Wondering what went right this week in the conservation world? We’ve got you covered with our Conservation Optimism Round-Up! We are collating stories of optimism from around the globe so that you never miss your dose of weekly motivation.

1. One of the longest running ecological studies in the world has shown that great tits can track changes in climate

” This year is the 75th anniversary of a study that has tracked 40 generations of great tits in the wood and it is one of the longest-running animal-tracking studies in the world. Egg laying date has shifted by three weeks, highlighting the birds ability to track both climatic changes and the other members of their food chain “

2. Swath of boreal forest twice the size of Toronto to be protected in northern Ontario

“The Nature Conservancy of Canada spent the last year negotiating the purchase of 1,450 square kilometres of the boreal forest near Hearst, Ont., from pulp and paper giant Domtar. Now named the Boreal Wildlands, the region is twice as big as the entire city of Toronto, and will be protected from industrial development including logging and mining. The Boreal Wildlands is home to 100 lakes, 1,300 kilometres of rivers and streams and is a critical habitat for many of Canada’s most iconic species including black bears, wolves, moose and the endangered woodland caribou.”

3. Vaquita porpoise could survive … but only if illegal fishing stops immediately

“Christopher Kyriazis, a UCLA doctoral student in ecology and a co-lead author of the research, said: “Interestingly, we found the vaquita is not doomed by genetic factors, like harmful mutations, that tend to affect many other species whose gene pool has diminished to a similar point. Outlawed fishing remains their biggest threat.””

4. In Mexico, a divine bird inspires a community’s sustainable forestry efforts

” The communally managed forest of Nuevo Bécal in Mexico’s Campeche state has shown that forest management can improve both quality of life and the conservation of wild animals and their habitats. The community has dedicated 427 hectares (1,055 acres) of its land as a sanctuary for one of the most impressive birds of prey in the Americas: the king vulture. They’ve also set aside more than 99% of their territory as a voluntarily conserved area, the largest of its kind in Mexico “

5. Giraffe populations are rising, giving new hope to scientists

“According to a recent analysis of survey data from across the African continent, the total giraffe population is now around 117,000, approximately 20 percent higher than it was thought to be in 2015, when the last major survey was published.”

6. Aotearoa New Zealand and Spain announce new efforts to protect the endangered Antipodean albatross

“The MoU aims to promote adoption of best practice fishing methods as advised under the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (ACAP), including using ‘three out of three mitigation measures’ – which refers to the combined use of weighted lines, bird-scaring lines, and night setting. The inclusion of ACAP recommendations in the MoU is particularly promising as we know that when fully complied with seabird bycatch rates can be reduced by up to 80-90%.“

7. In Thailand, tigers are coming back with a roar

“Indochinese tigers have been poached to the brink of extinction, but they live on in Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary in north west Thailand — with numbers doubling over the past 15 years.”

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