Protected Planet

New species of gecko with curved fingers discovered in a dense forest Scientists discover a new species of gecko, Cyrtodactylus sakaeratensis, in the Sakaerat reserve, Thailand, confirmed by genetic analysis.

New species alert! 🦎 Scientists discovered the Sakaerat bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus sakaeratensis) in Thailand's #UNESCO Sakaerat #BiosphereReserve. This find underscores the critical role #ProtectedAreas play as hidden sanctuaries for unique life:

www.earth.com/news/new-spe...

#Greece is making waves in marine conservation, demonstrating that protecting the #Ocean can be an effective strategy for boosting a national economy.

Anchored by two major commitments: the expansion of #MPAs & the ratification of the #GlobalOceanTreaty:

greekcitytimes.com/2025/10/06/g...

When local communities manage protected Amazon rainforest areas, good things happen Local patrols in the Amazon are leading a conservation success story, protecting forests and wildlife against growing threats.

Amazing! 🙌 In the #Amazon, local communities are driving huge conservation wins. Protecting lakes means 86 acres of surrounding forest benefits for every 1 acre patrolled. True #OECMs, demonstrating the power of local empowerment! #CommunityConservation

www.earth.com/news/how-loc...

A truly sad day 💚 #ThankyouDrJane, for everything you have done for chimpanzee research and for inspiring others to protect wildlife through The Jane Goodall Institute UK.

Launch of New Guidance for Reporting Effectiveness Data to #ProtectedPlanet 📔

The GD-PAME has now been expanded to store information on assessment results, collating data gathered through a range of effectiveness assessment tools at the national & site level

www.protectedplanet.net/en/news-and-...

Suriname pledges to permanently protect 90% of its forests, far exceeding the 30x30 global goal for climate and biodiversity protection – Rainforest Trust Suriname pledges to permanently protect 90% of its forests, a significant commitment for global climate action and biodiversity.

Historic commitment! #Suriname just pledged to protect 90% of its #Amazon rainforest forever. As a global carbon sink, this move sets a new standard for #conservation, tying forest protection to a new, nature-powered economy. #ClimateAction #ProtectedArea

www.rainforesttrust.org/our-impact/r...

Counting kings: How annual lion surveys reveal the health of Africa’s protected areas On a dawn drive through a savannah reserve in Zambia, a ranger slows the truck and points to a faint trail in the dust. It is not the spoor of an antelope or a stray cow. It is the print of a lioness ...

Counting Kings: 🦁 Scientists are using Spatially Explicit Capture–Recapture (SECR) to count lions, an apex predator & keystone species. This data provides a clear signal for the health of Africa's #ProtectedAreaEffectiveness.

Read More Here: ⤵️
news.mongabay.com/2025/09/coun...

Côn Đảo National Park admitted to IUCN Green List until 2030 This is not only a recognition but also a testament to the efforts to fulfill commitments to biodiversity conservation.

#Vietnam's Côn Đảo National Park is now an #IUCNGreenList site! A major win for conservation, recognising the park's world-class efforts in protecting marine ecosystems and endangered species - A model for sustainable development. #ProtectedAreas #IUCN #GreenList

vietnamnews.vn/life-style/1...

📆 Sept 30 & Oct 3
🕗 8–10 AM (Montreal)
🌍 Interpretation: EN | FR | ES | TH
🔗 Register now: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

We will hear from a wide range of experts on Target 3 implementation and monitoring at national & local levels, and explore the different conservation pathways— #ProtectedAreas, #OECMs & Indigenous and Traditional Territories ( #ITTs ) —framing the 30x30 global commitment.

📢Join us for a Conservation Pathways online training on how Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework can become an opportunity to advance the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

UN ‘high seas’ treaty clears ratification threshold, to enter into force in January A landmark UN treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas has now met the required 60 ratifications for entry into force, clearing the way for it to take effect in January 2026.

In a landmark achievement, the #HighSeasTreaty is on track to enter into force in Jan 2026, thanks to 61 countries including #Morocco & #SierraLeone. It's a lifeline for the 2/3 of the ocean beyond national boundaries, bringing us closer to global biodiversity targets:

news.un.org/en/story/202....

Kazakhstan Plans to Expand Protected Areas to 34 Million Hectares by 2035 - The Astana Times Kazakhstan Plans to Expand Protected Areas to 34 Million Hectares by 2035

#Kazakhstan is making major strides in conservation and is set to expand its #ProtectedAreas to 34 million hectares by 2035, becoming the first in Central Asia to pilot #OECMs. These efforts will help conserve nearly 30% of its territory:

astanatimes.com/2025/09/kaza...

The #Philippines has designated Mt Masaraga as a #ProtectedArea under the National Integrated Protected Areas System. This 1,328m elevation biodiversity hotspot serves as a vital watershed for the Bicol River Basin & the protection of Raflessia species:

www.manilatimes.net/2025/09/12/r...

Pakistan's first-ever desert-region Flora Conservation Station has launched in Tharparkar! A partnership between #IUCN & #SECMCThar hopes the new station will protect unique & endangered plants, while restoring degraded lands and supporting local communities:

iucn.org/story/202509...

Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize Come Together To Create a 14-Million-Acre Reserve in the Mayan Jungle The corridor will become the second biggest nature reserve in the Americas, only behind the Amazon rainforest.

Mexico, Guatemala, & Belize have united to create the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor! This 14 million-acre #ProtectedArea is now the 2nd-largest nature reserve in the Americas, safeguarding 7,000+ species & honouring the legacy of Indigenous communities:

mymodernmet.com/mexico-guate...

Right whale feeding zone discovery sparks new protection call - Oceanographic The discovery of a feeding zone used by New Zealand's southern right whales has sparked calls for better protections under High Seas Treaty

New satellite tracking has revealed a crucial feeding ground for New Zealand southern right whales just south of Australia! 🐋 This discovery is a powerful case for enhanced protection under the UN High Seas Treaty, a vital step to safeguard these whales:

oceanographicmagazine.com/news/right-w...

🌍#ProtectedPlanet September 2025 Update:

WDPA: is 305,621 (303,748 #ProtectedAreas), covering 244 countries & territories.

WD-OECM: is 6,629 (6,592 #OECMs), covering 15 countries & territories.

GD-PAME: No new #PAME records were added.

www.protectedplanet.net/en/monthly-r...

Arboreal camera traps reveal wildlife feasting on Borneo’s fruiting fig trees Camera traps installed high in the rainforest canopy in Malaysian Borneo have filmed a bounty of threatened primates, hornbills and a host of tree-dwelling animals feasting on figs. Biologists from Ma...

New camera trap footage from Malaysian Borneo's rainforest canopy is revealing a hidden world of primates! 🐒 The cameras captured sightings of endangered Sabah grey leaf monkeys & critically endangered Bornean orangutans. A vital new window into arboreal life!

news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

Asian Giant Tortoise Returns to Wild in Nagaland: A Rewilding Led by Tribal Youth Once hunted for meat, the Asian Giant Tortoise is making a quiet comeback in Nagaland—thanks to the relentless efforts of tribal youth turning protectors.

Pioneering rewilding in Nagaland, India: The Asian Giant Tortoises are being reintroduced into an #ICCA. Led by local youth "Tortoise Guardians," this project highlights how community-driven conservation in ICCAs is a key model for species recovery. #ProtectedArea

thebetterindia.com/482411/naga-...

Happy #WorldTomistomaDay! 🐊 Today we recognise the vulnerable species, also know as the #FalseGharial. Habitat loss is a major threat, but #ProtectedAreas provide these freshwater giants with the secure habitats they need to survive. #Tomistoma #Conservation

📸 - @britannica.com

🌍#ProtectedPlanet August 2025 Update:

WDPA: is 305,586 (303,713 #ProtectedAreas), covering 244 countries & territories.

WD-OECM: is 6,630 (6,593 #OECMs), covering 15 countries & territories.

GD-PAME: No new records were added.

www.protectedplanet.net/en/monthly-r...

NEW Highlight Video 📽️

"Top tools to protect rainforests" is part of @mongabay.com "Against All Odds" series.

Crystal Davis (Global Program Director at @worldresources.bsky.social) highlights the positive strides in rainforest conservation worldwide and the critical role of Indigenous Peoples.

Earth’s Underground Fungi Networks Need Urgent Protection: Study - EcoWatch The underground fungi networks that help sustain Earth’s ecosystems are in need of urgent conservation action, according to SPUN.

🍄Our planet's unsung heroes, underground fungi, are in peril! New research highlights 90% of their critical biodiversity hotspots are unprotected. We must urgently expand conservation to these hidden ecosystems for climate & life. #FungiConservation

www.ecowatch.com/underground-...

On #InternationalTigerDay, we celebrate the power of #ProtectedAreas! These vital spaces are fundamental to tiger survival, providing safe habitats & fostering growth for wild populations. Secure their future, protect their wild homes. 🐅 #WildlifeProtection

📸 - Sumatran Tiger, @worldwildlife.org

Greek PM announces two national marine parks in Ionian and Aegean Seas Beyond the environmental substance, the designation of marine parks has diplomatic implications

#Greece announces two vast new #MarineParks in the Ionian & South Aegean! This strategic move protects 27,500 km², bans trawling, and boosts #conservation targets. A major step for Mediterranean marine health! #MarineProtectedAreas

📖 Read More Here: ⤵️
www.euronews.com/green/2025/0...

Lost Species Reemerges After Almost Half a Century in the Wilderness, Caught on Rare Footage Incredible rare footage captured by a hunter leads to the rediscovery of a species thought to be extinct on mainland New Zealand for nearly 50 years.

Incredible! #NewZealand's #LittleSpottedKiwi, unseen for nearly 50 years on the mainland, rediscovered thanks to spontaneous phone footage. A thrilling triumph for conservation & wildlife tracking! #EndangeredSpecies #ConservationSuccess #ProtectedAreas

indiandefencereview.com/lost-species...

Jaguar population increases after wildfire and drought, indicating area’s role as climate refuge | Newsroom CORVALLIS, Ore. – Following a large-scale wildfire, more jaguars migrated to a study site in the Brazilian wetlands that already had the largest population density of jaguars in the world, a new study...

📖 New study: More jaguars migrated to #Brazil's Pantanal wetlands post-wildfire, making it a vital "climate refuge." These unique aquatic-eating big cats rebounded strongly. This highlights the need for protecting such critical habitats. #CatConservation

news.oregonstate.edu/news/jaguar-...

Coral once feared extinct rediscovered in the Galápagos after 25 years Wellington’s solitary coral, a species thought to be extinct for more than two decades, was rediscovered in 2024 near Tagus Cove in Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, according to a recent study.  Over mult...

🪸Amazing news from #Galápagos! Wellington's solitary coral, thought extinct for decades, was found thriving with 290+ colonies. This deep-water species defied odds, but global warming challenges its future. #CoralReefs #OceanConservation #MPAs

news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

🌍 #ProtectedPlanet July 2025 Update:

WDPA: is 305,303 (303,418 #ProtectedAreas), covering 244 countries & territories.

WD-OECM: is 6,504 (6,467 #OECMs), covering 15 countries & territories.

GD-PAME: No new records were added.

www.protectedplanet.net/en/monthly-r...