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The Bank of England announced that native British wildlife will replace historical figures on banknotes after more than 26,000 people voted in a public consultation to put nature on sterling. The decision marks a historic shift in British currency design, celebrating the country's natural heritage.
The UN High Seas Treaty has come into force, creating for the first time a legal framework to protect biodiversity in international waters — covering almost half of Earth's surface that previously had no dedicated conservation law.
The High Seas Treaty entered into force in January 2026 after Morocco became the 60th country to ratify it in September 2025. The landmark agreement establishes the first legal framework to protect marine biodiversity in international waters, covering nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans that were previously ungoverned.
The sihek, or Guam kingfisher, is flying free in the wild for the first time in over four decades after being declared extinct in its natural habitat. A small but stable population has been established on a predator-free island, and the birds have begun laying eggs — a critical milestone for the species' recovery.
Dozens of juvenile hybrid giant tortoises were released on Floreana Island in the Galápagos on February 20, 2026, marking the return of these iconic creatures nearly 150 years after they were hunted to local extinction. The rewilding effort aims to restore the island's ecosystem to its original state.
Several humpback whale populations have recovered to near pre-commercial whaling numbers, with some groups removed from endangered lists, marking one of the greatest conservation comebacks in wildlife history.
The California condor, which numbered just 22 birds in 1982 when all remaining wild individuals were captured for a breeding program, has surpassed 500 individuals with over 300 now flying free in the wild across California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California.
Once down to just 22 birds, the California condor population has crossed 1,000 thanks to decades of captive breeding and habitat protection.
In one of Italy's greatest conservation success stories, Sardinia's griffon vulture population has soared from near-extinction at the start of 2010 to over 500 individuals today, thanks to decades of dedicated conservation work.
An international research cruise has catalogued over 120 previously unknown deep-sea organisms that produce their own light, reshaping our understanding of ocean ecosystems.
The public debut of giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao at the Smithsonian National Zoo in January 2025 drew record-breaking crowds, with Washington D.C. celebrating a city-wide "District of Panda Party" that united the community through joy, diplomacy, and conservation awareness.
In a feat once thought improbable, the green sea turtle has been removed from the endangered species list in 2025, marking one of the greatest conservation success stories of our time. Decades of beach protection, fishing regulation changes, and international cooperation have brought the species back from the brink.
Despite a tumultuous geopolitical landscape, 196 nations agreed at COP16 in Rome to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. The deal was hailed as a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.
Chinook salmon were spotted swimming in Oregon's Chiloquin Basin for the first time in 100 years, following a historic dam removal and river restoration project. The return of these iconic fish represents the culmination of decades of environmental advocacy by Indigenous communities and conservationists.
The Global Ocean Treaty became reality in 2025 after 79 nations ratified the agreement, far exceeding the 60 required. The treaty protects marine biodiversity in international waters covering nearly half the planet.
The largest oyster reef restoration project in the world has planted 10 billion oysters in Chesapeake Bay, reviving ecosystems and cleaning billions of gallons of water daily.
A trailblazing attempt to repopulate the ocean with sharks born from surplus aquarium eggs is expanding marine conservation.
After being absent for 140 years, wolves have naturally returned to the Netherlands and are now successfully breeding, marking a remarkable wildlife comeback.
Conservation efforts to let hedgerows grow wild have led to record numbers of rare butterfly eggs being recorded across the UK.
A group of women in rural India known as the Stork Sisters have become guardians of the endangered greater adjutant stork, saving hundreds of chicks and changing local attitudes toward wildlife.
Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has dropped to its lowest level in 15 years, thanks to stronger enforcement and Indigenous-led conservation efforts.
The reproductive spores of a moss species were able to survive the vacuum of space during a 9-month stint outside the International Space Station, returning with an 86% germination rate.
The reintroduction of bison to Yellowstone National Park has sparked a striking ecological recovery, demonstrating the powerful ripple effects of rewilding keystone species.
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced its largest coral spawning event in decades, a sign that conservation efforts are helping the ecosystem recover.
Marine biologists have developed heat-resistant coral varieties that can survive in waters up to 3°C warmer, offering hope for reef conservation as oceans warm.
Across Iowa, a tiny endangered fish has inspired an enormous conservation program that has restored hundreds of oxbow ponds, bringing back 57 fish species, 81 bird species, and many other animals.
In a conservation success story decades in the making, the green turtle has been removed from the endangered species list, proving that dedicated protection efforts can save species from extinction.
Kenya's elephant population has more than doubled over the past three decades, reaching over 36,000 animals thanks to anti-poaching efforts and habitat protection.
Four million native oysters are being returned to an artificial reef off Norfolk, England, creating what will become Europe's largest oyster reef and potentially transforming local marine ecosystems.
Conservation organizations are using drones to plant trees in hard-to-reach areas, potentially revolutionizing the expansion and restoration of temperate rainforests.
Mexico reported a significant increase in its jaguar population in 2025, the result of expanded protected corridors, community-led conservation programs, and reduced human-wildlife conflict across the Yucatán Peninsula and beyond.
A billionaire art collector sold a rare Rembrandt drawing of a lion for $18 million, donating the proceeds to conservation efforts to save the very animal depicted in the artwork.
At the COP16 biodiversity conference in Rome, 196 nations agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. The deal was hailed as a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.
Scientists recorded the highest number of North Atlantic right whale sightings ever for January, a hopeful sign for the critically endangered species with only 384 individuals remaining.
In a landmark conservation victory, the green sea turtle was officially removed from the endangered species list in 2025. Decades of beach protection, anti-poaching measures, and international cooperation brought the species back from the brink.
The Chilean government is creating the Cape Froward national park, spanning 150,000 hectares of subantarctic forests and coastline, completing a 2,800km wildlife corridor.
The planet's oldest bee species and primary pollinator in the Amazon rainforest has been granted legal rights — a world first for any insect.
A previously unknown jaguar was identified in southern Arizona through remote cameras, suggesting that conservation efforts are helping the endangered species expand its range northward.
A new conservation study offers hope for wild axolotls facing extinction: captive-bred populations retain enough genetic diversity to potentially replenish their wild counterparts in Mexico.
The Tainui Atea marine protected area now covers 1.1 million square kilometers of ocean, making it the largest MPA on Earth and a major win for ocean biodiversity.
French Polynesia has created the world's largest marine protected area, adding to a wave of new wildlife sanctuaries established across the globe in 2025.
Once the world's most endangered cat with just a few hundred individuals, the Iberian lynx has rebounded to several thousand thanks to dedicated conservation programs across Spain and Portugal.
In a remarkable conservation success, the green turtle has been removed from the endangered list following a decades-long mission to save the species from extinction.
The IUCN officially reclassified the green sea turtle from Endangered to Least Concern, marking one of the greatest conservation success stories of our time.
Chinook salmon were spotted swimming in the Chiloquin Basin in Oregon for the first time in a century, a remarkable sign of ecosystem recovery after dam removals and habitat restoration.
A kingfisher native to Guam laid eggs outdoors for the first time in nearly four decades, thanks to a dedicated breeding programme that has brought the species back from the edge of extinction.
At COP16 in Rome, 196 nations agreed to mobilize at least $200 billion per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity, in a win for multilateralism.
A new Colorado law grants bison dual status as both livestock and wildlife, allowing America's national mammal to roam more freely after years of advocacy by Native Americans and conservationists.
The Iberian lynx has been downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable by the IUCN, following an incredible 20-year recovery from just 94 individuals to over 2,000.
