Tiger and panda numbers rise in 'landmark' year for conservation
2016 shows that people can make a difference, envronmental campaigners say
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Your support makes all the difference.It has been a year of political shocks and celebrity deaths but conservationists say 2016 has seen some "landmark" environmental successes.
Some of the world's most charismatic species have seen an upturn in their fortunes, with tiger numbers increasing for the first time since efforts to conserve them began and giant pandas moved off the "endangered" list, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said.
Nepal has achieved two years in a row with no rhino poaching, while trade in the world's most trafficked mammal, the pangolin or scaly anteater, has been made illegal by countries meeting to discuss international wildlife trade.
This year saw the UK commit an extra £13 million to tackling the illegal wildlife trade and, elsewhere in the environmental arena, ratify the Paris Agreement, the world's first comprehensive deal by countries to tackle climate change.
In August, Scotland produced enough renewable energy on one day to power the entire country, with wind turbines generating 106% of Scottish demand for electricity.
In other parts of the world, Belize suspended seismic surveying for offshore oil exploration along the longest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, the world's largest marine protected area in Antarctica got the go-ahead and Spanish national park Donana was saved from destructive dredging.
Glyn Davies, acting chief executive of WWF-UK, said: "The world faces a challenge in keeping its beautiful places and special species.
"Global wildlife populations are likely to decline by 67% from 1970 levels by the end of this decade.
"Without greater efforts, we will face a global mass extinction of wildlife for the first time since the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
"The good news is that we know we can make a difference. 2016 has celebrated many landmark successes which will bolster global efforts to protect the natural world.
"Some great victories have been won, but there is still an uphill battle ahead. WWF looks to 2017 as a year where actions will need to speak louder than words.
"We need to see real progress in tackling illegal wildlife trade, climate change and habitat destruction and degradation."
Environmental campaigners have nonetheless warned that global wildlife populations could have declined by two thirds on 1970 levels by the end of the decade, but said 2016 shows that people can make a difference.
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