Rare sea turtles smash nesting records in Georgia, Carolinas
Researchers and volunteers have cataloged more than 12,200 nests left by loggerheads, a threatened species protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Flora & fauna
This archive tracks meaningful progress for plants, animals, and ecosystems around the world. From species recoveries and habitat restoration to new protections for pollinators and marine life, these stories document what’s working in the effort to sustain biodiversity. If you care about the living world, this is where the good news lives.
Endangered rhino numbers ‘soar by 1,000%’ in Tanzania after crackdown on poaching gangs
The number of endangered rhinos in Tanzania has risen from just 15 to over 150 after a government crackdown on industrial-scale poaching, officials claim.
Canada passes legislation ending the import and export of shark fins
“The overhauled Fisheries Act has the potential to be one of the most transformative things that has happened for our oceans in many years,” says Josh Laughren, Executive Director, Oceana Canada.
Scientists make ‘landmark’ discovery synthesizing anti-cancer molecules found in sea sponges
Their new strategy has already helped speed up research into these molecules, including a planned clinical trial in humans.
Canada bans the captivity and breeding of orcas, dolphins and other whales
The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, first introduced in 2015, outlaws the practice, as well as the trade, possession, capture and breeding of cetaceans.
Indian state Madhya Pradesh breaks Guinness World Record, plants 66 million trees in just 12 hours
Madhya Pradesh created a new Guinness World Record after 1.5 million volunteers planted more than 66 million tree saplings within half a day along the Narmada river.
The Belize Barrier Reef – the world’s second largest coral reef – is removed from endangered list
The World Heritage Committee credited Belize’s safeguarding measures as the cause for the historic conservational victory.
New facial recognition software tracks and protects endangered primates
Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) developed a facial recognition software program that could help save the lives of endangered primates.
21 major tech companies band together to stop wildlife trafficking
The Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online was launched by TRAFFIC, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and includes companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Instagram, and Alibaba.
Giant pandas are removed from the endangered species list
Giant pandas stepped back from the brink in 2016, when the IUCN downlisted them from Endangered to Vulnerable. China’s wild panda population had climbed to roughly 1,864, up from fewer than 1,100 in the 1980s, thanks to decades of reserves and reforestation. A rare, measurable recovery — and a reminder that decline isn’t destiny.