This week’s stories of optimism have one big lesson – sustained, long-term conservation efforts work. Read on!

(Featured image credit: Great Indian Bustard in Desert National Park. Dr Raju Kasambe, Wikimedia Commons)

1. An EU-wide ban on Lead gunshots – a victory for migratory birds, finally!

A remarkable example of perseverance, the European Parliament have voted to let the ban on lead gunshot go ahead after decades of scientific evidence and years of campaigning led by BirdLife

birdlifemalta.org/2026/10/lead...

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— W. P. Mueller (@wpmueller.bsky.social) October 12, 2026 at 8:44 AM

2. The world’s largest free-roaming giant tortoise population is thriving in Seychelles!

Yet another reminder that conservation works: a recent study led by Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) and the University of Exeter, reveals there are approximately 180,000 Giant Tortoises living on Aldabra Island.
“Aldabra’s giant tortoise monitoring programme is one of the longest-running in the region, but the atoll’s dense vegetation makes counting tortoises genuinely difficult in places,”  – Dr Nancy Bunbury, a co-author on the study.

#ConservationOptimism www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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— Simon Hedges (@simonhedges.bsky.social) October 9, 2026 at 3:08 AM

3. Wētāpunga – An insect on the brink of extinction bounces back!

Captive breeding has helped New Zealand’s largest giant wētā establish new wild populations, with at least four generations now born on two islands.

A Giant Insect on the Brink of Extinction Is Making an Extraordinary Comeback #Science #Biology #giantweta #newzealand #biodiversity #conservation #speciescomeback https://purescience.news/read?id=234645585402003456

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— Pure Science (@purescience.news) October 11, 2026 at 4:24 AM

4. New Grasslands National Park declared in Eastern Cape highlands, South Africa

The first national park in South Africa established primarily through a biodiversity stewardship model, under which landowners keep their land while committing it to conservation, the Grassland Nationa Park help protect under-represented grassland ecosystems, important for water security, biodiversity and the livelihoods supported by the region’s working agricultural land.

5. A bird colony in Wales supports Little Tern conservation efforts.

Little Terns had an encouraging breeding season at the Denbighshire Countryside Service at Gronant. Observation of Little Terns at the Colony also found that birds from breeding colonies in Ireland, north east England and the Isle of Man continued to visit Gronant during 2026, reinforcing the importance of the colony within the wider network of Little Tern sites around the Irish Sea.

#DenbighshireCountryCouncil #NatureRecovery #Wildlife #Conservation #Nature #birdconservation #tern #terns #littletern #littleterns

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— Welsh Country (@welshcountry.bsky.social) October 9, 2026 at 10:10 PM

6. More Rhinos in the world? Yes! 

Two critically endangered Sumatran rhinos in Way Kambas National Park in Lampung are pregnant, raising hopes that the births could help bolster efforts to save a species whose population continues to decline. Conservation success takes time!

Pregnancies of two Sumatran rhinos raise hope for conservation efforts ->The Star | More on "Sumatran rhino conservation breeding program" at BigEarthData.ai | #Conservation #Rhino

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— Climate, Ecology, War & More: Dr. Glen Barry BigEarthData.ai (@bigearthdata.ai) October 9, 2026 at 2:42 AM

7. Captive-bred Great Indian Bustards take off into the skies

A significant step in the recovery of these critically endangered birds, two male GIBs were released in the Desert National Park, Rajasthan, India.

Two captive-bred Great Indian Bustards released into wild in Rajasthan under conservation efforts ->The Hindu | More on "Great Indian Bustard conservation efforts" at BigEarthData.ai | #Conservation

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— Climate, Ecology, War & More: Dr. Glen Barry BigEarthData.ai (@bigearthdata.ai) October 6, 2026 at 7:56 AM

Have a wonderful and optimistic week! Go protect something amazing!

Got a story to share for our regular round-up? Use #ConservationOptimism on Bluesky, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!

Hammad is a graduate student exploring the world of flying squirrels and other small vertebrates around the globe.