Wildlife & Conservation: Top Good News Stories in February 2026
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
Summary of all the best good news stories from around the world.
Red Fox GPS: The Sierra Nevada red fox is one of the rarest and most critically threatened mammals in the USA with fewer than 50 believed to remain. And now, for the first time, a specimen has been successfully fitted with a GPS collar and released back into the wild, marking a major victory for conservation efforts to protect it.
Back After 180 Years: Giant tortoises are roaming the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in more than 180 years - after the release of 158 captive-bred juvenile tortoises - in what conservationists have called a "hugely significant milestone".
First Time in a Century: A gray wolf has been spotted in Los Angeles County for the first time in over a century. The sighting is considered a historic moment for the return of wolves to California.
Against The Odds: You’re looking at the world’s rarest primate: the Hainan gibbon. Back in 2003, there were just 13 of these tree-dwelling apes living on the island of Hainan in the South China Sea due to deforestation and hunting. But new data shows that the species has more than tripled its population to 42 individuals.
Community Governance: Colombia has formally handed title to a huge swathe of land (over 2,000 square miles) in the Amazon to Indigenous communities.
Tribal Land Return: Funded by a grant and private donations, the Washoe Tribe has purchased more than 10,000 acres of land near Lake Tahoe for conservation in one of the largest tribal land returns in California history.
Conservation Success: Conservation in India successfully doubled the native population of tigers, a new study reveals. India’s native tiger population has clawed its way above 3,600. Along with being 75 percent of the world’s tiger population, it was twice as many as the best estimates of the numbers in 2006.
Eagle Recovery: After decades of persecution by humans, the Eastern Imperial Eagle is now one of Europe’s rarest raptors. In Serbia, for example, there was just one breeding pair left in 2017 but now, thanks to the relentless work of conservationists, the population of the majestic raptor is on the up with 19 breeding pairs recently recorded.
Toronto’s Don River: The river was declared “biologically dead” decades ago, but thanks to a C$1 billion investment fish are returning after a major wetland restoration. Monitoring in 2025 recorded more than 20 fish species, including Atlantic salmon and native predators such as walleye and northern pike.
Yangtze Recovery: This massive river in China, which had been in ecological decline for 70 years, is recovering thanks to a sweeping fishing ban - which included finding alternative employment for fishers. One veteran biologist said it was the most positive freshwater conservation story he had seen anywhere in the world in 20 years.
Ray of Hope: A rare monkey - a François' langur - with a shock of orange hair has been born at Whipsnade Zoo in England, giving renewed hope for the long-term survival of the species which is native to China and northern Vietnam. "It's estimated that only 2,000 of these primates remain in the wild, so every birth is a ray of hope for the species."
Swift Bricks: All new homes in Scotland must have swift bricks installed after the Scottish government approved a law aimed at helping the struggling birds. The innovation provides a hollow space for the cavity-nesting birds to breed in, while minimally impacting the aesthetics of a building.
Lion Raises Millions For Other Wild Cats: A rare Rembrandt drawing, Young Lion Resting, just sold for $18 million at auction, with proceeds supporting wild cat conservation charity Panthera.
