A Modern Version Of Noah's Ark: Saving Elephants, Lions, And Rhinos By Helicopter And Truck

In the world of species conservation, we're constantly hit by bad news:

By almost any measure, Africa’s wildlife has suffered immensely in recent decades. Over 90 percent of the continent’s elephants have vanished over the last century. The lion population has crashed by more than 40 percent since 1993. There are fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas in the wild. There are only two northern white rhinos in existence.

So it's more than refreshing to read about a practical, no-nonsense effort to re-establish wildlife where it belongs. The non-profit African Parks works to restore populations in some of the world’s most remote places where wildlife once thrived. It has already transported 520 elephants across Malawi, flown 20 black rhinos from South Africa to Rwanda, and started bringing rhinos back to Chad, where they used to live until three decades ago.

I love this feature not only for the hope it spreads, but also for its fascinating attention to details that show what the rescuers are up against: How strong a sedative do you need to ship an elephant across southern Africa? How long before the lions do the cheetahs need to arrive?

You get the picture. A picture of thriving wildlife, like nature intended.