Photos: Releasing Animals Back Into Their Habitats

At a nature reserve in Kazakhstan, a female Amur tiger named Umit was released into its natural habitat on August 3, 2026. Umit, whose name means "hope" in Kazakh, was the first of four Amur tigers transported from Russia to Kazakhstan.

On the eastern tip of Germany's Juist island, a seal named Ernie was released into the ocean immediately before being set free on August 13, 2026. Alongside Ernie, two other seals - Lucy and Tiffy - were also released after being cared for at the Norddeich Seal Sanctuary.

Three seals, Ernie, Lucy, and Tiffy, were released into the water on Juist after being successfully raised at the sanctuary. Maria Derhachova of Global Images Ukraine / Ukraine captured the moment.

A bat was held by an employee of the Ukrainian Bat Center in Lviv on April 5, 2026, as preparations were made for its release. All bat species found in Ukraine are classified as "vulnerable" or "rare."

In Germany, wild horses were observed exploring their new surroundings at the Sophienhöhe site of the Hambach open-cast mine near Niederzier on June 13, 2024, as part of a recultivation project.

A field hamster was released into the wild near Pulheim, Germany, on June 25, 2026, during a recultivation project organized by the State Office for Nature, Environment, and Climate of North Rhine-Westphalia.

A three-year-old Baltic sturgeon was prepared for release into the Oder River in Lebus, Germany, on May 24, 2023, as part of a repopulation effort. The sturgeon, along with 700 others bred in captivity, was released in an attempt to revive a species that had practically gone extinct due to overfishing and waterway development.

Nez, a sea turtle fitted with a transmission device, was released into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel on August 19, 2022, following rehabilitation at a rescue center for injuries sustained from fishing nets, pollution, and underwater explosives.

A Cooper's hawk, one of four rehabilitated raptors donated by donors, was released in Mission Viejo, California, on October 19, 2024, by Lulu Vallejo of Fullerton. The bird had suffered head trauma after striking a window and spent months in rehabilitation.

In Israel, a sea-lion pup was released near the Hermosa Beach Pier on June 24, 2025, after receiving medical treatment for various health issues at the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles. Viacheslav Madiievskyi of Ukrinform / Future Publishing captured the scene.

At Feldman Ecopark in Ukraine, during a traditional release of rescued birds, small songbirds were set free on April 12, 2026. The rescue center treated these songbirds, pheasants, owls, swans, and partridges, which had been injured due to various reasons including Russian attacks and poaching. The rescue center rehabilitated and released more than 300 birds this year.