2026 will mark another milestone for tiger restoration in Kazakhstan
24 January 2026 - In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan's Amur tiger reintroduction program will reach another pivotal milestone with the planned arrival of a small group of tigers from Russia. Between January and June, three to four Amur tigers are expected to be translocated, marking the next major step in restoring this iconic predator to Central Asia. Restoring tigers to protected landscapes is not only a symbolic achievement but also an ecological imperative. (more)

The Wild Side of 2025 -- Celebrating the year's many successes in the global rewilding movement
24 January 2026 - From Quolls to Hyenas, Seagrass to Whales, countless species are thriving, their home land-and-seascapes restoring, and as a result entire ecosystems returning to health across all continents. Rewilders are having a global impact; planting seeds of hope through a wide range of positive actions. (more)

Across the forgotten walls of a Hong Kong island, a flock of bird murals rises
22 January 2026 - A flock [of birds] has landed in Wang Tong Village, a peaceful corner of Lantau Island on Hong Kong's southwestern edge. But this flock is unlike others: Its birds are made of paint. They exist on murals designed for a larger purpose -- not merely to draw attention to forgotten places but to tell the story of the extraordinary journeys birds undertake. (more)

UK: Rare birds on rise at Sussex's Knepps Estate, survey reveals
21 January 2026 - An ecological review at Knepp in West Sussex, a former farm that has become one of the UK's best-known rewilding sites, revealed a 916% rise in breeding birds in the southern part of the estate since 2007. The variety of butterfly species has also doubled on parts of the estate and the abundance of dragonflies and damselflies has risen by nearly 900%. (more)

Cow astonishes scientists with rare use of tools
20 January 2026 - Scientists are rethinking what cattle are capable of after an Austrian cow named Veronika was found to use tools with impressive skill. The discovery, reported by researchers in Vienna, suggests cows may have far greater cognitive abilities than previously assumed. (more)

Chile wants to create a National Park at the end of the world to protect endangered species
19 January 2026 - Chile is preparing to create a National Park at the southernmost tip of the American continent, the ''end of the world''. This project seeks to protect unique ecosystems and endangered species in the Brunswick Peninsula. The proposed National Park, called Cabo Froward, would cover approximately 150,000 hectares. This area includes forests, peat bogs, glaciers and part of the coast facing the Strait of Magellan. (more)

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave $7.1 billion to nonprofits in 2025, a major increase
18 January 2026 - The author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott revealed $7.1 billion in donations to nonprofits in 2025 Tuesday, marking a significant increase in her annual giving from recent years. (more)

Letter writing enjoys a revival as fans seek connection and a break from screen time
17 January 2026 - At a time when productivity means optimizing every second and screens blur the line between work and home, some people are slowing down and disconnecting by looking to communication devices from the past. ...More than quaint throwbacks, the pursuits provide their enthusiasts with opportunities to reduce their technology use, be more intentional with time, and build meaningful connections with others. (more)

Historic ocean treaty to safeguard and sustainably use the high seas to take effect on January 17
16 January 2026 - Less than two years after Oregon State University scientists led the publication of a landmark marine protected area guide in Science, the United Nations in June 2023 adopted the text of the treaty. The treaty's aim is to safeguard and sustainably use the high seas, the two-thirds of the ocean not under individual nations' control. Known officially as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, the treaty was under discussion for more than two decades. Once the agreement was opened for signatures, it took just three days for an economically and geographically diverse collection of 81 U.N. member states, including the U.S., to sign it, giving a non-binding signal of their intent to comply. (more)

Photos capture the breathtaking scale of China's wind and solar buildout
16 January 2026 - Last year China installed more than half of all wind and solar added globally. In May alone, it added enough renewable energy to power Poland, installing solar panels at a rate of roughly 100 every second. The massive buildout is happening across the country, from crowded eastern cities increasingly topped by rooftop solar panels to remote western deserts where colossal wind farms sprawl across the landscape. (more)

US: These plug-and-play solar panels can be 97% cheaper than traditional rooftop systems
16 January 2026 - Cutting red tape could expand states' use of plug-and-play solar panels that are already popular in Europe -- and up to 97% cheaper than rooftop arrays. That's according to Bright Saver, a San Francisco nonprofit working to bring plug-in solar panels to more American states. Fortunately, efforts in Utah and elsewhere are signaling a policy shift for the low-cost setups, which are often placed on porches, balconies, or alongside homes. (more)

Netherlands: Dutch students create modular electric car ''you can repair yourself''
14 January 2026 - A team of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology has built a prototype electric car with a built-in toolbox and components that can be easily repaired or replaced without specialist knowledge. The university's TU/ecomotive group, which focuses on developing concepts for future sustainable vehicles, describes its ARIA concept as ''a modular electric city car that you can repair yourself.'' (more)

Culture, the foundation for inhabiting and living in the city with dignity
12 January 2026 - Living heritage preserves identities, supports families and communities, and faces challenges in the cities. That is why UNESCO is implementing a program in nine cities across Latin America and the Caribbean to foster a renewed relationship between urban planning and intangible cultural heritage, alongside sustainable and ethical tourism. One of these cities is Oaxaca, Mexico. (more)

Bird 'almost extinct' in Northern Ireland found
11 January 2026 - An elusive bird which is now considered to be extremely rare in Northern Ireland made an unexpected visit to a Belfast street, where it was found behind a bin. Office staff who spotted it on the Lisburn Road thought it might be a bird of prey and called wildlife rescuer Debbie Nelson, who works under the name Debbie Doolittle. The nightjar was discovered in September, but Doolittle waited until the new year to share the footage, describing it as her 'most special' rescue of 2025. (more)

Cosmetics and clothes made with ''forever chemicals'', have officially been banned in France
9 January 2026 - France's ban on ''forever chemicals'' (PFAS) follows mounting concern about the adverse health impacts of these persistent pollutants. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 10,000 synthetic chemicals that take thousands of years to degrade naturally. The bill will also require French authorities to regularly test drinking water for all kinds of PFAS and take steps to fine polluters that emit these chemicals into the environment. (more)

US: Maine bans thousands of products containing toxic ''forever chemicals''
9 January 2026 - From makeup to frying pans, Maine's ban on ''forever chemicals'' (PFAS) expanded to multiple consumer products on January 1st. The new ban includes children's toys, cosmetics, cookware, and cleaning products. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection believes the ban will likely go unnoticed by consumers, as there are plenty of product options that do not contain forever chemicals. Minnesota has also banned thousands of everyday products containing these toxic chemicals. (more)

US: How fifteen Bronx Zoo bison sparked a prairie comeback
7 January 2026 - A transfer of fifteen bison from the Bronx Zoo seeded conservation that grew into a 2,000-plus herd at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma. Ecologists often describe bison as a keystone species because their actions influence many other forms of life. Their grazing habits create a patchwork of short and tall vegetation, which supports a wider range of insects, birds, and small mammals. Without bison, grasses can grow dense and uniform, reducing habitat diversity. (more)

Meet five new species discovered in 2025
5 January 2026 - Even as some scientists search for signs of life beyond Earth, other researchers have been discovering new species on our own humble planet faster than ever before. From high up in the mountains to the deep sea, take a tour across the world to meet five new species discovered in 2025. (more)

What went right in 2025: the top 25 good news stories of the year
2 January 2026 - Scientists treated the ''untreatable'', species came back from the brink, solar surged, deforestation fell, rivers were revitalised, 70 declared 'the new 60', and the smartphone-free childhood caught on, plus more good news. (more)

Watch: Stunning celestial events that lit up the skies in 2025
1 January 2026 - From meteor showers to supermoons, many stunning celestial events have been captured on camera over the past year. Here are some of the moments that wowed stargazers around the world in 2025. (more)

Costa Rica's rainforest reborn by butterflies
31 December 2025 - In a remote corner of Costa Rica, a former cattle pasture has been restored as a lush rainforest, thanks to one family and thousands of butterflies. In a country full of luxury eco-lodges, this off-the-beaten-path destination feels different. Guests stay and eat with the family, and the experience is deeply personal. It's rewilding with a human touch -- an example of how tourism, when rooted in reciprocity, can help nature heal. (more)

Seven quiet wins for climate and nature in 2025
31 December 2025 - Here are the year's breakthroughs for the climate and nature you might have missed. Targeted action in clean energy, conservation, and indigenous rights has led to some tangible positive results for the climate and nature. Globally, the rate of growth in renewable power capacity is accelerating in more than 80% of countries. By 2030, overall renewable power capacity is on track to double compared to today's levels, according to the International Energy Agency. (more)

Canada: Toronto wetland restoration brings to life seeds dormant for a century
29 December 2025 - Toronto wetland restoration brings buried seeds and organisms back to life after more than 100 years, creating a thriving ecosystem on formerly industrialized land. The project required removing contaminated material accumulated during decades of industrial use. Lead, mercury, and petroleum products had saturated the soil. Workers transported this hazardous material to approved disposal sites before bringing in clean sediment. (more)

New species being discovered faster than ever
29 December 2025 - New species are being discovered at a faster rate than ever, suggests a new study -- more than 16,000 every year -- and the trend shows no sign of slowing. Scientists predict that biodiversity in some groups, such as plants, fungi, arachnids, fish, and amphibians, is richer than previously believed. ''Our good news is that this rate of new species discovery far outpaces the rate of species extinctions, which we calculated to about 10 per year,'' said study senior author Professor John Wiens. (more)