In Episode 2, we give you the recent rewilding success stories and hopeful news – from a town made for polar bears to lion cubs released back to the wild. Success stories from our Alliance Partner organisations, news stories from every continent and suggestions for positive things that you could do. Get involved! Feel free to send us your stories. Let’s spread positive news, inspiration and hope!
Prefer to read about Rewilding news and success stories rather than watch? Here’s the transcript for this episode:
Hello everyone and welcome back to episode two of Global Rewilding News where we bring you hopeful, practical and uplifting news stories from rewilders all around the world. Thanks for joining us today, and I’m May from the Global Rewilding Alliance – let’s get to it.
The long-beaked Echidna was, until very recently, assumed to have gone extinct. But, more than 60 years after the only scientific evidence was collected, it has been rediscovered by remote camera traps in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains in the Province of Papua.
These are the first-ever photos and video of the echidna, an evidently shy, elusive creature known in the local Tepera language as ‘payangko’. This species is an important part of the community of Yongsu Sapari – who gave their support to the research team. Those involved are hoping that this discovery inspires renewed motivation to protect this unique landscape.
Norway has just built a new town – but for polar bears. Now usually, rewilding does not include the removal of human populations to function properly – instead, keeping local communities and people at the heart of their work. But this one is an exception.
Norway has dismantled a derelict former mining town in the country’s largest-ever rewilding campaign, to allow the Arctic ecosystem to restore itself.
This rather large rewilding endeavour seems so far to be a success: polar bear, reindeer, and Arctic fox populations are reestablishing back into their natural habitat. This transition is stark considering its long history of mined coal from this area for over 100 years.
In a groundbreaking development for environmental advocacy, the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) has received multi-year funding from the Environmental Rights Foundation (ERF), enabling them to champion the Rights of Rivers initiative. This initiative has now gained the invaluable expertise of international lawyer Monica Feria-Tinta, renowned for her pivotal role in a landmark rights of nature case in Ecuador.
This marks a historic step in UK environmental law, following the Lewes council’s commitment to endorse a Rights of River Charter for River Ouse by 2025.
Monica’s involvement in this groundbreaking initiative strengthens their ability to pioneer environmental conservation through legal avenues. The collective efforts represent a positive stride forward in the ongoing pursuit of environmental justice.
More news from Panama. In a historic vote, the highest court of Panama has ruled the new mining contract for an open-pit mine unconstitutional. This marks a WIN for birds, biodiversity, local communities, and our planet.
Now for some news from Rewilding Europe, a group of organisations on the European continent rewilding in all sorts of areas:
- Another group of cinereous vultures released in the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria
- The European Young Rewilders celebrated their first anniversary the other week
- More wild horses to set free in the Iberian Highlands in Spain
- Launching a European Rewilding Coalition with 14 countries signing up as a start
- Restoring the Ina river in the Polish part of the Oder Delta
- Wildlife coming back in Velebit Mountains by transforming traditional hunting concessions in Croatia
- And they held a seminar in the Central Apennines to discuss and scale up rewilding in Italy
This is just the beginning of the list, and it’s incredible to see what they are doing.
Some news from Zambia
Last year, African Parks Network rescued seven lion cubs in Kafue National Park with the permission of Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
With support of the Zambian Carnivore Programme, they received 13 months of care, and were introduced to a lone lioness was for bonding and to teach them how to hunt.
Now an update on that story, last week, all of the young lions and the lioness were released into the wild together.
Lastly, here is the quotation of the week:
“To restore stability to our planet, we must restore its biodiversity, the very thing that we’ve removed. It’s the only way out of this crisis we’ve created – we must rewild the world.”
Sir David Attenborough, British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author.
That’s it for now, folks. Thank you for joining us on this new episode of Global Rewilding News.
If you like the content, don’t forget to give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to the channel and hit the bell to receive notifications. See you soon for the next time for more uplifting Global Rewilding News!
News Sources This Episode
The Good News Network: Long-Beaked Creature Is Proven Not Extinct in First Ever Photos: ‘Blows My Mind’ After 60 Years
Re:wild: FOUND: Egg-laying mammal last recorded in 1961 waddles its way back into view in rediscovery on Indonesia’s rugged Cyclops Mountains
Adventure.com: Norway just built a new town—for polar bears. Here’s what the new rewilding project means for Arctic habitats
EcoRestoration Fund: Major boost for river rights in the UK
Mongabay: Panama copper mine to close after Supreme Court rules concession unconstitutional
Rewilding Europe:
[1] Second group of cinereous vultures released in the Rhodope Mountains
[2] The European Young Rewilders celebrates its first anniversary
[3] More Przewalski’s horses set to roam free in the Iberian Highlands
[4] Leading organisations join forces to scale up practical rewilding across Europe
[5] Oder Delta rewilding team continue efforts to restore the Ina River
[6] Wildlife comeback in Velebit benefits local communities
[7] Central Apennines seminar promotes rewilding and builds national-level engagement
African Parks Network: Young lions and lioness released back to the wild in Kafue National Park
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