List It

The Wildlife Stories We're Thankful For

It's the season when many of us in the U.S. pause and give thanks for all the wonderful stuff that happened this year.

Below are a few of the things that are topping our list for 2017. We wanted to share them with you as part of our appreciation for all you do for wildlife – your emails, your calls, your gifts, and so much more – and because sharing good news feels more important than ever.

We hope these success stories you helped make possible bring a smile to your face.

Happy Thanksgiving!

1. Snow leopards got some good news

The Red List classification from the International Union for Conservation of Nature improves the conservation status of the big cat from "Endangered" to "Vulnerable." What does this mean? This amazing species is now at a lower risk of extinction. With your continued support, we can keep them on the road to recovery and thriving in the wild for generations to come!

2. Burmese star tortoises made a meteoric comeback

These tortoises were once considered extinct in the wild but thanks in part to a captive-breeding effort we spearheaded with our partners, the population is now up over 14,000.

3. Gorilla habitat was protected from a superhighway

Together, we generated over 135,000 signatures in support of rerouting a superhighway that would have leveled hundreds of miles of rainforest in Nigeria. In response to the pressure we created, the government agreed to decrease the proposed "buffer" on either side of the superhighway from six miles to 300 feet and rerouted the road's path to protect the irreplaceable rainforest, saving wildlife – including the highly endangered Cross River gorilla, forest elephants, and chimpanzees – and the local communities who depend on this land.

4. Both the United Kingdom and European Union took pivotal steps to toward a domestic ivory ban

Thanks to your calls, letters, and actions, the global movement to halt all trade of elephant ivory is growing. Ending the sale of ivory is essential to saving elephants that are teetering on the brink of extinction.

These wins demonstrate what we can accomplish when we work together. We're so excited when we start to think about what we can achieve in 2018, and we hope you stand up for wildlife with us again.

Can't get enough good wildlife news? Click here to read one more success story and learn more about how you can make a difference toward saving wildlife.