Weekly roundup 22nd August

Another week down, another weekly roundup from your friends at WWF – and we've selected a strong collection of stories today we're sure you'll love. This week, we're giving you an insight into some promising news about the world's oceans, and sharing a little glimpse into the future of African lions.

Following the release of a new report from the UN's leading climate science body, which revealed the dangerous reality of life on a warming planet, we wanted to include a story on why - despite climate despair - we have reason to feel powerful. We hope this keeps you inspired to take action for our shared home. And our last two stories touch on the Great Barrier Reef and baby bats. Happy reading!

7 reasons to be optimistic about our oceans

Our global oceans are essential. They provide livelihoods, habitats, and food to people and animals. Today, our oceans are under threat because of the climate crisis - however, innovative conservation efforts keep us hopeful about their future:

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A symbol of hope

An African lion named Jacob has an unmatched survival story. In his lifetime, he's already survived snaring, trapping, poisoning, and a buffalo goring. And this story highlights the threats facing the species, but also speaks to their resilience:

Overcoming climate despair

It's impossible to ignore the reality of the climate crisis. From floods to wildfires, we are seeing it unfold in real time before our very eyes. It's easy to feel powerless in the face of this planetary emergency, but there's a case for overcoming climate despair:

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A great discovery

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef and a true natural wonder, attracting scientists (and tourists) from all over the globe. With all eyes on the reef for many decades, you'd probably think that nothing new was left to be uncovered! But this past week, a 400-year-old giant coral was discovered for the first time. Here's how it happened and why it's important:

What do bats and humans have in common?

Besides loving Batman, here's another amazing example of just how interconnected people and nature are: scientists in Costa Rica have discovered that baby bats "babble" just like human babies do!

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