Elvia Gómez Troya
2025 Eco-Hero
HONORABLE MENTION
Elvia Gómez Troya
Age 13
Egüés, Navarra, Spain
"Elvia the Tracker": Inspiring Wildlife Conservation Through Love and Action
High Resolution Image | Press Release
With an innate ability to read the whispers of the wild and a mission to share her passion, 13-year-old Elvia Gomez Troya embodies "Elvia the Tracker, the Wildlife Lover." Raised by parents deeply connected to nature, Elvia’s journey began by learning to track wildlife from a young age, a skill she now powerfully leverages to educate and inspire global conservation efforts, primarily through her dynamic Instagram account and her published book.
Elvia's project, launched on February 22, 2023, centers on raising awareness for nature protection by sharing her profound love for animals and their ecosystems. Her Instagram account, @elvialarastreadora, has amassed nearly 30,000 followers from around the world, particularly Spain and South America, through improvised videos where she shares fascinating facts about animals and their tracks. Her dedication led her to write “Cosas que me flipan de los animales” (Things that fascinate me about wildlife), a book featuring 30 autobiographical stories and illustrations, including often-feared animals like spiders and vipers, to challenge negative perceptions and foster respect.
The proceeds from her book sales funded a life-changing trip to Zambia, where Elvia directly contributed to the fight against poaching. She courageously tracked and removed dozens of indiscriminate wire snares set by poachers in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, preventing agonizing deaths for countless animals. She also assisted her father in training local Zambian anti-poaching teams in tracking skills and provided them with essential equipment, directly supporting both wildlife and the local community's livelihoods. Elvia’s impact extends to a wide audience through numerous talks, radio, and television interviews, and consistent features in publications like WWF Spain's "Pandilla" magazine.
Her former science teacher, Javier Salinas Arrieta, notes her exceptional knowledge and conviction: "I had never seen students her age... capable of explaining things about plants or animals even to the guides of the extracurricular activities we took them to from school." He adds that Elvia has been "capable of confronting her classmates when they wanted to kill an insect," showcasing her unwavering commitment despite facing "difficult situations at school, which in some cases have even bordered on bullying."
Elvia’s core philosophy, inspired by figures like David Attenborough and her parents (her father, Fernando Gómez, a recognized professional tracker), is that love for nature naturally leads to its protection. As she eloquently states, "I have learned that... nature needs more people to love and protect it." She is currently preparing a second book, has founded "WILDERS – Wildlife Lovers" (assuming this is the correct website for her community), a community for nature enthusiasts, and plans to visit other countries, such as Bolivia—where she will be in August living with and supporting an Indigenous community—to continue her direct conservation work, inspiring more children and adults to become "superheroes for a cause."
