Wildlife summit gives reasons to be cheerful about conservation

New Zealand's Takahe bird is just one of the endangered species success stories being shared as part of the global Conservation Optimism movement.The viral campaign reminds people of the positive strides being made in the field. After three record breeding seasons the Takahe has gone from the brink of extinction to a population of over 300. Image credit: Shutterstock An international wildlife event, organised by the University of Oxford and partners, has highlighted the wide progress being made in conservation. During a two-day run, more than 250 people attended the Conservation Optimism Summit in London, highlighting environmental success stories from around the world. Hundreds more attended the linked public event at ZSL London Zoo on Earth Day, as well as sister events in cities around the world, including Washington, Cambridge, Hong Kong and Colombia. Organised as a partnership between the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science at the University of Oxford, ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust , the Conservation Optimism Summit brought together environmentalists from all over the world, from sectors including government, NGOs, industry and academia. The number of people in attendance shows how much people want to celebrate the positive efforts being made to protect the environment and even better, work together to make a difference in the future.