Looking Back at 2022: Our Year in Review

2022 was a historic year for conserving species.
Three sifaka lemurs resting on a tree branch
Image credit: T. Steffens

Last month, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15 approved the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Among other goals for nature, the new Framework provides a roadmap for countries to halt human-induced extinction of species and reduce risks to all species by ten-fold before 2050.

In July, the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM reported a 40% increase in tiger numbers in the wild since 2015. IUCN’s Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) contributes to a worldwide initiative aiming to double tiger numbers in the wild by 2022. This promising upward trend indicates that species recovery is possible with sustained, science-based conservation action.

IUCN Save Our Species secured a further €12.5 million in funding from KfW for an extension of the ITHCP, launched the new SOS Sturgeons initiative and opened a second round of Calls for Proposals for the Fondation Segré Conservation Action Fund. These developments promise species conservation impacts until at least 2026 and will contribute to achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework for a nature-positive world.

Below are some 2022 highlights from IUCN Save Our Species and the ITHCP:

Species

One of our projects in Nepal supported the National Tiger Survey of 2021-2022, and participated in collecting information to assess whether tiger numbers in the wild had doubled. Nepal became the first country to double the number of tigers in the wild, with its tiger population increasing from 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2022 thanks to targeted conservation activities.

Tiger in the wild looking to the side
Image credit: Stewart Baird

In Indonesia, a project rescued and released three orphaned Javan gibbons in the Mount Tilu Nature Reserve, bringing the total number of released gibbons at the project site to 44 since 2014.

Javan gibbon hanging from a tree
Image credit: Josh More

A project in Bolivia placed 20 nest boxes in Pasoyapa Palm trees of the El Palmar National Park. As cavities in these trees are not abundant, these boxes are key for Critically Endangered Red-fronted Macaws to breed.

Red-fronted macaw in mid-flight
Image credit: Steffen Reichle, Asociación Armonia

Habitat

Small crowd admiring a giraffe
Image credit: COGEZOH

The “One Student, One Acacia” awareness-raising campaign in Niger saw 15,000 acacia plants planted by students and their teachers. This project will help to restore acacia populations as well as giraffes, which rely on this plant for food and habitat.

A female lemur and her baby
Image credit: R. Mittermeier

In Madagascar, a community project to strengthen lemur conservation saw 52,900 native trees cultivated in nurseries, 60 km of fire-breaks established, and 36,5 ha of degraded forests restored over three years.

Releasing a Hammerhead shark in Costa Rica
Image credit: Misión Tiburón

In Costa Rica, a project engaged with high-level government officials to strengthen habitat protection for the Scalloped Hammerhead shark. In April, the President of Costa Rica signed an expansion decree that triples the size of the sanctuary area to 15,000 ha. The President also signed another decree that declares Cocos Island a new shark sanctuary.

People

By working together with local communities, a carnivore restoration project in Gabon successfully rehabilitated local roads and set up the “Lion Express” community transport system to support communities living close to carnivores. By providing 78 free trips, the Lion Express has safely transported 265 men, 182 women, 79 children, and 1,261 products for sale in local markets.

Camera-trap image of a gorilla
Image credit: Panthera

A tiger conservation project in India engaged local communities prone to poaching and human-wildlife conflict. The project reached 661 men, 262 children and 197 women across five villages to foster positive co-existence between tigers and humans.

Local woman inside her home
Image credit: Shayasta Tuladhar/WWF Nepal

A project in Vietnam organised a gibbon pride festival with local communities to raise awareness on the urgency to conserve Critically Endangered Cao vit gibbons. 100 books and 80 photos were also donated to secondary schools as part of efforts to involve local communities in their protection, and allow them to provide feedback on project activities.

Cao vit gibbon and her baby
Image credit: Zhao Chao

Successful conservation action starts with you, our supporters and partners, so we would like to thank you for your commitment to Keep Nature Standing.

Have a wonderful year!