At Defenders of Wildlife, one of our main sources of motivation is the success stories in conservation. Success and optimism come from many places: the information we share that positively influences policy, the groups of people we mobilize to support a cause, and the science we share to promote protections for wildlife. Unfortunately, disasters and dour news often have all the focus, with challenges of conservation efforts, extinctions and unknowns dominating news coverage. However, it is important to not only share the plight of threatened and endangered species, but also to promote stories of recovery and show that there is hope for our biodiversity. Read about our GIS intern, Gian’s, positive outlook on species conservation here.