Positive Wildlife News 2022

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Endangered Sea Turtle Nest Found On Texas Beach For The First Time In 10 Years

Sea turtle nesting season has begun, and wildlife officials are regularly checking the shores for new nests.

Texas officials shared some “egg-citing” news about a nest from the most endangered sea turtle that hasn’t appeared on the beach since 2012.

Tucked in the dunes of the Galveston Island State Park was a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle nest filled with 107 eggs. Sea Aggie Sea Turtle Patrol discovered the nest on Thursday during a routine survey of the beach.

Endangered Sea Turtle Nest Found On Texas Beach For The First Time In 10 Years
 
For 20 years, Comoros had only 1 national park. It’s now creating 5 more
  • Comoros, an archipelagic nation in the western Indian Ocean, is dramatically expanding its network of protected areas (PAs) from one to six, including three new marine protected areas (MPAs).
  • The idea is to replicate the co-management approach at Mohéli National Park, the country’s first and currently only national park, created in 2001 as an MPA.
  • However, Comoros’s experience with Mohéli provided no clear blueprint for supporting communities whose traditional rights are curtailed because of the protected areas, or for sustainably funding for such a vast PA network
https://news-mongabay-com.cdn.amppr...-1-national-park-its-now-creating-5-more/amp/
 
New rewilding site within the Greater Coa Valley improves connectivity

A newly established rewilding site in northern Portugal, known as Ermo das Águias (‘wilderness of the eagles’), is providing an opportunity to improve landscape connectivity and promote the regeneration of native vegetation and enhance the benefits of natural grazing.

The new site Ermo das Águias will open to the public in June, with a network of marked trails exploring the area. Funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme, the 700 hectares of land in the parish of Vale de Madeira established the second in a series of core rewilding sites along the course of the Côa River. The first area – Vale Carapito – was established in 2021.

Both areas are part of a 120,000-hectare wildlife corridor being developed to connect the Malcata mountain range in the south with the larger Douro Valley in the north. “The goal,” says Marta Cálix, Head of Operations at Rewilding Portugal, “is to acquire and rewild pieces of land within the landscape to improve connectivity and to protect these areas that are still in better condition or have the most potential in terms of ecological restoration and protecting biological diversity.”

New rewilding site within the Greater Coa Valley improves connectivity | Rewilding Europe
 
New Conservation Area in Ecuadorian Andes Protects Vital Water Sources

Andes Amazon Fund (AAF) proudly announces the creation of the Quilanga Municipal Conservation Area in Loja, Ecuador. Declared on May 6, 2022, the area spans 26,273 acres (10,623 hectares) of native forest and paramos with an altitudinal range of 6,560 – 8,860 feet above sea level. Its creation is the result of two years of research, consultation, and collaboration between the Municipality of Quilanga and AAF grantee Nature and Culture International.

Safeguarding fauna and water

Quilanga secures water resources and protects unique flora and fauna species. It is home to the critically endangered Ecuadorian Vizcacha (Lagidium ahuacaense), a species of mammal only found in the southern Ecuadorian Andes. The vizcacha was only recently discovered, with the first registered observation occurring in 2005, but fires and cattle grazing have affected its habitat and significantly reduced its population. The creation of the Quilanga Municipal Conservation Area comes at a crucial time for the protection of this species and the area’s paramos, which are a vital water source for local communities.

New Conservation Area in Ecuadorian Andes Protects Vital Water Sources - Andes Amazon Fund
 
Family secures a natural future for beloved marsh by donating land for conservation

Bonanza Marsh is the only large wetland on Slocan Lake

After more than half a century of caring for the forests and wetlands on their property on Slocan Lake, the Alvarez family has ensured a permanent conservation future for their land by donating it to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). The five-hectare parcel includes a significant portion of an ecologically important wetland complex known as Bonanza Marsh. This wetland supports an incredible diversity of wildlife and sensitive ecosystems and plays an essential role in maintaining water quality in the lake.

Family secures a natural future for beloved marsh by donating land for conservation
 
Twenty-eight gharial hatchlings have been sighted along a tributary of Nepal's Karnali River, the first sign of successful nesting in this waterway for sixteen years. This indicates the species may be on the road to recovery, with as many as two hundred breeding gharial now present in Nepal.

More information can be found in the link below:
First gharial hatchlings spotted in nearly two decades in Nepal’s Karnali River
 
NFWF and U.S. Forest Service Announce $4.2 Million in Grants for California Forests and Watersheds Headwater Resilience

Projects will boost community resilience and improve the health of forests and watersheds in California

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced nearly $4.2 million in grants to protect and restore forests and watersheds in California through targeted headwater resilience implementation and monitoring. The grants will leverage $5.5 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of nearly $9.7 million.

The grants were awarded through the Northern California Forests and Watersheds program, a partnership between NFWF and the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Arbor Day Foundation and the Bureau of Reclamation.

NFWF and U.S. Forest Service Announce $4.2 Million in Grants for California Forests and Watersheds Headwater Resilience
 
A New Indigenous Protected Area Emerges on Hudson Bay

The Seal River Watershed Alliance will help protect 12 million acres of lakes, rivers, and lands.

The Seal River Watershed Alliance is creating an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) on the western shore of Hudson Bay to help protect 50,000 square kilometers (12 million acres) of lakes, rivers, and lands that sustain cultures and support migratory birds, caribou, and polar bears.

A New Indigenous Protected Area Emerges on Hudson Bay
 
Minnesota lake sturgeon spawning event marks first of its kind in over a century

Conservationists celebrate a huge milestone for the living fossil of the fish world.

A major milestone on the long recovery journey for Minnesota's lake sturgeon has been recorded this month somewhere on the upper reaches of a Red River tributary.

https://bringmethenews-com.cdn.ampp...ent-marks-first-of-its-kind-in-over-a-century
 
Work begins to turn 99,000 hectares in England into ‘nature recovery’ projects

Five projects to receive funding from Defra and Natural England to tackle wildlife loss and improve access to nature

Up to 99,000 hectares of land in England, from city fringes to wetlands, will be focused on supporting wildlife in five major “nature recovery” projects, the government has said.

The five landscape-scale projects in the West Midlands, Cambridgeshire, the Peak District, Norfolk and Somerset aim to help tackle wildlife loss and the climate crisis, and improve public access to nature.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...ares-in-england-into-nature-recovery-projects
 
Golden bandicoots released in Sturt National Park after century of local extinction

The Sturt National Park in the far north-west corner of New South Wales is being transformed into an environmental sanctuary, thanks to a project dedicated to bringing back native animals that once called the area home.

Key points:
  • 27 golden bandicoots have been reintroduced into outback NSW for the first time in 100 years
  • They're the fourth of seven native species to be released in the Wild Deserts program
  • Local ecologists hope the animals will eventually fend for themselves outside the pest-free exclosure
The 10-year Wild Deserts program, headed by the state government and the University of New South Wales, has seen 27 wild, native golden bandicoots relocated from the shrubs of the West Australian interior.

With the help of Ruth Wongawol and Valdera Morgan, two Indigenous Martu rangers from WA, ecologists Reece Pedler and Rebecca West have guided the animals' journey to successful reintegration into a pest-free enclosure.

"We know that they were here before, and in fact they were about one of two dozen species of small mammals that have disappeared from this part of the country," Dr Pedler said.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/101127376
 
Biden administration reverses Trump endangered species habitat definition

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services on Thursday announced a new rule reversing a Trump-era definition of “habitat” as applied to endangered animals.

Under the 2020 rule, the definition of federally-protected habitats for endangered species was narrowed to only those where a species could currently live, excluding those that could someday sustain a species. On Thursday, FWS reversed this, saying it contravened the intent of the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Biden administration reverses Trump endangered species habitat definition | The Hill
 
Press release: European Union nature restoration law – Huge opportunity to fight biodiversity and climate crises

The legislative proposal for binding nature restoration targets presented by the European Commission today can put the EU’s degraded ecosystems on a path to recovery.

The Commission’s proposal is a huge milestone; it is the first major piece of EU biodiversity legislation since the Habitats Directive in 1992. We call for its urgent adoption and implementation as it is a true and strong attempt to reverse the tide of biodiversity loss and climate change. The European Parliament and Council of the EU must fully endorse the positive elements and strengthen the existing weaknesses without delay.

Press release: EU nature restoration law - Huge opportunity to fight biodiversity and climate crises
 
New Protections for Eastern Canyons off Nova Scotia Will Benefit Deep-Sea Ecosystems

Oceans North welcomes the announcement today of the largest new fisheries closure off Nova Scotia, an area called the Eastern Canyons Marine Refuge covering 43,976 square kilometres off Nova Scotia. Announced on World Ocean Day, this closure will protect important deep-sea ecosystems that are home to deep-water corals, sponges and bottle-nosed whales.

New Protections for Eastern Canyons off Nova Scotia Will Benefit Deep-Sea Ecosystems
 
UngulateNerd92 said:
Biden administration reverses Trump endangered species habitat definition

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services on Thursday announced a new rule reversing a Trump-era definition of “habitat” as applied to endangered animals.

Under the 2020 rule, the definition of federally-protected habitats for endangered species was narrowed to only those where a species could currently live, excluding those that could someday sustain a species. On Thursday, FWS reversed this, saying it contravened the intent of the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Biden administration reverses Trump endangered species habitat definition | The Hill
Click to expand...

Here is another relevant article.

Biden Administration Tosses Trump Definition of ‘Habitat’ for Endangered Species

The Trump administration’s definition was at odds with the conservation purposes of the Endangered Species Act, wildlife officials said.

The Biden administration is throwing out the definition of “habitat” for endangered animals, returning to an understanding that existed before the government under President Donald J. Trump shrank the areas that could be protected for animals under threat of extinction.

By striking a single sentence from the regulations, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries could once again protect a “critical habitat” even if it had become unsuitable because of development or other changes but could be restored.

The Trump administration narrowed the definition of “habitat,” limiting federal protection to only places that can sustain an endangered species, as opposed to a more broad, historic habitat where the animal could someday live or dwell.

https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproj...ate/biden-endangered-species-habitat.amp.html
 
Genetic boost for Croatia’s endangered lynx population

Last week, a male lynx – nicknamed ‘Ljubo’ – was released into the Velebit Mountains Rewilding landscape. Ljubo is the fifth lynx to be released in Croatia as part of the European LIFE Lynx project.

The five lynx that have now been released in Croatia join ten other lynx that have been released in neighbouring Slovenia. These releases are reinforcing the small and isolated Dinaric lynx population, reducing the risk of inbreeding with the introduction of new, healthy genes to secure the future of this endangered population.

Ljubo’s release is also expected to help increase the important influence of the lynx as an apex predator and keystone species within the Velebit ecosystem, boosting biodiversity, maintaining ecosystem health, and contributing to the circle of life, while further serving as a major draw for local tourism.

“We’re really happy to welcome Ljubo,” said Marija Krnjajiç, Team Leader of Rewilding Velebit. “It is an honour for us; we can’t wait to follow his movements as he begins exploring the Velebit Mountains and observe what impact his arrival may have within this ecosystem.”

Genetic boost for Croatia’s endangered lynx population | Rewilding Europe
 
Colombia, WWF and Partners Announce $245M Agreement to Permanently Protect Vital Systems of Nation’s Protected Areas

Funding provides protection to critical marine and terrestrial ecosystems across Colombia, which is home to 10% of the world’s biodiversity.

Today, the Government of Colombia, with a broad coalition of community, public sector, and private sector partners, demonstrated their commitment to long-term conservation in Colombia by signing a joint declaration to launch a new Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative called Heritage Colombia (or Herencia Colombia in Spanish), which secures $245 million USD of public and private finance to permanently protect 32 million hectares of iconic Colombian landscapes and seascapes.

Colombia, WWF and Partners Announce $245M Agreement to Permanently Protect Vital Systems of Nation’s Protected Areas
 
Tasmanian devil joeys born on mainland Australia a big win for rewilding program

Tasmanian devil joeys have successfully bred in a ‘wild scenario’ at Barrington Tops in New South Wales for the second year in a row.
When rangers at Aussie Ark’s Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary carried out routine checks of their Tasmanian devils this week, they were elated to find nine joeys in the pouches of their female devils.

“It’s thrilling to see the joeys in the pouch at this really crucial stage. Seeing them at this size leaves me speechless every single time,” says Aussie Ark supervisor, Tyler Gralton.

Tassie devil joeys born on mainland Australia a big win for rewilding program
 
Finland's 41st national park opens in Eastern Lapland

The park extends to the Russian border, where protected areas continue in Paanajärvi National Park.

Finland's 41st national park formally opened in Salla, Eastern Lapland, on Saturday. The transformation of the nature reserve into a national park is projected to double the number of visitors to the wilderness area near the eastern border.

The wilderness area of about 100 square kilometres is characterised by fell and mountain landscapes, gorges, old forests and wetlands. The park extends to the Russian border, where a network of protected areas continues on the other side as Paanajärvi National Park.

Finland's 41st national park opens in Eastern Lapland
 
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