From the Brink of Extinction: 15 Incredible Wildlife Comeback Stories

It seems to have an overall story that repeatedly takes over our newsfeeds- the story of environmental depletion, reduced biodiversity, and the terrible yet very real aspect of extinction. These problems are far too real and need to be addressed with urgency, but there is one more positive story that need to be told. It is about survival, human innovation, human second chance. Its the tale of the conservationist who finds a nest not there, the community that safe guards a wood and the law that gives a flora a chance at the battle.

Such is a commemoration of such victories. These are the stories of animals that looked into the darkness of the abyss of extinction, and in spite of everything doubled back. These are living examples that when we decide to do something we can create a massive impact. These are 15 of the most successful species recovery stories ever told across the world.

1. The American Bald Eagle: Soaring Symbol of a Nation’s Recovery

The Low Point: By the 1960s the revered representation of the United States was floundering. The pesticide DDT was highly used and led to such thin eagle eggshell that they would break when trying to incubate. This was aggravated by habitat destruction and trophy hunting. This left only about 417 nesting pairs in the lesser 49.

The Comeback: Its one most critical action was the banning of DDT in 1972. Add to this a good legal protection under the newly passed Endangered Species Act (ESA) and a continuous fighting to conserve and the recipe is ready to boast of a recovery.

Success Today: With an estimated 316,700 single adults, and 71,400 breeding pairs alone in the lower 48 states, The Bald Eagle was taken off of the U.S. Endangered Species List in 2007. It is a sign of a successful environment policy that its flight triumphs.

2. The Humpback Whale: Giants Returning to the Blue

The Low Point: Commercial whaling has been practiced over the centuries pushing the populations of a number of humpback whale species to the brink. By the mid 20 th century, they were reduced to a small part of their early abundance.

The Comeback: The reconsideration in the form of the 1982 international moratorium on commercial whaling reprieved the worldwide situation. They entered a state of recovery because their safe status and the thriving whale-watching business meant they had an economic value when they were still alive.

The Success Today: Great numbers of humpbacks have recovered incredibly. Nine out of 14 recognized populations were delisted in U.S in the year 2016 as endangered species. Spectacular breaches and their haunting songs have become common in oceans once again all over the world.

3. The California Condor: A Captive Breeding Miracle

The Low Point: By 1982, there were just 22 California Condors left on the planet. North America had lost its largest flying bird to lead poisoning (by chewing on bullets left in carcasses), loss of habitat and the poaching.

The Comeback: In an uninitiated, final attempt, a few surviving wild condors were taken to take part in a risky captivity breeding program. Gradually getting larger and more manageable with attention and special tricks such as rearing the puppets using gloves made to prevent human imprinting, the population expanded.

Success Today: There are now over 500 California Condors, with in excess of 300 flying freely in California, Arizona, Utah and Baja California, Mexico. The battle has not been completed, as the lead ammunitions is still a threat yet, but the species had been rescued out of extinction.

4. The Giant Panda: The Global Ambassador for Conservation

The Low Point: Agricultural and deforestation-created habitat fragmentation isolated the panda population, which presented a challenge when it came to breeding. The prospects of the 1980's were poor.

The Comeback: The Chinese government created more than 50 panda reserves and imposed an absolute ban on felling in the habitats of this animal. Their policy of rent-a-panda paid the conservation initiatives and the all over the world, scientists cooperated at advanced methods of breeding.

The Success Today: Because of these immensely sizable endeavors, wild population has risen, and in 2016, the status of Giant Panda was indeed changed to "Vulnerable" on IUCN Red List, which will go down in history.

5. The Black-Footed Ferret: Back from the Dead

The Bottom Line: Although thought to have become extinct in 1979, the Black-Footed Ferret was a victim of the ranchers unconscious attempt at destroying its main source of food the prairie dog.

The Comeback: In an incredible twist, a small dog named Shep returned a dead ferret to Meeteetse, Wyoming in 1981, and the existence of a small population w

as discovered. This Lazarus species got into captivity All the ferrets living in the modern world are the offsprings of these 18 ferrets.

The Success Story: By use of captive breeding and releases throughout the American West, the current rebounding population counts several hundred ferrets in the wild-a tremendous comeback for an animal that was once extinct.

6. The Arabian Oryx: A Desert Phoenix

The Low Point: Endless hunting to get its beautiful horns drove the Arabian Oryx to an end in the wild in the early 1970s.

The Comeback: There were a few animals living in royal private collections. These served as the basis of a far reaching captive breeding scheme, called " Operation Oryx". A genetically healthy herd was developed by zoos around the world by cooperating with each other.

Reintroductions The Success Today: came into existence in 1982 in Oman. There are now wild populations in a small number of protected reserves on the Arabian Peninsula, and their total population is well over 1,000. It was made the first species to be changed to Vulnerable after first being classed as Extinct in the Wild in 2011.

7. The Southern White Rhino: A Conservation Blueprint

The Lowest Point: At the end of 19th century, unfair exploitation and unregulated hunting left the Southern White Rhino with a mere population of 20-50 just in one reserve in South Africa.

The Comeback: Restrictive conservation and unfruitful anti-poaching safeguards in what is currently the Hluhluwe- Imfolozi Park enabled this small group of animals to gradually gain a renaissance. Their Operation Rhino of the 1960s caught and translocated animals to re-establish populations throughout Africa.

The Success Today: From those very small (a handful) numbers today they are in excess of 16,000 making the largest numbers of any rhino species. It serves as a textbook of how to save a megafauna.

8. The Mauritius Kestrel: An Island’s Raptor Rescue

The Bottom: Deforestation and the use of pesticides such as DDT, wiped this tiny island falcon out. It became regarded as the rarest bird in the world in 1974 having four known specimens.

The Comeback: A high-release program of captive breeding, ad lib feeding, and the provision of nest boxes to replace the missing nesting sites reversed the fortune. Chicks were reared by conservationists on hand and the wild population was controlled with the great care.

Success Today: The species has indicators of population recovery to around 350-400 birds in an astonishing revival that can be taken to be a lesson to other seriously endangered species on the island.

9. The Gray Wolf: A Howl Returns to the Wilderness

The Low Point: Destructive extermination campaigns in the American West, fuelled by a conflict with livestock, almost made the Gray Wolf extinct. In the mid 20 th century only a small number was left in Minnesota.

The Comeback: In 1974, protection at the law was an advantage since the ESA was in force. A watershed was reached in 1995 with the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho which were deemed as highly controversial yet biologically successful bur it led to the restoration of a keystone species within its ecosystem.

Success Today: In the Northern Rockies, there is a booming population of wolves that have exceeded 2, 700 wolves in the area. Their reintroduction to the park has made Yellowstone ecologically healthy in a spectacular way, thus highlighting the essence of a top predator.

10. The Whooping Crane: An Epic Migration Restored

The Dark Place: This majestic bird, the Whooping Crane became so unsure of its habitat and the hunting cause that it was only at 15 wild and two in captivity in 1941.

The Comeback: Their vital breeding habitat at the Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada as well as Wintering grounds at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas became important areas to be conserved. An experimental program to transfer a new generation of cranes into a migration route that is taught by flying ultralight aircrafts has been the core of their success.

Success To-day: The wild migratory flock has now more than 500 birds. They are not extinct although the population is still in danger, but they increase in number and can be heard again in their wetlands with their trumpet-like cries.

11. The Iberian Lynx: Europe’s Big Cat Bounces Back

The Low Point: The most endangered species of cat in the whole world in early 2000s with less than 100 individuals. It has collapsed due to a disastrous loss to its main food base (the European rabbit) and habitat destruction.

The Comeback: A huge Europe-financed initiative led to breeding programs of the lynx in zoos, replenishing rabbit populations, and linking previously separated habitats via wildlife crossings. Reintroduction programs have proved successful in a critical manner.

The success of today: Population has grown to a figure of over 1,600 to date starting with less than 100. It has its status changed and went up to better status, or rather down to more lenient status to Endangered, a status that the Europeans developed with all their might.

12. The Green Sea Turtle: A Glimmer of Hope in the Waves

At Rock Bottom: The Green Sea Turtles were hunted when it was found that they could provide both meat, eggs and shells and were also susceptible to fishermen bycatch and loss of habitat, having many global populations collapse.

The Comeback: Trade was restrained internationally through agreements such as CITES. The ESA safeguarded nesting beaches of high value, and the protection of nests is done by marine surveillance (turtle patrols) to guard against nest robbers and other predators. Bycatch has been cut by altering fishing gear

The Triumph Today: There have been major success stories with key nesting areas such as in Florida and Hawaii reporting tremendous and long-term increases, which proves that aggressive and sustained protection pays off.

13. The Kakapo: The World’s Heaviest Parrot Fights On

The Low Point: Defenceless and not yet used to predators, the Kakapo was wiped out by the introduced mammals such as cats, stoats and rats because they were flightless and nocturnal. By 1990s, the number left has been reduced to 51.

The Comeback: An extreme hair-raising scheme transferred all the known kakapos on predator-free offshore islands of New Zealand. Every bird is closely observed and it is taken care of. Artificial insemination and intelligent feeding are methods of increasing breeding among scientists.

Success Today: The population has been increased by more than twice to above 200 birds. Now listed as critically endangered the birth of each new chick is an occasion to applaud and the species now enjoys a safe stronghold after decades of difficulties.

14. The Indian Rhinoceros: Armored Giant Reclaims Its Ground

Low Point: The Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros was once common across the northern Indian subcontinent, and throughout the 19th century and early 20th century was taken down to a population size of just 200 individuals in small fragments with hunting and habitat destruction.

The Comeback: Protection in reserves such as Kaziranga National Park in India and Chitwan National Park in Nepal plus efforts against poaching have netted the numbers to steadily rise.

Success Today: Their populace now numbers well over 4,000, an achievement record that reflects the power of supremely financed and committed park conservation.

15. The Puerto Rican Parrot: A Rainbow Saved in the Rainforest

The Low Point: This dynamic parrot, the only native parrot in the American territory, reached a disastrous bottom of 13 in the wild in the year 1975, caused by the destruction of the habitat and hurricanes.

The Comeback: A special intensive captive breeding program was created. Nests were managed, supplementary food was supplied and predator control was attempted by conservationists. A second population was created in Rio Abajo Forest to overcome hurricane risk.

The Success Today: Although it remains a critically endangered species, there are well over 700 birds in the wild and in captivity. The savage flocks increase, and their screeches are gradually coming back to the tree-tops in the island.

The Common Thread: What We Did to Make These Comebacks Happen

Such tales are not by chance Their success share a common recipe:

• Effective Legal Systems: Laws such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act and international conventions such as CITES are already available to provide a legal basis to conservation and enforcement.
• Habitat Conservation: It is not actually possible to save a species by claiming that its home has been saved. It is essential to create parks, reserves and wildlife corridors.
• Captive Breeding and Reintroduction: In certain cases of the most critically endangered, removal of the animals to human care and breeding and later release back into the wild is a last-ditch method used.
• Community Involvement: Effective conservation involves local community participation that brings economic gain to the locals in terms of ecotourism and the feeling that there is shared responsibility.
• In Scientific Research: With help of science applications today in genetic management to the study of animal behavior, it is rightly possible to make decisions based on science.
• Getting it at the Source Successful outcomes demand an attack on the source of the problem, be it banning an insecticide (DDT), eliminating newly introduced predators (islands), or changing the habits of the industry (lead ammunition).

An Optimistic Prospect of Conservation

These 15 species success stories are not only feel good stories, but a mandate. They show that things do not have to end in extinction. It is optional. Rangers and volunteers together with scientists and policymakers have dedicated their lives in ensuring these animals have a second chance in life on earth.

Their back stories teach us that what we do has its own repercussions of destruction and restoration. They give us the hope and the drive to tackle the next big challenge, of making certain that these are not the exceptional cases, they are the rule. It goes on and, as these stories prove, work in which one should take real pride.