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: Amila Tennakoon)

1. Interior Department Announces More Than $87 Million for Wetland Conservation Projects and National Wildlife Refuges in the USA

” Funding will help conserve or restore 315,823 acres of critical wetland habitat “

2. ‘The Javan tiger still exists’: DNA find may herald an extinct species’ comeback

” 2019 sighting by five witnesses indicates that the long-extinct Javan tiger may still be alive, a new study suggests. A single strand of hair recovered from that encounter is a close genetic match to hair from a Javan tiger pelt from 1930 kept at a museum, the study shows. “

3. Giraffes are facing extinction – but one species is bucking the trend

” Across Africa, giraffe populations are declining. However, in Chad’s Zakouma National Park, which is now a sanctuary for wildlife, one giraffe subspecies has bounced back “

4. Beavers are helping fight climate change, satellite data shows

” Sure enough, data from a NASA satellite shows denser patches of green vegetation where beavers have been reintroduced when compared to areas where their population is limited. For instance, a stream near Preston, Idaho, is now flowing 40 days longer into the year thanks to over 200 beaver dams that appeared after ranchers began beaver rewilding “

5.  New Study Confirms FSC-Certified Forests Help Wildlife Thrive in the Congo Basin

” a new study reveals compelling evidence that forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council ®(FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo harbour a higher abundance of larger mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants, compared to non-FSC certified forests.”

6. Sound of Whale Song Signals Antarctic Blue Whales May Be Making a Comeback

” From 2006 to 2021, they analyzed thousands of hours of audio, as well as videos, photos, and other observations. Over the course of the study, scientists could hear the whales singing with greater regularity, indicating that their numbers may be growing”

7. Indigenous leaders want to protect whales by granting them legal personhood

” The indigenous leaders of New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga and the Cook Islands have signed a treaty granting whales legal personhood. It’s a step Māori conservationist Mere Takoko says will pressure governments to do more to help the large sea mammals.”

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