2025 Whitley Award winners Reshu Bashyal from Nepal and Dr. Yara Barros from Brazil have been featured on the BBC World Service’s The Conversation, sharing their inspiring journeys leading conservation efforts to save the endangered species they love. Hosted by Datshiane Navanayagam, the episode spotlights their personal motivations and groundbreaking work protecting threatened plants and animals.
Reshu, of Greenhood Nepal, discusses her mission to protect illegally harvested orchids and Maire’s Yew trees by engaging communities and developing innovative tools for enforcement.
“Local communities are the soul of our project…everything we do is by engaging local communities.”
Yara, who leads a jaguar recovery project in Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park, reflects on her path from studying parrots to protecting big cats:
“Since I was a kid I loved animals and there’s nothing else that I dreamed about doing than being a biologist – I really, really wanted it!”
Their stories highlight the importance of trust, community, and passion in conservation – and the vital role women play in safeguarding biodiversity.
Listen to the full episode here.
