Five Most Impressive Conservation Achievements Of 2018
Last year everyone who visited this site, even if they didn’t adopt an animal contributed to wildlife conservation and that on its own is something to be thankful for. That being said, that was far from the only achievement of 2018. There were lots of things that happened and some major achievements took place. Here we review the five most impressive achievements of conservation last year.
Mountain gorilla populations in the wild grew
A major milestone was that the mountain gorilla is no long considered to be a critically endangered species and the wild population has risen to more than 1,000. This is the only subspecies of great ape globally that is believed to have an increasing population and serves as a real inspiration for global conservation efforts. The results were the product of an intense survey carried out by WWF as part of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme. Not only does WWF help monitor mountain gorillas but the organisation also provides assistance to locals, teaching them how to use their natural resources more sustainably without damaging the mountain gorilla habitat.
Nearly doubling the wild tiger population in
Nepal
Lat year’s wild tiger census in Nepal showed that in less than a decade, the number of wild tigers in the country has almost doubled. That is remarkable and it makes Nepal likely to become the first country to double its wild tiger population since the goal was set in 2010. The support of ordinary people who visit us here at Udopt and go on to adopt an animal with WWF has been vital, providing the money to strengthen anti-poaching patrols as well as restoring fragmented habitats so that tigers can move freely which is vital for their survival.
Helping protect elephants through collaring
Last year WWF undertook its largest ever exercise in collaring wild elephants in Tanzania so that the country’s precious herds remain protected. 20 elephants were collared which allowed rangers to track the movement of their herds in real time and immediately respond to potential threats. Over the last four decades, almost ninety per cent of the elephants in the Selous Game Reserve have disappeared. WWF is helping keep what is left of the herds protected from poaching, allowing them a fighting chance to survive and thrive.
Zero rhino poaching in Nepal
Nepal had a good year. Not only has tiger populations recovered but this was the fifth out of the last seven years since 2011 that Nepal recorded zero rhino poaching. This achievement is thanks to a coordinated national response and the adoption of new approaches that have worked very well. This includes real-time Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). Patrolling was also very important and would not have been possible without the generous donations all of you made to WWF through your animal adoptions.
Ending the illegal trade in wildlife
As a result of everybody who signed the WWF petition, the UK government is all set to introduce the world’s toughest ivory bans. The UK can play a leadership role in ending wildlife crime as can other countries in the world. This is why WWF took the extra step and delivered a petition to global leaders containing more than 120,000 signatures at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London. The petition demanded that leaders put an end to wildlife crime and the responded by renewing their commitment to ending the trade. Rest assured WWF will make sure these leaders stay true to their word and deliver on the promises they made.