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. (Featured Image: Leatherback Turtle by US Fish and Wildlife Service from Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast/5839996547)
1. Mediterranean trout release advances river restoration in the Central Apennines
” Over 2,000 Mediterranean trout have just been released in a tributary of the Liri River in the Central Apennines. A leap forward in the restoration of this important native species, the release will also benefit a wide range of other wildlife and help to heal this living waterway.”
“This re-stocking with a native species will enhance the vitality of the stream and breathe new life to the ecosystem." #rewilding #conservationoptimismhttps://t.co/JWzjlMc1Fs
— Citizen Zoo (@CitizenZoo) April 12, 2025
2. Solomon Islands First Female Rangers Help Save Leatherback Turtles
” In a first for the Solomon Islands, women are part of the ranger team collecting data to better understand a critically endangered nesting population of leatherback turtles. Men still dominate conservation jobs in the country, but the tide is slowly turning. “
In a first for the Solomon Islands, women are part of the ranger team collecting data to better understand a critically endangered nesting population of leatherback turtles. Men still dominate conservation jobs in the country, but the tide is slowly turning. #ConservationOptimism #EarthOptimism
— Society for Conservation Biology Oceania (@scboceania.org) April 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM
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3. Earless dragons were presumed extinct in Australia – now Daisy and Kip have sniffed out 13 of them
” Wildlife detection dogs successfully sniffed out 13 critically endangered earless dragons in previously unknown burrows in Melbourne’s west, after a training program launched by Zoos Victoria in 2023. The Victorian grassland earless dragon – Australia’s most imperilled reptile – had not been seen for 50 years and was thought extinct before its remarkable rediscovery on privately owned grassland in 2023. “
More good dogs! The Zoos Victoria Detection Dog Squad are sniffing out critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragons in return for treats, cuddles, ball games and praise. The species had not been seen for 50 years but Daisy & Kip have already found 13 this year! #ConservationOptimism
— Society for Conservation Biology Oceania (@scboceania.org) April 11, 2025 at 5:12 AM
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4. Kenya’s cities adopt Miyawaki method to restore lost ecological glory
” But, in Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi, a unique restoration technique known as the Miyawaki method is restoring local ecosystems, which have been lost due to urban sprawl and competing needs, by creating forest islands in urban areas. The technique, which is a unique approach to afforestation and ecological restoration, was developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. “
Kenya’s cities adopt Miyawaki method to restore lost ecological glory Source: Mongabay search.app/GWvMW
— DrZP (@zarahpattison.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 7:34 AM
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5. AI scanning helps Scottish conservation project turn tide for flapper skate
” These critically endangered members of the shark family are now the focus of one of the largest citizen-science projects in British waters, relying on hundreds of sea anglers who campaigned for a legally mandated marine protected area (MPA) off Oban and Mull specifically to protect the flapper skate, also known as the common skate. Once the skate is released alive into the seas off western Scotland, anglers upload photos to a conservation database that is powered by artificial intelligence and a new mobile phone app. “
Saturday’s Guardian reported on new evidence of flapper skate recovery in one of Scotland’s marine protected areas! This is great news for our marine environment and further evidence of how much difference marine protection can make to our threatened ocean. 1/3 www.theguardian.com/environment/...
— Scottish Environment LINK (@scotlink.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 4:48 PM
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6. Brazilian rescue center returns trafficked animals to the wild
” A wildlife rescue center in Rio de Janeiro is giving animals a second chance after they’ve been torn from the Atlantic Forest by poachers, a Mongabay short documentary showed. At the Vida Livre (Free Life) Institute, the team of volunteer veterinarians and biologists rehabilitate thousands of wild animals — from parrots with broken beaks to newborn armadillos and drugged monkeys — helping them recover so they can be returned to their natural habitat.”
A wildlife rescue center in Rio de Janeiro is giving animals a second chance at a good life. This Mongabay short documentary follows Vida Livre (Free Life) Institute, a team of volunteer veterinarians and biologists who help wild animals recover so they can be returned to their natural habitat:
— Mongabay (@mongabay.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 1:52 AM
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7. ‘They started nibbling at its head’: the bold plan to rid an island of albatross-eating mice
” South Africa’s Marion Island is a breeding ground for the birds, but their chicks are being eaten alive by rodents. Now, the world’s largest operation to eradicate the invasive species is about to get under way”
Nice article in the Guardian today on the campaign by @birdlifesa.bsky.social to eradicate mice from Marion Island to benefit albatross and other seabird populations www.theguardian.com/environment/...
— Stu Butchart (@stubutchart.bsky.social) March 31, 2025 at 8:14 AM
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