Category: Research

Give an Hour for Earth is a chance for thousands of people to come together to help the planet. Will you help us reach 150,000 hours for Earth? Visit the hour bank, choose your action, and spend your hour giving back to the planet: https://wwf.to/4s0rN3s.

Watch this sloth slowly cross the forest path. Sloths move slowly because of their extremely low metabolic rate. Found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, these tree dwellers move through the canopy at a rate of about 40 yards per day.

Give an Hour for Earth is a chance for thousands of people to come together to help the planet. Will you help us reach 150,000 hours for Earth? Visit the hour bank, choose your action, and spend your hour giving back to the planet: https://wwf.to/4s0rN3s.

Did you know orangutans spend nearly their entire lives in trees—swinging in treetops and building nests for sleep? They are found only in the rainforests of the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Last week brought good news for monarch butterflies: the population of eastern migratory monarchs increased by 64% in their overwintering grounds in Mexico. Tune into this week’s episode of Nature Breaking for more details, and to hear from two butterfly experts about what makes this species so important. Available now on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts:

Good news is hard to come by in the conservation world—but this week, we have some to share. A new report from WWF‑Mexico shows that the endangered migratory eastern monarch butterfly is showing promising signs of recovery, with monarchs occupying 7.24 acres of forest in their wintering grounds in Mexico—up from 4.42 acres last year. That’s a 64% increase. In this episode of Nature Breaking, we revisit conversations with two monarch experts—Eduardo Rendón‑Salinas of WWF‑Mexico and Court Whelan of Natural Habitat Adventures—to explain why this rebound matters, how monarch populations are measured, and what challenges still lie ahead. From the butterfly’s amazing multi‑generational migration that spans thousands of miles to the threats posed by habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, this episode dives into one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on Earth. If you’re looking for a rare bit of optimism—and a reminder of why these butterflies inspire wonder across North America—this episode is for you. Links for More Info: Report: Monarch butterfly population increases by 64%: https://wwf.to/4bwOzeo Monarch Milkweed Finder: https://wwf.to/3PkG1yB Chapters: 0:00 Preview 0:23 Intro & New Report Findings 2:10 The epic migration of monarchs (spring to late summer) 3:41 The epic migration of monarchs (late summer to winter) 6:00 How do we monitor and estimate monarch populations? 7:40 Threats facing monarchs 10:42 Why should we care about monarchs? 12:07 Outro #MonarchButterflies #MonarchMigration #Conservation #WWF #Pollinators #Biodiversity #EndangeredSpecies #NatureRecovery #Milkweed #ClimateChange #NatureBreaking #HopeForNature

We’re inviting you to Give an Hour for Earth this year with WWF! We all have the power to make a positive impact on our planet, one action at a time. Learn how to participate in our global effort to give an hour or more for earth this spring: https://wwf.to/4sMuiHX.

We’re inviting you to Give an Hour for Earth this year with WWF! We all have the power to make a positive impact on our planet, one action at a time. Learn how to participate in our global effort to give an hour or more for earth this spring: https://wwf.to/4d0IOqp. Video Credits: © Dubassy/Pond5; © BananaRepublic/Pond5; © BlackBoxGuild/Pond5; © Lgolubovystock/Pond5; © Pressmaster/Pond5; © Peopleimages/Pond5; © Monkeybusinessimages/Pond5; © Hotelfoxtrot/Pond5; © Perfilov/Pond5; © Wavebreak_video/Pond5; © EdgeofReason/Pond5; © Pro_Studio/Pond5; © AntiAnti/Pond5; © Chmiel/Pond5; © IhorVesna/Pond5 © Shutterstock/Maxim ibragimov/WWF Audio Credits: Alleycat 6/Andy Cooper - Audio Network; Irene Magafan/WWF-US

While the population of eastern migratory monarch butterflies remains far below the long-term average, there’s some hopeful news to share today: according to this year’s WWF-Mexico-led survey, monarch butterfly colonies occupied 7.24 acres of forest compared to 4.42 acres the winter before (the survey took place during the 2025-2026 winter). Read more: https://wwf.to/4uCg0Lc.

Did you know you can help protect monarch butterflies by planting milkweed? Milkweed is the only plant monarchs lay their eggs on, and it’s the only food baby caterpillars can eat. Planting even a small patch of milkweed can make a big difference in the survival of these beloved migratory butterflies. Soon, they’ll arrive in the U.S. searching for milkweed to lay their eggs.