Dr. Fatsuma Olaleru

I am a mid-career natural resources conservationist with particular interest to non-human primates in urban spaces, where they have been threatened through human activities. My passionate pursuit about conserving the indigenous mona monkey populations in the University of Lagos, have earned me the recognition ‘Mama monkeys’. I study and advocate for the protection of this taxon and other Nigerian fauna in their natural habitats. I also encourage non-lethal human-monkey conflict resolution in Lagos megacity and its relic forests where the mona monkeys are found, and seek to promote their eco-tourism potentials. I have led and continue to coordinate several conservation bodies both locally and internationally. I was the first African to Chair the Young Women in Conservation Biology (YWCB), an arm of the Society for Conservation Biology, Africa Region. Through this, I have organized capacity building workshops both physically and virtually for African women in the conservation space. We have also identified and recognised early career female conservationists from Africa through the the YWCB Award.