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.

1. Monarch butterfly migration takes over New York City

“Monarchs aren’t just nice to look at. They also lead miraculous, almost improbable, lives. Like many birds, whales, and caribou, monarchs migrate. Each fall, nearly all the butterflies that live east of the Rocky Mountains — including those in New York City — fly to the same grove of fir trees in the mountains of Central Mexico, often traveling some 2,000 miles.”

2. Turtle doves welcome new baby 

“A pair of rare migrating turtle doves ushered to a temporary home in Kent to avoid getting caught up in improvement works have had a juvenile.”

3. Water voles are back in the river

“Conservationists have reintroduced water voles into a river for the first time in more than 20 years. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust said they had returned 100 water voles to a stretch of the Upper River Lea, on the Ayot Estate, near Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire.”

4. New marsupial species discovered in Peru

“Researchers, while investigating an archaeological site in the Peruvian Andes, have uncovered a new species of marsupial. Named Marmosa chachapoya, this tiny creature is a mouse opossum that has captivated scientists with its unique characteristics.”

5. Turtle hatchlings released to boost Assam’s conservation drive

“104 hatchlings of three freshwater turtle species have been released into Hadug Beel at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.“

6. Rare Moss Transplanted to New Sites

“An extremely rare moss seen in just one UK location over the past 30 years has been successfully moved to two new sites in a bid to save it from extinction. Round-leaved bryum was rediscovered at Threipmuir Reservoir, near Balerno in Edinburgh, in December 2023 by David Chamberlain of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). Since then, experts from NatureScot and RBGE have cultivated thousands of new shoots and relocated them to North Third and Loch Coulter reservoirs, near Stirling, areas confirmed to have the right conditions for survival.”

7. Republic of Congo adopts guidelines to strengthen biodiversity conservation

“Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) are increasingly recognized as a key solution to deliver global 30×30 commitments. The validation of Republic of Congo’s OECM guidelines is a significant step towards improved management and protection of 30% of the county’s territory by 2030, and a first in the Congo Basin.”

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