Author: Grace Liu ’23
Welcome back to Good News Friday and happy Earth Month! I hope you’re ready to read some positive picks from recent environmental updates. This week, we have a conservation-themed edition, with promising news about the recovery of bald eagles, pygmy hogs and the Iberian lynx.
- Bald eagles rebound: In 2009, conservationists estimated that there were approximately 72,000 bald eagles in the lower 48 states. However, the most recent 2019 estimates place the rebounding population at 316,700, meaning that bald eagle populations have quadrupled in the past decade. According to Deb Haaland, the first Native American secretary of the Interior, “The bald eagle has always been considered a sacred species to American Indian people. Similarly, it’s sacred to our nation as America’s national symbol.” Bryan Watts, the director of the Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary, says that the bald eagle recovery indicates what can be accomplished when a culture collectively decides to value something.
- Hope for pygmy hogs: The pygmy hog is the smallest and rarest pig in the world. They used to thrive in the sub-Himalayas, but habitat loss has resulted in their near extinction. However, a captive breeding and reintroduction program led by the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) has raised their chances for recovery. There’s still a long way to go, but this program, in combination with grassland conservation, gives hope for restoring the miniature wild pig populations.
- Iberian lynx populations recover: Another example of a successful target conservation story is the recovery of the Iberian Lynx populations. In 2002, the Iberian lynx was already extinct in its native Portugal, and fewer than 100 cats remained in Spain. However, a cumulation of targeted conservation efforts has allowed the species to come back from the brink of extinction, with more than 1000 wild members today. These efforts include captive breeding and reintroduction, rewilding of lynx ranges, wildlife corridors, and increasing prey populations.
That’s all for this week! Tune in next time for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!