Meet the 2026 #Tech4Wildlife Challenge Winners!

This year’s Challenge received an inspiring range of submissions showcasing how technology is advancing wildlife conservation around the world. This year's entries were featured at the International Conservation Technology Conference and after a round of community voting, the winners were announced at the closing plenary! We have winners across two categories: this year’s themed category, Then & Now, and the General category.

Then & Now Category Winner

Mu’men Alrwashdeh (@Mumen), Manager of the Health & Molecular Sciences Division at the Royal Scientific Society; Jordan
 

Mu’men’s submission illustrates how bat monitoring has evolved over time. The “Then” images were taken as part of the Western Asia Bat Research Network (WAB-Net), where bats were captured and sampled to better understand zoonotic disease transmission. The “Now” images highlight a shift toward non-invasive passive acoustic monitoring to study bat biodiversity in Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using bioacoustic tools. The paired Then & Now images highlight how technology is making less invasive biodiversity monitoring both feasible and effective.

General Category Winner

Barnabas Sani (@BarryTheOctopus ), A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute; Nigeria

Barnabas’ submission documents the setup of camera traps in Gashaka Gumti National Park, Taraba State, Nigeria, as part of the African Golden Cat project. The work focuses on documenting and monitoring this elusive and understudied forest carnivore using camera-trapping technology. The images capture both the field realities and the tools that make it possible to study species that are rarely seen but ecologically significant.

Congratulations to Mu’Men, Barnabas, and all who participated in the 2026 #Tech4Wildlife Challenge! Your contributions continue to showcase the creativity, dedication, and innovation driving conservation tech forward. We look forward to celebrating even more #Tech4Wildlife in next year’s Challenge.