Positive News

A new study found that the erosion of the Elkhorn Slough river slowed by as much as 80-90% in the sections where sea otters were abundant. Researchers found that this was due to sea otters' voracious appetites for burrowing crabs, which, left unchecked, damage marsh roots and weaken the soil. 🦦 | Source: Mongabay

For decades, mangrove forests around the world have been in severe decline, but the tide is turning. Nowhere is this more clear than in Pakistan, where mangrove growth has increased from 48,331 hectares in 1986 to 143,930 hectares in 2020. Experts attribute this success to prodigious mangrove planting, conservation, and concerted community engagement efforts. 🌱 | Source: Mongabay

The first-ever U.S. Indigenous Marine Stewardship Area has been established in California by three local tribes. This region spans 700 square miles (~1,800 square kilometers) along the Pacific. The Resighini Tribe of the Yurok People, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria plan to build off of existing marine stewardship to manage the area, in an effort to revive traditional knowledge, restore natural abundance, and contribute to the state's goals of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. 🌊 | Source: Mongabay

Mexico announced 20 new protected areas covering nearly 5.7 million acres across 12 states and two coastal areas. These newly protected regions will help conserve the country's rich ecosystems, promote sustainable practices, and protect a vast range of culturally and ecologically important species and habitats. 🌳 | Source: Mongabay

The largest known deep-sea coral reef has been mapped off of the Atlantic coast of the U.S., made possible by advanced underwater geographic technology that uncovers the reef's intricate formations in stunning 3D images. These visuals reveal a reef that's a whopping 310 miles long and 68 miles wide — a total area larger than the state of Vermont! 🪸 Source | The Guardian

Scientists discovered four new species of octopus off the coast of Costa Rica. One of the newfound four cephalapod species was discovered brooding in a region nearly 3,000 meters deep, near an expansive array of hydrothermal vents. All of the octopuses were found in previously uncharted areas, highlighting the importance of continued exploration and conservation efforts across the oceanic depths. 🐙 | Source: Smithsonian

New fund supports Indigenous-led land management in Bolivia. Two organizations have partnered to support four Indigenous groups in the Madidi landscape region — an area renowned for its biodiversity, hosting the most species of plants, butterflies, birds, and mammals of any terrestrial protected area in the world. 🏞️ | Source: WCS

Conservationists have discovered nine sea turtle nests on a remote island off the southwest coast of Cambodia. This discovery has renewed hope for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle and the endangered sea green turtle at a time when their populations are facing serious decline. 🐢 | Source: Mongabay

Community collaboration leads to groundbreaking Manatee rescue efforts in Colombia. Regional environmental agencies, NGOs, and local communities have all joined forces in a strategic coalition to protect the endangered Antillean manatee. Part of their mission is to rescue manatees stuck in drained streams, rivers, and swamps. 🛟 | Source: GoodGoodGood

An oceanic expedition has discovered three hydrothermal vent fields in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an area that stretches more than 400 miles! These vents can be recognized as openings on the ocean floor, an area of intensely heated, mineral-rich water home to all kinds of fascinating marine animals like the bigfin squid. This kind of discovery offers a fascinating insight into hydrothermal systems and their resident animal communities, hopefully exclude these sites from consideration for mining and other human interference. 🦑 | Source: Nice News