Join us for the Royal Society Africa Prize Lecture delivered by Professor Ara Monadjem.

The Royal Society Africa Prize 2025 is awarded to Professor Ara Monadjem for his unwavering dedication to African biodiversity research and conservation.

In this lecture, Ara Monadjem explores why taxonomy and biodiversity surveys remain fundamental to conservation science in Africa, arguing that species which are unknown, unseen, and unprotected cannot be effectively conserved. Drawing on decades of fieldwork across remote regions of the continent, he illustrates how renewed taxonomic effort has led to the rapid discovery of previously undescribed bats and small mammals, particularly in biodiversity hotspots such as Mount Nimba.

The talk highlights how historical biases—such as African type specimens being housed overseas—have slowed local scientific progress, and how recent African-led research is reversing this trend. Ara presents examples from montane systems in Mozambique and long-term field sites in Eswatini, showing how cryptic diversity and taxonomic uncertainty can mask true species distributions and conservation needs. He also introduces emerging continental databases that now underpin species richness mapping and protected-area assessments, demonstrating how basic taxonomy feeds directly into applied conservation. The lecture concludes by emphasising the importance of building African expertise to ensure that biodiversity discovery translates into lasting protection.

Professor Ara Monadjem is a biodiversity specialist whose work focuses on the ecology and conservation of African mammals and birds. His research centres on field-based studies that generate biological and taxonomic insights into rare and threatened species, while also revealing the ecological roles and ecosystem services they provide across natural and agricultural landscapes. Over a career spanning more than 35 years, Ara has conducted research in some of Africa’s most remote regions, from tropical rainforests of western and central Africa to the savannas of southern and eastern Africa. He maintains long-term ecological field sites in Eswatini, supporting sustained monitoring and capacity building.

Ara has published extensively, authoring eight books and more than 230 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He has supervised over 40 MSc and PhD students from around the world, including 20 from Eswatini, reflecting his strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of African scientists. After spending 32 years at University of Eswatini, Ara now serves as Head of the Department of Zoology & Entomology at University of Pretoria, where he continues to advance interdisciplinary research and conservation across the continent.

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Image: iStock / Oscar Espinosa