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.

(Image Credit: Valentina Shorti from Flickr)

1. African Parks embarks on critical conservation undertaking for 2,000 rhinos

” African Parks, which manages national parks in several countries across the continent, plans to rewild all 2,000 southern white rhinos from Platinum Rhino, winding up John Hume’s controversial intensive rhino breeding project. The conservation organization needs to find safe spaces to translocate 300 rhinos to every year, as poaching of the animals for their horns continues. “

2. Endangered wombat’s rare encounter with echidna caught on camera

” The exuberant behaviour captured by a camera trap is a sign that a gamble to establish a third population of critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus krefftii) in Queensland, Australia, is paying off.”

3. Next Eight Island-Ocean Ecosystems Confirmed for Global Ridge-to-Reef Rewilding Initiative

” The Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), a catalytic global initiative to begin the holistic restoration of 40 island-ocean ecosystems by 2030, announces eight newly confirmed projects, representing diverse communities and ecosystems from the Marshall Islands to the Dominican Republic”

4. Numbers of rare sticky plant treble in Ochil Hills, Scotland

” Numbers of one of Scotland’s rarest plants have more than trebled on a hill in central Scotland following restoration work. Sticky catchfly is a nationally rare species with fewer than 18 populations scattered across Britain. Around 10,000 flowering stems of the plant were counted by volunteers during a three-day survey on Dumyat in the Ochil Hills – an increase from 3,000 in 2013. ”

5. Positive stories of optimism from Australia this month

” From a flourishing private reserve in Northern Queensland to working with indigenous communities to reintroduce species, learn about this month’s positive conservation news from the Australian Nature Conservancy”

6. Nigeria Takes Action to Protect its Surviving Elephants 

” Nigeria’s first ever National Elephant Action Plan (NEAP) for 2024-2034 was launched recently. The plan is designed to reverse the decline of Nigeria’s critically endangered elephant population, currently estimated at just 300–400 individuals and on the brink of extinction.”

7. The third ever Conservation Optimism Summit will take place next week

” Amazing organisations and people will come together next week to share their stories of hope and optimism for the future of Conservation at Oxford University, UK next week for the third Conservation Optimism Summit. To find out more about the summit, programme and how to get involved come to our website”

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