Maya Higa receives standing ovation after becoming first Twitch streamer on TED’s main stage for animal conservation talk

Maya Higa has reached a major milestone in her career after becoming the first Twitch streamer to deliver a speech on the main stage at the TED conference in front of thousands of attendees. The speaker participated in the TED2026 event that took place in Vancouver. There, the content creator discussed topics related to animal conservation and talked about efforts of saving animals made by Alveus Sanctuary.


Later, on May 12, 2026, Maya Higa’s TED Talk, titled “The Wildlife Sanctuary You Can Visit from Anywhere,” was released on TED’s official YouTube channel. In the video, the streamer shared her views on how livestreaming can contribute to raising awareness about wildlife. She also spoke about how the internet can connect millions of viewers to conservation work, even if they are far away from nature. Fans across Twitch held watch parties to support her, helping the talk reach even more people online.

Maya Higa becomes first Twitch streamer to speak on TED’s main stage about wildlife conservation

Alveus Sanctuary was started by Maya Higa in 2021 in Austin. The nonprofit sanctuary cares for non-releasable exotic animals and uses 24/7 livestreams on Twitch to teach viewers about wildlife. Over the years, the sanctuary has grown into one of the most well-known animal education projects on the platform. It has also expanded into wildlife rehabilitation and research, including work connected to endangered wolves.





Maya used her TED Talk to explain how online content can do more than entertain people. She said livestreaming can help create future conservationists by making animal education fun and easy to access. Her speech included references to animals, social media, and communities, emphasizing how contemporary platforms may assist significant initiatives in reaching younger demographics worldwide.


Maya Higa was ecstatic after the presentation, as receiving a standing ovation became a life-changing moment in her career. Fans and other creators also took part in celebrating this historic moment by sharing their thoughts about this tremendous accomplishment both for her and for the streaming industry as a whole. By attending TED2026, Maya demonstrated that streaming creators were starting to gain recognition in many of the world's most prestigious venues.