A new review in Current Biology argues that restoring elephants and whales is critical for biodiversity, but pitching it mainly as a climate solution is high-risk. The science on how these animals affect carbon storage is still uncertain, and the benefits would likely take 50 to 100 years to show up. That timeline clashes with the urgent need to cut emissions now. The authors also warn against tying animal restoration to carbon credits or offsets. If those tools depend on unproven carbon effects, they could create false confidence and let polluters avoid real reductions. Conservation funding should still go to these species, but the climate case needs stronger data first. Read the full story on Mongabay for the details on elephant and whale carbon cycling, and why experts disagree on how much rewilding can help.
