Iroro Tanshi rediscovers short tailed roundleaf bat in Nigeria
Technology
Turns out, the short-tailed roundleaf bat isn't extinct after all!
Biologist Iroro Tanshi and her team captured 15 of them in Nigeria's Cross River National Park and Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary back in 2016, the first confirmed sighting there in decades.
Tanshi summed up the moment: "Something that we thought was extinct was in this beautiful place that nobody goes to."
Small mammal conservation organization launched
The rediscovery came with worries: wildfires hit soon after, and even though the area's a sanctuary, hunting is still a big threat.
To help, Tanshi and Benneth Obitte started the Small Mammal Conservation Organization, launching patrols, handing out firefighting gear, and spreading awareness to keep these bats safe for good.