São Tomé and Príncipe is rewarding thousands of villagers with direct payments for protecting forests, creating a new model that links livelihoods with conservation.
Chile has expanded full marine protection to over one million square kilometres of ocean in 2026, safeguarding biodiversity and surpassing 50% protection of its national waters.
Uganda reintroduced rhinos to Kidepo Valley National Park in 2026, marking the first reintroduction in over 40 years and restoring a species once lost to poaching and conflict.
Five southern African nations have launched the continent’s first transboundary birding route, connecting vast ecosystems into a single tourism experience that supports conservation and local livelihoods.
Chile has permanently rejected a major mining and port project, protecting a globally significant marine reserve that is home to most of the world’s Humboldt penguins.
In the United States and Canada, river otters have returned to the Great Lakes region after decades of absence, signalling cleaner waterways and recovering ecosystems.
Kazakhstan is restoring tiger habitat by planting tens of thousands of trees as part of an effort to reintroduce wild tigers to landscapes where they disappeared more than 70 years ago.
Kazakhstan has restored a third of the North Aral Sea’s water volume through dams, improved water management and regional cooperation, reviving ecosystems and fishing livelihoods after decades of decline.
India’s coastal fishers in Kerala are increasingly rescuing endangered whale sharks caught in nets, helping one of the ocean’s largest and gentlest species survive along the Arabian Sea coast.
South Africa has recorded a 16% drop in rhino poaching in 2025, reflecting progress in conservation efforts despite continued regional challenges and pressure from wildlife trafficking networks.
