The mountain gorilla and the fin whale have been reassessed and their conservation status had been found to not accurately show their position.
In the case of mountain gorillas, this is understandable. In 2008 the mountain gorilla population numbered approximately 680, the most recent number was around 1000. That is an increase of roughly 50% in just a decade. As such they have been moved from critically endangered to endangered. Mountain gorillas are only found in two reserves and so the population will always be delicate, but clearly for the time being, with less instability in the region they are doing well. Given the wars and issues of this region, though, this position could change very fast.
Fin whales are different. At the ending of commercial whaling in the 1970s, fin whale numbers had reduced to 100,000. Due to the lack of environment studies done before whaling started, there are no accurate records to work out what historic natural populations were, but it is estimated that there was around 400,000 so at least 75% of the population were killed during commercial whaling. Fin whale numbers have roughly doubled in the intervening 40 years which moves fin whales from endangered to vulnerable.
The western grey whale was also found to have done well, though is not as far along the road to recovery. It has moved from critically endangered to merely endangered.
So although much of the wildlife news is bad, as the ever expanding human population grows and shrinks habitats for nature, it is worth celebrating when good news is reported.
