NEWS
For immediate release| 1.15.2026
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Photo credit: Houston Zoo
HOUSTON (Jan. 15, 2026) – The 2025 Houston Zoo Wildlife Warrior Awards honors two exceptional conservation leaders whose courage, innovation, and dedication are making a lasting impact on wildlife and communities around the world. Peace Irigabiza from the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) was given the award for her work with Rwanda’s bat species and Raveloarisoa Hermano with Groupe d’Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP) for his work protecting Madagascar’s Maromizaha Forest.
The Wildlife Warrior Award supports emerging and established conservation leaders working in the field by providing funding for professional development, training, and strengthens long-term conservation efforts in their home countries. Houston Zoo started the Wildlife Warrior Awards in 2015 which is supported by the sales of conservation bracelets, where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the award program. Each year, the recipients are carefully chosen by the Zoo’s Admissions team (Zoo staff that welcome you at the front entrance). In the past 10 years, this award has helped multiple of the Zoo’s conservation partners advance their skills in their range countries.
Peace Irigabiza is a field ecologist and bat project coordinator with RWCA. Her groundbreaking work has elevated the importance of protecting Rwanda’s bat species. Her rediscovery of the Hill’s Horseshoe Bat, once thought to be extinct, and identification of a new bat species represent major milestones in national conservation research. Irigabiza trains rangers, leads school-based bat conservation clubs, and is building Rwanda’s first acoustic library of bat calls. With the Wildlife Warrior Award, she will pursue training in conservation leadership, project management, and scientific writing, strengthening her ability to guide national conservation initiatives and mentor future conservationists.
Raveloarisoa Hermano us a nursery man with GERP and has spent more than 15 years protecting the Maromizaha Forest against deforestation and bushfires. His leadership has helped keep the forest fire-free since 2018 and restore more than 62 hectares of native habitat. With the Wildlife Warrior Award, Hermano will pursue specialized training in botany, project management and community engagement to create a botanical garden in Maromizaha in hopes of preserving Madagascar’s biodiversity and educating future generations.
Guests can help save animals in the wild by visiting the Zoo and purchasing a conservation bracelet. Each bracelet directly supports the Zoo’s Wildlife Warrior Awards and empowers the Zoo’s conservation partners to continue their field work around the world.
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The Houston Zoo connects communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife. Established in 1922, today the Zoo is a leading conservation and education nonprofit organization providing care to thousands of animals. All while remaining a cherished destination for fun, family, and inspiration for all of Houston’s diverse communities. The Houston Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. To stay informed about the Houston Zoo, visit www.houstonzoo.org.
