Wildlife Conservation Stories

Known for their distinctive humps, camels are synonymous with desert environments. In their domesticated state, they provide vital resources such as milk, meat, wool, and transportation to pastoral communities in Africa and Asia, particularly in regions like northern Kenya. However, their importance in ecological and climate resilience is not as widely known. Camels, both in the wild and in their domesticated state, are essential to sustaining more arid ecosystems such as deserts, prairies, and steppes, along with the communities who live there.

Vultures are nature’s dedicated waste management specialists; they help with nutrient cycling and even reduce the spread of disease. In the US, we have turkey vultures, black vultures, and endangered California condors, but worldwide we’re currently sharing the planet with 23 vulture species. Vultures typically have bald heads and excellent vision, and some, like the turkey vulture, even have a keen sense of smell. They’re fascinating birds and we’d like to share a few ways we consider vultures to be nature’s influencers.

Bhutan collaborated to pioneer a revolutionary pilot study on the effectiveness of eDNA sampling in assessing biodiversity. As such, the country is poised to become a global leader in using eDNA technology for conservation purposes.

A new report sheds light on the often-overlooked ways that wildlife benefits people, helping us to understand how deeply interconnected we are to the natural world.

Wild pygmy hippos live a reclusive and nocturnal life in swampy forests in West Africa. Read on to learn more about these endangered animals.

A new interactive online atlas tracks the migration patterns of Tibetan antelopes, reindeer, guanacos, plains zebras, wildebeests and more ungulates.

WWF is working with partners to install artificial beaver dams in streams on dozens of ranches in the Northern Great Plains. These structures aim to slow water flow, prevent harmful erosion, and distribute this precious resource throughout the landscape. The end result will raise the water table, improve soil health, nourish plants, and provide habitat for wildlife.

Without past interventions, only 296 individuals would exist in 2022 instead of the actual 6,487. If conservation stopped now, the population would drop to 3,354 by 2032, but with continued efforts, it could reach 8,943.

Virtual fencing is still a new and developing technology—but could transform how ranchers raise livestock while rejuvenating native grasslands and protecting wildlife that rely on intact and healthy prairie.

Clay Bolt, celebrated conservation photographer and WWF's Northern Great Plains communications manager, documents the rich biodiversity flourishing on and around sustainably managed ranches. His photos capture the vibrant life that emerges from the symbiosis between humans and wildlife in the Great Plains.

After years of concerted conservation efforts, Thailand’s wild tiger populations are increasing, with a new estimate of 179-223 tigers. This news, released by the Royal Thai Government, comes after decades of poaching and forest loss that has threatened Thailand’s wild tiger population.

These bridges help the Amazon’s tree-living species, such as porcupines, sloths, and monkeys, whose territories have become fragmented by human infrastructure.

There are more than 530 species of sharks in our oceans today protecting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, which helps ensure a healthy ocean and climate.

A team, including WWF scientists from the US and Bhutan, is working to catch a glimpse of wildlife in Bhutan's Himalayan Mountains through the traces of DNA they leave behind in flowing river water.

WWF’s ShellBank is the world’s first global traceability toolkit and database of sea turtle DNA that aims to reverse the decline of sea turtles and recover populations.

When tigers are confiscated from the illegal trade or voluntarily surrendered by owners, they are transported to the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center where they are cared for, alongside other rescued animals, like birds and reptiles.

Wildlife Insights is an online platform that uses artificial intelligence to automatically filter out all those pesky blank images, find the ones that contain wildlife, and identify which species is in a photo—even if it’s just the end of a tail or the tip of a nose! Wildlife Insights is currently able to identify 1,300 different species.

WWF worked with Kotlik and Emmonak community members using hydrophones to capture audio of beluga whales underwater. The goal is to better understand beluga behavior in freshwater and ensure these marine mammals are protected.

Conservationists continue to be optimistic that the saola, albeit critically endangered, survive today—with estimates suggesting up to 100 individuals might remain in the wild. Buoyed by this hope, WWF, alongside partners and other wildlife organizations, is working hard to locate saola in their natural habitat, while simultaneously drawing up plans that will help conserve the species for future generations.

After decades of conservation efforts, global wild tiger numbers have been increasing, but the progress is fragile, and we can’t afford to lose momentum. What’s the next urgent step for them? We must pounce on sustainable financing so that we can continue our conservation progress.

Some facilities are focused on turning a profit (think: photos with tiger cubs) instead of offering sanctuary or any conservation value.

WWF and other partners are working to prevent the setting of nets around whales and other cetaceans and improve the reporting of when these mammals become entangled.

In Nyae Nyae, nature is more than a provider; it is an integral part of the community. The San people tend to it with reverence, knowing that nature cares for them, just as they care for nature.

What do you think of when you think of climate solutions? It's time to add wildlife and habitat conservation to that list.