As 2025 comes to a close, IUCN Save Our Species and the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) reflect on a year marked by measurable impact, strategic partnerships, and community leadership. Together, these initiatives have supported nearly 400 conservation projects worldwide, protecting more than 500 threatened species, restoring habitats, strengthening local livelihoods, and empowering communities to steward biodiversity.
In Madagascar, where 98% of lemur species remain threatened, SOS Lemurs Phase II continued to make meaningful progress. Eleven large-grant projects were launched early in the year, building on the protection of 63 lemur species across 49 projects from Phase I. A second call for proposals further expanded opportunities for Malagasy civil society organizations, with additional projects set to begin in 2026. Across Madagascar, efforts included habitat restoration through native tree planting, sustainable livelihood development, strengthened local governance, and embedding environmental stewardship into community development.
Across Europe, conservation innovation and youth engagement advanced through initiatives such as the European Invasive Alien Species Rapid-Response Fund and the European Fund for Youth Action on Pollinators. These programs enabled early interventions to manage invasive species and empowered young people to design and lead pollinator-focused solutions, supporting the EU Pollinators Initiative and cultivating the next generation of environmental leaders.
Tourism was leveraged as a tool for conservation through a partnership with the TUI Care Foundation. In Namibia, Indigenous San communities stewarded over 18,000 km² of critical wildlife habitat, with initiatives promoting community wildlife governance and sustainable tourism jobs. In Cambodia, communities monitored endangered gibbons and developed nature-based tourism rooted in cultural identity and ecological stewardship, illustrating the power of linking community benefit with conservation outcomes.
Community leadership also drove success in tiger conservation through ITHCP. Since 2014, ITHCP has invested €47.5 million across seven tiger-range countries, restoring over 10,500 hectares of habitat, planting more than 500,000 trees, and supporting 95,000 people through livelihoods, clean energy, and human-wildlife coexistence initiatives. These efforts contributed to an estimated 40% increase in global tiger numbers between 2015 and 2022. Regional events and the launch of the ITHCP grantees exchange program fostered knowledge sharing, technical skill development, and strengthened collaboration across tiger landscapes.
In Africa, the African Wildlife Initiative celebrated milestones across West, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. Regional workshops and country briefs highlighted community stewardship, improved governance, and species and habitat recovery efforts. These activities reinforced the value of coordinated regional action, evidence-based planning, and locally driven conservation strategies.
The IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi was a landmark event, with the adoption of the 20-year strategic vision “Unite for Nature on the Path to 2045” and the IUCN Programme 2026–2029. The Congress emphasized species conservation as central to addressing biodiversity loss and climate change, launched the Abu Dhabi Call for Action on Species Conservation, and highlighted the importance of robust data, partnerships, and accountability mechanisms.
Freshwater conservation gained significant attention, including the release of juvenile Danube sturgeons under the SOS Sturgeons initiative and broader efforts to revive wetlands and river systems across Europe. A webinar hosted by IUCN brought together experts to share practical, science-based solutions for freshwater species protection, illustrating the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The year also honored Dr. Jane Goodall, whose legacy as a conservation icon was celebrated through the launch of the Living Legacy global storytelling series. The series showcases community-led conservation initiatives, including ITHCP-supported stories highlighting coexistence between humans and wildlife.
Looking ahead, five key lessons will guide conservation efforts: fund community-centered approaches, support young scientists and emerging leaders, integrate livelihoods with conservation, plan for long-term resilience, and scale efforts equitably. The achievements of 2025 demonstrate that conservation succeeds when local voices, rigorous science, and community benefits are central. IUCN Save Our Species and ITHCP reaffirm their commitment to protecting species, restoring habitats, and empowering communities for a sustainable and biodiverse future.
