This National Wildlife Week, we want to share some good news to help uplift our wildlife warriors in a world that can seem constantly oversaturated with stories resulting in doom and gloom. For a change of tone, read on for the bright and light!
National Wildlife Week (often held in April and organized by the National Wildlife Federation) aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation, protect endangered species, and connect people with nature. It encourages habitat restoration, public education, and outdoor activities to combat biodiversity loss, with a focus on inspiring younger generations to act as stewards of the environment.
Early 2026 wildlife news features some major conservation wins, including the return of Coho salmon to California’s Russian River and other habitats after decades of absence, the introduction of the international High Seas Treaty, and the opening of North America’s largest wildlife crossing in Colorado.
Positive Results from Habitat Restoration Projects
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who has funded more than 100 restoration projects on the Mendocino coast in California that help reconnect tributaries and restore salmon habitats, a record of 30,000 Endangered Central California Coast coho salmon have returned to the Mendocino coast over the last two years. This number is double the previous season’s record-breaking return of 15,000 coho and represents a significant increase from the past decade, where as few as 3,000 fish returned annually.
This trend speaks to the direct positive impact that locally led monitoring, management, and restoration conservation projects can have on increasing fragile species’ population statuses in the wild, and that seemingly “simple” actions like replacing barriers to fish passage with fish-friendly designs can work for improving salmon access to crucial spawning and rearing habitat. Coho also appeared recently in watersheds where they had not been seen in years. For example, coho were documented in Usal Creek for the first time since 2014 and in the Gualala River watershed for the first time in twenty years. In December 2025, juvenile coho were found in a Russian River tributary in California, confirming natural reproduction in the upper basin for the first time in over thirty years. These developments are all particularly exciting, as the Central California Coast coho salmon is the most Endangered of all coho salmon species.
Good News for Wildlife: Conservation and Coexistence Progress
In January 2026, the High Seas Treaty (formally known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction), entered into global force. This treaty finally allows countries to create marine protected areas in the high seas in spaces that do not belong to any single nation. According to Sea Shepherd, the High Seas Treaty establishes a long-missing legal framework for protecting these waters, which make up roughly 64% (over two-thirds) of the world’s ocean. This treaty was essential because, although nations around the world have committed to protecting 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030, in 2026, less than 8% have some form of legal protection, and less than 3% is fully protected from harmful activities like industrial fishing. Now, to ensure the protection promised by the treaty, we must see proper legal enforcement to ensure that illegal fishing does not occur in these newly protected waters.
Lastly, North America’s largest wildlife passing and the world’s largest animal-crossing structure over a major highway opened in Colorado in January 2026. Colorado’s I-25 wildlife overpass spans six lanes of interstate traffic and connects essential habitats for animals like elk, deer, and antelope. Experts predict that this passing will also reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 90% in areas that once experienced an average of one collision per day. This particular animal crossing is uniquely successful because unlike tunnels, which ungulates (large, hoofed animals) typically avoid due to restricted mobility and antler clearance, this open structure offers clear sight lines and thus a heightened sense of safety for passage. This project marks a positive movement towards a future that better prioritizes human-wildlife coexistence, which balances human transportation needs and safety with maintaining ecosystem health and animal wellbeing.
Help Local Wildlife this National Wildlife Week!
Want to know how to get involved? Take some photos of your favorite animals and/or habitats (without the presence of humans!) to promote awareness about local wildlife, visit local wildlife education centers (that don’t keep any animals captive other than for legitimate rescue or rehabilitation purposes), participate in habitat restoration/trash cleanups, and share Born Free USA’s wildlife coexistence tips with your friends and family!
For the Animals,
Devan
Dear Reader,
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Thank You,
The Born Free USA Team
Dear Reader,