Future For Nature Awards for flamingos in Bolivia

Royal Burgers' Zoo (the Netherlands) [ENA] Cameroon and freshwater fish in Nigeria Royal Burgers' Zoo (the Netherlands) is co-founder and main sponsor of the Future For Nature Foundation From a pool of over three hundred fifty international candidates, three young leaders in nature conservation have been selected to receive this year’s Future For Nature Awards. They stand out for their persistence, commitment and impactful initiatives.

On Friday, May 8th, 2026, Dayana Blanco, Marina Kameni, and Olabisi Atofarati will receive this prestigious nature conservation prize and 50,000 euros each during the Future For Nature Awards ceremony. The Awards ceremony will feature distinguished marine scientist and biodiversity expert David Obura, Chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, as the guest of honour.

Meet the Winners: Dayana Blanco (27 years old) is an Indigenous Aymara woman who mobilized her community to restore Lake Uru Uru and protect Chilean, Andean, and James’s flamingos, among other species, in Bolivia. By planting 6,000 native totora plants, a natural water purifier, she and her team have restored 10 kilometres of shoreline. Ongoing monitoring confirms the return of all three flamingo species, marking a remarkable milestone in ecosystem recovery and showing Dayana’s conservation leadership.

Marina Kameni (35 years old) is protecting endangered frogs from habitat loss, bad reputations, and pollution in Cameroon. She founded her country’s first female-led herpetological NGO (Herp Cameroon) and promotes eco-friendly farming to reduce habitat deterioration. By working closely together with local communities, she raises awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation while fostering sustainable practices that safeguard Cameroon’s rich herpetofauna diversity for future generations.

Olabisi Atofarati (33 years old) is safeguarding Nigeria’s endemic freshwater Killifish from overharvesting and extinction. As a conservation biologist who combines science with powerful storytelling, she previously advanced protection for the endangered redline pufferfish and now leads initiatives focused on conserving the vulnerable Scheeli killifish, strengthening awareness and action to protect Nigeria’s unique aquatic biodiversity.

Future For Nature Awards Ceremony and International Support The Future For Nature Awards ceremony will take place at Royal Burgers’ Zoo, the main sponsor of Future For Nature, in Arnhem, the Netherlands, on May 8th, 2026. Joining the stage as the guest of honour, David Obura will present the Awards to the deserving winners. Past editions of this internationally recognized nature conservation prize were presented by icons such as Sir David Attenborough and Dame Jane Goodall DBE.

Attendance in person is by invitation only, yet the event can also be experienced globally through a digital live stream on YouTube, offering audiences a chance to witness and support the exceptional contributions of these young conservationists in protecting our planet’s precious wildlife and ecosystems for future generations. To learn more about the winners and their projects, check the website https://futurefornature.org/2026-ffn-awards-event/, where you can also find the live stream link.