Tailed Roundleaf Bat After 45 Years — Her Work Sparked New Conservation Efforts

Iroro Tanshi, a 41-year-old Nigerian biologist and recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize, confirmed the rediscovery of the short-tailed roundleaf bat during fieldwork at Cross River National Park and Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in 2016. The tiny species had not been documented in Nigeria for 45 years and had not been recorded anywhere in the world for five years before her finding.

Iroro Tanshi and the short-tailed roundleaf batCredit: Etinosa Yvonne

The Discovery

During a night of routine trapping near a known roost, Tanshi and her team captured an individual that immediately stood out. Returning later that year with harp traps and mist nets, they caught 15 more bats of the same type, allowing Tanshi to confirm the species' presence in the region.

Iroro Tanshi and the giant round leaf batCredit: Etinosa Yvonne for the Goldman Environmental Prize

“That was the moment that changed everything. Actually, there was the catching and the moment of realization, like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Tanshi recalled in an interview with The Guardian.

About the Species

The short-tailed roundleaf bat is very small — described as weighing about as much as a level teaspoonful of salt — and is recognizable by its large ears and a round, button-like nose. Observations indicate it feeds on fruit, pollen, nectar and insects.

Iroro Tanshi at the Cross River National Park, NigeriaCredit: Etinosa Yvonne for the Goldman Environmental Prize

Threats and Immediate Challenges

Two weeks after the rediscovery, a wildfire swept through the forest where the bats had been found, forcing Tanshi's team to evacuate and damaging critical habitat. She also found that, despite the sanctuary's protected status, local hunting of bats was common while other mammals were more consistently protected.

Conservation Response: SMACON

In response to these threats, Tanshi and fellow bat specialist Benneth Obitte founded the Small Mammal Conservation Organization (SMACON) in 2016. SMACON established a forest-guardian patrol system, equipped guardians with firefighting tools, GPS units and two-way radios, and launched education programs that introduce children to bat conservation and fire prevention through classroom activities.

Impact and Recognition

Tanshi's rediscovery and the conservation measures that followed helped raise awareness of small-mammal conservation in the region and contributed to her receiving the Goldman Prize in 2026. Her work highlights how focused field research, local engagement and practical protections can rapidly shift prospects for little-known species.