RSPB

Calls of Agile Gibbons echo through the misty canopy... Sun Bears tread softly through the undergrowth, noses twitching in search of honey. Overhead, Helmeted Hornbills beat their wings in slow, powerful strokes, stirring the thick, tropical air... This #InternationalDayOfForests, we’re spotlighting Hutan Harapan: A name that means Forest of Hope. Spanning 100,000 hectares, this rainforest is a sanctuary for over 300 bird species and Critically Endangered wildlife like the Sumatran Tiger and Sumatran Elephant. It’s also home to the Indigenous Batin Sembilan communities, who have lived alongside the forest for generations, relying on its resources and protecting its future. Once designated for logging, Hutan Harapan is now an ecosystem restoration area. The RSPB, Burung Indonesia, and BirdLife International are working together to replant native trees, restore lost habitats, and support local communities to protect this extraordinary landscape. 💚

Pause a moment. Let birdsong still your thoughts. A Blue Tit flits through a sunlit garden, singing and gathering, busy with the work of spring. As the equinox tips us into lighter, warmer days, nature hums with quiet promise. Do you feel it? Spring is in the air. #RSPBNatureBreak

GOOD NEWS: Bitterns are booming! 😍 In 2024, 283 booming males were recorded across the UK - a 20% increase on 2023 and the biggest rise since monitoring began. For a bird that was once extinct as a UK breeding species and down to just 11 booming males in 1997, it’s an incredible milestone. That deep, far-carrying boom is the male Bittern’s call echoing through the reeds to attract a mate. And thanks to decades of conservation and large-scale habitat restoration -much of it on RSPB reserves - that iconic sound is filling our wetlands once more. A brilliant reminder that when we make space for nature and work together, it can thrive. #GoodNews

LATEST: Plastic pollution is washing up along miles of the Norfolk coast, including our reserve at RSPB Titchwell Marsh, with larger clumps at sea projected to soon reach other sensitive sites, including RSPB Freiston Shore and Holbeach. ⚠️   Tiny plastic nurdles - charred, clumped, and smelling of kerosene - are believed to be from last week’s North Sea ship collision. This is unfolding along one of the UK’s most important wildlife landscapes: our East Coast Wetlands.   These wetlands are a lifeline for migrating birds, a feeding ground for seabirds, and soon a nesting site for rare and threatened species.   These plastic pellets pose a serious risk - mistaken for food by fish and birds, they can cause malnutrition, organ damage, and toxic build-up in the food chain.    Worse still, they break down into microplastics, polluting the marine environment for generations.    We’re working with authorities to monitor the situation and support the emergency response. If you’re out on the beaches, please don’t touch the material and keep dogs away. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eHiSkWWN

Monday mood: This Grey Heron standing very still, hoping no one asks it to do anything today. #Monday

The UK Government says it wants a planning system that supports growth, new infrastructure and revives our natural world.  But if the Prime Minister genuinely wants to scale up nature restoration in England then this morning’s barrage of inflammatory rhetoric directed at regulators, nature lovers and wildlife is a poor start. Time and again we’re hearing about places the Prime Minister is happy to concrete over, yet silence on our best places for nature that must be effectively protected from development. Our ancient woods, our heaths, our very best refuges for wildlife. It’s these places that underpin our economy, our health and wellbeing, and will help us hold back and adapt to climate change. The RSPB, and many millions of people across this country, care deeply about our natural world and the important sites for nature we have left. But does Sir Keir? #Development #Planning #Nature

If I can't see my emails... they can't see me.

A tanker and cargo ship tragically collided off the Yorkshire coast yesterday. Our first thoughts are with the crew and emergency responders. We are also deeply worried about the potential impact of pollution on seabirds and marine life. Seabirds are already struggling: Avian Flu hit them hard, food supplies are uncertain, and offshore developments are adding pressure. A potential pollution incident is the last thing our seabirds need. We continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with authorities as needed. Read our full response: https://lnkd.in/e5a4H-qv 👈

The RSPB brings people together – people like you – to protect the things that matter to us all. To lift each other up, and lift nature up. Together we fly. https://lnkd.in/e6mGP2mB

Emily Williamson. Eliza Philipps. Etta Lemon. On #InternationalWomensDay, we celebrate our fearless founders. ⚡ In 1889, their bold campaign against the use of feathers in fashion marked the beginnings of the RSPB. Today, we’re the UK’s largest nature conservation charity. These women stood firm in the face of social norms, took on the destructive feather trade - and won. Their efforts led to significant victories, including the 1921 plumage ban, which was pivotal in saving species such as the Snowy Egret from extinction. Here's to the women who paved the way, and to all who continue to stand up for nature today. PS - Etta Lemon, we salute you 👏