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

1. Blue whales have returned to South Georgia

“Researchers were able to confirm the dramatic comeback with the help of documented sightings, photographs and underwater sound recordings collected over the last three decades.”

2. Historic deal revived plan for largest US dam demolition

“An agreement announced Tuesday paves the way for the largest dam demolition in U.S. history, a project that promises to reopen hundreds of miles of waterway along the Oregon-California border to salmon that are critical to tribes but have dwindled to almost nothing in recent years.”

3. 4,000 barberry bushes have been planted in England to help the extremely rare barberry carpet moth

“Over the course of the project we have planted on nature reserves, in hedgerows on pasture, and lots of people have taken Barberry for their own gardens and land.”

4. Amazonians saved a ‘Terminator’ of the fish world

“After 11 years of management, he says there are more than 4,000 arapaima in the community’s lakes. Campos-Silva’s research on lakes around the Juruá River across the same period found the arapaima population more than quadrupled.”

5.  2020 has been a record-breaking year for the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot

“At least 40 parrots returned to a remote breeding site in Tasmania so far this year following intense efforts to boost numbers.”

6. Philippine ‘raptor boy’ helped bolster support for the protection of migratory raptors

“More than 160,000 raptors passed through Glan last year, an increase from previous years thanks in part to the various conservation and tree-planting efforts instigated by the community.”

7. Conservationists have a new plan that could save western chimpanzees

“The new action plan lays out goals for protecting the species over the following decade, highlighting nine different strategies.”

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