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 courtesy of UAVisions via Getty Images)

1. New research finds tiger occupancy increasing in India

“Researchers analysed large wildlife surveys, conducted by  ~44,000 personnel from 2006-2018. They estimate that tiger occupancy is increasing at 2929 (±737) km2 per year, with overall occupancy estimated to have increased by over 30% during the course of the study.”

India’s Tiger Recovery: enabled by prosperity & politics 🐅🌏 #Megafauna #ConservationOptimism #Landsharing www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1...

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— Erle Ellis (@erleellis.bsky.social) February 1, 2025 at 12:42 AM

2. Surveys of Scottish raptors show positive impact of restoration work

“Wildland Cairngorms organisation has been tagging & monitoring hen harriers, goshawks, and golden eagles on their estate in the Cairngorms National Park, since 2019. They have seen high survival rates for hen harrier nests, and golden eagles have increased in number across the region.”

3. Our World In Data predicts world has ‘probably passed peak air pollutant emission’

“Data from ‘Community Emissions Data System’ shows damaging local air pollutants sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, black carbon, and organic carbon may have globally passed their peaks. This does not include ammonia (still rising due to agricultural emissions) or carbon dioxide.”

I don't know if anyone needs to see some good-ish climate news today, but @ourworldindata.org think that The world has probably passed “peak air pollution”. [ourworldindata.org/data-insight](http://ourworldindata.org/data-insight)... Admittedly, this doesn't show CO2. Still counts as #ClimateOptimism, take the win when you can.

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— Lee de Mora (@ledm.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM

4. Birdwatchers in Mexico rally behind endemic hummingbird, spurring conservation efforts

“Revenue of birdwatchers in Chavarrillo is being used to create a natural reserve for the Mexican sheartail hummingbird. One local donated land to establish the Doricha Natural Reserve, and a grassroots community movement has been set up, called the NatJún Ecotourism Collective. It aims to raise awareness about the region’s biodiversity, raise money from ecotourism, and aid scientific research in the area.”

Many are shining a spotlight on the horror and that is essential. We also need to shine a spotlight on people making things better. My news to me good news for Jan 31 features #Mexico because of the #tariffs. #EarthOptimism #BeyondTheObituaries news.mongabay.com/2025/01/bird...

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— Nancy Knowlton (@nancyknowlton.bsky.social) January 31, 2025 at 11:49 PM

5. ‘Final bat of its species in the UK’ may finally have a mate

“The greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) was declared extinct in 1992, before a single male was found in a disused railway tunnel in West Sussex in 2002, and another in 2023. A female of the species has now been spotted in the same area in the South Downs National Park, the first in the wild since the 1980s. Conservationists have ringed the female bat to be able to identify it in future monitoring and research surveys. They are continuing to monitor the area for more individuals and roosts in the hope of finding an established breeding population.”

6. Borealis Mud Volcano found to be refuge for endangered species

“The Borealis Mud Volcano is an underwater volcano off the coast of Norway, which spews methane. A new study in Nature Communications has found that it is acting as an oasis, providing shelter and habitat for many increasingly endangered species, playing a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity. “

7. Patch of Devon to become wild otter haven

“The UK Wild Otter Trust is rewilding a 4-acre meadow, as part of their 3-year plan to expand their operations. The plans include an extension to the charity’s current otter rescue centre.”

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