As 2025 draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the ways Wildlife Preservation Canada has given back to nature over our 40 years of conservation. Not only am I reminded that our community has the power to achieve meaningful conservation together, but I am also reminded of something very important within myself…

That moment of reflection is rooted in a longer story – one that began forty years ago with a conservationist who believed action mattered more than intention. Wildlife Preservation Canada was founded in 1985 by Gerald Durrell, a lifelong conservationist often mentioned alongside Sir David Attenborough, who believed a hands-on approach was key to saving the rarest of rare species. WPC is just one piece of the legacy he left behind: the Jersey Zoo, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the Durrell Conservation Academy. As we continue our work, we proudly carry the torch for Gerald Durrell, and as our 40th year serendipitously coincides with Gerry’s centenary, we remember that we have the power to change the outcome for endangered animals.

Rooted in those values and founded in action, WPC hasn’t wavered. Over two decades ago, we answered the call to rescue the eastern loggerhead shrike, a songbird that had nearly disappeared from Canada. We can confidently say that today they are still around because of our work. Our work with the western painted turtle in British Columbia, began in 2012 and shows no sign of slowing down. From conservation breeding to protecting eggs from at-risk nests, our direct, hands-on approach has given more than 2,000 western painted turtles back to B.C.’s Fraser valley. With the successes of this program, our work is expanding beyond the Fraser Valley wetlands and into the Sunshine Coast, promising that one of Canada’s most beautiful turtles will thrive despite the odds. These are just two of our world-class conservation programs making a difference for endangered species.

Summarizing decades of successful conservation work in a few paragraphs is a tough feat. The most significant thing to be emphasized is the difference made through hands-on conservation. When we give animals back directly to nature, we are giving them a future. These species will be able to continue on for generations, keeping  ecosystems intact and rebuilding Canada’s biodiversity. As of now, WPC has returned over 97,000 animals from 21 species back to nature, and in doing so, 12 species have been saved from the threat of extinction.

But numbers alone cannot capture what sets Wildlife Preservation Canada apart. Our staff have devoted years, often decades of their lives, to the species they protect. This calling, a long-term commitment shared across our teams, is what allows WPC to deliver conservation results that last. Restoring a species while also protecting and rebuilding habitats they depend on, restores entire ecosystems, safeguarding them for the future.

Standing before such a profound legacy, I feel not only immense pride in being part of this organization but I’m also hit with a sense of emotional deja vu. Growing up reading Gerald Durrell’s books, my lifelong dream was to one day work at the Jersey Zoo. When I was offered the position of Canada’s New Noah in 1997, my life changed forever. Supporting species conservation overseas and simultaneously training the next generation of Canadian biologists, WPC’s Canada’s New Noah program, is pioneering a new chapter of wildlife conservation like no other. It was in this program that I was surrounded by people who felt as I did – every species is worth saving and more importantly, can be saved. Looking back at my journey as it coincides with WPC’s, I’m reminded of something I had nearly forgotten about myself: a deep need to belong to something greater than myself – something I believe many of you, and people everywhere, can connect with deeply.

With 2026 on the horizon, I look to the future with optimism. I know that our hands-on conservation model has the power to shape a promising future for Canada’s wildlife, the wildlife that depends on us. Every day, WPC says no to extinction, and with our dedicated teams, supporters, and partners by our side, we remind the world that every species, no matter how rare, deserves a fighting chance, and that we’ll be there.