Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
32 results for "wildlife recovery"
The world's heaviest parrot is having its biggest baby boom in decades, thanks to a rare berry feast that sent the critically endangered birds into a mating frenzy. With 240 eggs laid this season, New Zealand's beloved Kākāpō could soon hit 300 birds for the first time since near-extinction.
After a massive bushfire scorched 40% of Deep Creek National Park in Australia, campsites and hiking trails are welcoming visitors back as nature begins its comeback. The park's iconic wildlife habitats are now the focus of a restoration effort to help kangaroos, echidnas, and over 100 bird species thrive again.
Giant tortoises once thought lost forever just returned to their Galápagos island home, marking the end of a 26-year conservation quest. The 158 animals released last week will help restore an entire ecosystem that's been missing its keystone species since the 1840s.
Three decades after going extinct in the wild, Mexican gray wolves have reached 319 individuals across the Southwest. The population grew by 33 wolves in 2025, though experts say genetic diversity remains crucial for long-term survival.
A century ago, Eastern Bluebirds were vanishing from American skies until one determined retiree in Illinois sparked a grassroots movement that rescued an entire species. His simple solution of building nestboxes turned everyday citizens into conservationists and brought the beloved blue birds back from the brink.
Once down to just 1,100 individuals in the wild, giant pandas have climbed back to nearly 1,900 thanks to decades of science-backed conservation. The recovery offers a roadmap for protecting endangered species worldwide.
The Yangtze River's fish population has tripled just five years into a decade-long fishing moratorium that relocated 200,000 fishermen with full support. The $2.7 billion restoration is reversing 70 years of ecological damage to one of the world's mightiest rivers.
After bushfires swept through Deep Creek National Park, South Australia launched a dedicated fund to help endangered species like the southern emu-wren recover. The park is already reopening sections to visitors while recovery work continues.
A haunting whale song from 1949 has been rediscovered in Massachusetts archives, offering scientists a rare window into ocean life before modern pollution changed everything. The recording captures a humpback whale when fewer than 1,000 remained in the North Atlantic.
A hiker's stunning encounter with two massive California condors at Zion National Park celebrates one of conservation's greatest success stories. These birds nearly vanished in the 1980s, but dedicated breeding programs brought them back from the brink.
As the Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Horse, scientists are revealing surprising discoveries about these beloved animals—from their ability to smell human fear to wild horses making a remarkable comeback from extinction.
A snail species thought extinct for 40 years is thriving again on Bermuda's islands after conservationists bred 106,000 of them at an English zoo. Six island colonies are now self-sustaining, marking a rare conservation comeback.
One of Britain's most endangered birds is making a comeback in Scotland's ancient forests. After shrinking to just 532 birds nationwide, the majestic capercaillie is showing new signs of life thanks to clever conservation work.
Three years after China banned commercial fishing on its longest river, fish populations have more than doubled and endangered species are making a stunning comeback. It's proof that bold action can reverse biodiversity loss.
Southern Cross University is partnering with Wildlife Recovery Australia to train veterinary students in wildlife care, creating the only hands-on wildlife hospital program in the country. The initiative tackles Australia's critical shortage of 1,500 veterinarians while ensuring injured native animals get the expert care they deserve.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F24%2F17%2F24172ee8-e12f-476d-b46a-d49da3eafad1%2F2025wolfcapture1.jpg)
A young female gray wolf just made history by stepping paw in Los Angeles County for the first time in a century. Her 400-mile journey from Northern California marks a stunning milestone in the species' return from near extinction.
A room full of children raised their hands when asked if they'd seen a bald eagle in the wild. Just decades ago, almost no one could have answered yes.
Scientists eliminated invasive goats from the Galápagos Islands using helicopters and GPS-collared "Judas goats," saving the iconic giant tortoises from extinction. The radical 9-year project restored entire ecosystems and gave 15,000 tortoises a second chance at survival.
The global ban on commercial whaling just hit its 40th anniversary, and it's credited with saving Earth's largest creatures from disappearing forever. What started as a "whaler's club" of 14 nations has grown into a worldwide conservation force of 88 countries protecting whales and dolphins.
California's Catalina Island is bringing back North America's rarest tree and healing a unique ecosystem by carefully removing invasive deer introduced nearly a century ago. The five-year restoration will help endangered condors, bald eagles, and plants found nowhere else on Earth.
Showing 20 of 32