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. Western monarch butterflies make a spectacular comeback in California

” After reaching a historic low, the population of monarch butterflies overwintering in California has increased a hundredfold, according to the annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count. More than 247,000 butterflies were counted in 2021, up from 2,000 butterflies in 2020. “

2. The Once-Extinct Aurochs May Soon Roam Europe Again

 “For more than a decade now, scientists have been seeking to bring back this keystone species—and they’re getting close. While the aurochs themselves may be gone, their genes live on in most modern European cattle breeds. Since 2008, the Tauros Programme in the Netherlands has been working to back-breed aurochs. The Auerrind Project, which launched in 2013, currently has five breeding herds in Germany. Both organizations share research and, occasionally, breeding stock.”

3. A California redwood forest has officially been returned to a group of Native tribes

” A conservation group is returning guardianship of hundreds of acres of redwood forestland to a coalition of Native tribes that were displaced from the land generations ago by European American settlers.”

4. In Sri Lanka, a wild cat thrives in the unlikely urban jungle of Colombo

” Sri Lanka’s largest city, Colombo, is home to the only known urban population of fishing cats throughout their global range. The adaptability of Colombo’s fishing cats has given researchers optimism about the species’ survival in an increasingly urbanized world, but further studies will be needed to aid in their conservation. “

5. Indigenous Community in Peru Achieves Recognition of “Nihii Eupa Francisco” Conservation Area

” Spanning an area of 5,198 acres of their communal territory, Nihii Eupa Francisco is characterized by its mature terra firme forest, floodplain forest and adjacent rolling hills with a rich variety of habitats.. “

6. Six out of eight Australian states and territories have committed to ban single-use plastics.

” These bans vary by state but include items like plastic bags, straws, microbeads and vegetable bags “

7. North Island brown kiwi population rises for first time

“Conservationists in New Zealand are revelling in the first recorded increase in the North Island brown kiwi population, reversing decades of plummeting bird numbers.”

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