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: Andrew Howe from Getty Images Signature)

1. Cows help bee orchids return to nature reserve

“A species thought lost from Spurn Point National Nature Reserve has flowered for the first time in 30 years. Staff believe the reappearance of the bee orchid is due to a new conservation grazing regime. Cows were controlled via GPS collar and allowed to eat only in specific areas, rather than roaming freely where they were naturally attracted to eating sweet flowers. It helped to create the “right conditions” for a wide variety of wild flowers to grow on the reserve’s Chalk Bank meadow, which Rosie Jaques, reserve and marine officer, said was an “amazing result”.”

2. Siamese crocodile hatchlings a ‘promising sign’ in Cambodia, but greater protection needed

“KOH KONG, Cambodia — The recent discovery of 60 Siamese crocodile hatchlings in the southwest of Cambodia has sparked hope among conservationists, with the five successful nests highlighting the resilience of the critically endangered species in the wild.”

3. Ancient Tracking Skills and New Tech Are Protecting Namibia’s Endangered Pangolins

“Scientists and the Indigenous San people are working together to safeguard these elusive creatures, which play a vital role in ecological balance.”

4. Cameroon’s Bouba Ndjidda National Park Is a Beacon of Hope for the Lion in Central Africa

“CAMEROON, August 13, 2024 – Ramping up protection efforts of Endangered Central African lions, a team of Cameroonian rangers and biologists from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), has placed GPS collars on seven of the big cats in Cameroon’s Bouba Ndjidda National Park; this brings the number of collared lions to ten. The collaring is part of a long-term effort by the government of Cameroon and WCS to recover Bouba Ndjidda’s wildlife to its former glory.”

5. Thai tiger numbers swell as prey populations stabilize in western forests

“The tiger population density in a series of protected areas in western Thailand has more than doubled over the past two decades, according to new survey data.”

6. Local Advocates Rally to Bring Back Raleigh’s Declining Tree Canopy

“The City Council approved the creation of a plan to protect trees in the City of Oaks, thanks to local advocates.”

7. Trapping boosts beaver restoration efforts across Scotland

New figures released show that 90% of beavers removed from conflict areas in Tayside in 2023/24 were moved to new homes after a huge effort to relocate families and help expand the population across Scotland.

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I work as a Project Assistant for Conservation Optimism.