Save our Biodiversity

Did anyone get a slice of pumpkin pie today? 🥧 Our Great Apes celebrated Thanksgiving with their very own pumpkin-inspired treats — and yes, new mom Kumi made sure to get a taste too! We hope your day was filled with good food and great company. Zo Knoxville and Smoky Night Lights reopen tomorrow… see you then! 🍂🦍

The head shake of the Tusker in the back is the signal to his friend: "Okay bro, let's go. They've taken enough photos now." 📍Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪

In the high peaks of Mount Tshiaberimu at 3,060 meters, the Park’s critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla population roams.⁠ ⁠ Thanks to years of collaborative work with our partners, four females from the GRACE sanctuary were successfully reintroduced to the wild. Now, this isolated population numbers 11 individuals.⁠ ⁠⁠ The gorilla population reinforcement was funded by the @EU_Commission, with support from @Rewild, @GRACEGorillas, and @GorillaDoctors.⁠ ⁠ 📸 Brent Stirton / Getty Images⁠ ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ ⁠ #EasternLowlandGorilla #EndangeredSpecies #DRC #SupportUs⁠ #GivingTuesday2025 #CharityTuesday

💧🚜 Farmers urgently need government support to restore rivers and make #SpaceForWater, which will create wildlife habitat, clean our waters, and protect communities from flood and drought. 📝 Join the call, sign the petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/7270…

Every fraction of a degree counts. Rising temperatures put marine life and coastal ecosystems at risk of irreversible loss. Urgent #ClimateAction is needed to #SaveOurOcean. un.org/en/climatechan…

Today is Thanksgiving and, though we feel grateful everyday, we wanted to take an extra moment to express our gratitude for our milestones, the good in the hard times, and for all of you who make sanctuary possible. 💚 Thank you. globalelephants.org/abundant-grati…

“Evidence for some conservation success,” says Dr Chris Thouless, ECF Director, on the new IUCN African Forest Elephant Status Report 2024. The report shows a 16% rise in the estimated number of forest elephants since 2016. Read more bit.ly/4ixEm3a 📸 Will Burrard-Lucas

🇷🇴 Huge news from Romania! MP Andrei Baci has shared his proposals to ban the euthanasia of healthy dogs and formally recognise animals as living beings with rights and protections under national law. A public petition recently gained more than 215,000 signatures, showing a shift in attitudes towards animals and their welfare. Under the proposal, euthanasia would be replaced with more humane strategies such as sterilisation and microchipping. 🐾 In 2013, Romania’s Constitutional Court approved the controversial Stray Dogs Euthanasia Law, which allows authorities to capture stray dogs and send them to public shelters. These shelters are often overcrowded and under-resourced. If the dogs are not adopted within 14 days, many are euthanised – frequently under conditions that fall short of basic humane standards. 🤞 This is promising news for animals in Romania, and we’ll be watching closely for further developments. romania-insider.com/bills-romania-… #EasternEuroAnimals

We're wishing a very happy #Thanksgiving to all our supporters celebrating today. We hope you know how thankful we are for your continued support 🙏🦏

You are invited to join the Friends of the EPI programme, where for just $25 per year, you can give friends and family a gift that contributes to safeguarding Africa’s elephants. Find out more and invite others to join via: elephantprotectioninitiative.org/friendsofepi

Ten years ago, poaching pushed elephants toward collapse. But the ivory-trade moratorium helped turn the tide. Today, ivory prices are falling, poaching is down, and elephants are returning. This film shows why the ivory trade must never resume. #CITESCoP20

Fox in the ivy . Thank you @27rufus for this morning's #FoxOfTheDay

Happy galloping badger Sunday

The Deputy Park Manager of Virunga National Park, Director Rodrigue Katembo Mugaruka, was named a winner of the 2025 International Ranger Awards, alongside 12 other winners from around the world.⁠ ⁠ Presented by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, the awards were handed out on 11 October 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. They recognise dedication to nature conservation, honouring the courage, resilience and perseverance of the winners.⁠ ⁠ For Director Rodrigue, the award particularly highlights his courageous commitment to protecting the lands of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the face of corruption and exploitation, as stated on the IUCN website.⁠ ⁠ Virunga National Park extends its warm congratulations to Director Rodrigue Katembo Mugaruka. This award highlights the Park's ongoing efforts to protect one of the richest but most threatened areas of biodiversity in the world.⁠ #IUCN #WorldConservationCongress2025 #ParkRangers #ProtectedAreas #DRC

💔 Po and Joey were both rescued from the illegal wildlife trade by Lilongwe Wildlife Centre (LWC). Their stories reflect the pain and hope behind LWC’s vital work to protect pangolins - the world’s most trafficked mammal. Read their powerful journey: bit.ly/47i9xey

A black rhino and her male calf were recently sighted during a monitoring patrol in Tsavo East National Park. The duo appeared healthy and active, a strong sign of continued success in rhino conservation efforts. Rhino monitoring and security in the area remain calm and stable - a testament to the dedication of our rangers and conservation partners safeguarding Kenya’s critically endangered rhinos. #TunzaMaliYako #ThrivingWildlifeForever

A beauty from @markwhit.bsky.social for your #FoxOfTheDay today - thank you Mark !

The Government of France generously hosted a highly informative, energetic and well-attended event on crimes that affect the environment during the @IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. For full details see my LinkedIn post bit.ly/4h3lYy8

It was breakfast and, once again, caregivers fed Pupy and Kenya in adjoining stalls in the barn. Pupy has her undecided moments where she still seems to be analyzing Kenya’s behaviors, but she also has moments when she’s on her own and appears confident as can be. This is a quick

Artisanal gold mining in Bili-Uéré, DRC, has grown into a major threat to both people and biodiversity. With more than 10,000 miners working across dozens of sites, rivers are polluted, forests are stripped bare, and iconic species like elephants and chimpanzees are being pushed out of their natural habitats. What was once one of Central Africa’s most intact forest ecosystems is now at risk of becoming an ecological casualty of unregulated extraction. To confront this crisis, @AWF_Official and its partners are taking decisive steps on the ground. From strengthening the capacity of eco-guards and law enforcement, to investing in infrastructure for monitoring and patrolling, we are working with @IccnRdc ( Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature) to safeguard critical habitats. At the same time, we are empowering communities with alternatives, training in sustainable agriculture, promoting clean energy technologies, and supporting inclusive land-use planning. These interventions aim not only to reduce reliance on destructive mining but also to build local ownership of conservation as a viable pathway for prosperity. The future of Bili-Uéré will be defined by the choices we make today. If conservation, governance, and community empowerment are pursued with urgency and ambition, this landscape can stand as a model where natural wealth is preserved, communities thrive, and biodiversity flourishes. AWF remains committed to ensuring that gold does not come at the expense of life itself, but becomes part of a story of regeneration and resilience for the DRC and for Africa. Read more about how AWF and Partners are confronting Artisanal Mining in DRC here - bit.ly/4poKVI5