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Protecting Wildlife

WCN SUPPORTS CONSERVATIONISTS WHO ENSURE WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE COEXIST AND THRIVE

The presence of wildlife in our world is a treasure, one that cannot be reclaimed if it disappears.

Without wildlife our forests and grasslands, mountains and oceans are empty. Without wildlife, economies suffer and poverty in local communities persists. We need wildlife to sustain a healthy and beautiful planet. A future without wildlife is no future at all.

This is why our 17 Conservation Partners and the grantees of our Wildlife Funds devote their lives to protecting wildlife on the frontlines.

A Network of World Class Conservation Partners

Never underestimate what a few committed individuals can do for a threatened species.

Saving wildlife requires a collaborative spirit, long term commitment to work in remote places, and the courage to pioneer new approaches. We believe that investing in the individuals who are willing to take on these challenges is the best hope for wildlife. At WCN we find the best of these “conservation entrepreneurs” and, after a rigorous vetting process, invite a select few to receive in-depth, ongoing support by joining our Network of Conservation Partners.

Please learn more about these incredible conservationists and their efforts to save wildlife.

100% of designated donations to the programs below go directly to the field with no overhead.

Region: Africa Reset
Africa
Africa
Cheetah—Botswana
Cheetah—Namibia
Elephants
Ethiopian Wolf
Grevy's Zebra
Lion—Ewaso
Lion—Niassa
Okapi
Painted Dog
View Region
Asia
Asia
Saiga Antelope
Snow Leopard
View Region
South America
South America
Andean Cat
Cotton-Top Tamarin
Penguins
Sharks and Rays
Spectacled Bear
View Region
World Wide
World Wide
Penguins
Sharks and Rays
Small Wild Cats
View Region
Region: Africa Reset
Africa
Cheetah—Botswana
Cheetah—Namibia
Elephants
Ethiopian Wolf
Grevy's Zebra
Lion—Ewaso
Lion—Niassa
Okapi
Painted Dog
View Region
Asia
Saiga Antelope
Snow Leopard
View Region
South America
Andean Cat
Cotton-Top Tamarin
Penguins
Sharks and Rays
Spectacled Bear
View Region
World Wide
Penguins
Sharks and Rays
Small Wild Cats
View Region

Cheetah—Botswana

Cheetah—Namibia

Elephants

Ethiopian Wolf

Grevy's Zebra

Lion—Ewaso

Lion—Niassa

Okapi

Painted Dog

Conservation is as much about helping people as it is about helping wildlife. WCN’s Conservation Partners believe that local people who live among wildlife will determine the future of these animals and are at the heart of wildlife conservation solutions. They work with communities to understand their needs and jointly develop solutions to allow people and endangered animals to coexist together and thrive.

Learn More

Wildlife Funds

Wildlife Funds invest in a wide breadth of projects aimed at protecting a threatened species beyond a singular country and across its entire habitat. The Funds focus on collaboration and encourage everyone—from nonprofits, to conservationists, to philanthropists—to work together to save wildlife. Wildlife Funds identify and vet the best ideas from any institution, regardless of their size or stature, that are designed to stop a crisis and recover wildlife populations.

100% of donations to our Wildlife Funds go directly to the field, with zero overhead.

What Makes the Funds unique

Elephant Crisis Fund

Elephant Crisis Fund

Africa’s elephants could disappear from much of the wild within a generation.

A devastating poaching epidemic is threatening these iconic creatures. Driving the killing is a complex, international ivory trade that thrives on poverty, corruption, and greed.

Scientists, conservation organizations, and governments have united behind a common strategy to end this crisis. We must:

Stop the Killing of Elephants
Stop the Trafficking of Ivory
Stop Ivory Demand

The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) was created by Save the Elephants and WCN to fuel this coalition—supporting the best ideas to end the ivory crisis. The ECF fosters collaboration, and delivers rapid impact on the ground. Since its inception, the ECF has raised over $27.4 million and has funded over 313 projects across 40 countries to stop elephant poaching and the trafficking and demand for ivory.

The Elephant Crisis Fund has but one goal: to end the ivory crisis and secure a future for elephants.

 

Support the ECF           Visit the Website

Tom-Stahl_WCNElephants-3

Lion Recovery Fund

Lion Recovery Fund

Lions are in crisis. In just 25 years, lion populations have declined by half.

But, lions can return.

WCN launched the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) in 2017 in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. This innovative Fund serves as an additional and separate WCN investment vehicle for range-wide lion conservation, alongside the courageous, impactful lion conservation work of our Network Partners Ewaso Lions and Niassa Lion Project who work tirelessly on-the-ground with communities to reduce human-lion conflict, and to protect and manage lion landscapes.

The Lion Recovery Fund invests in the most effective projects aimed at recovering lions across Africa—backing several key tactics such as supporting the parks and reserves that serve as lion strongholds and promoting co-existence so that people can live alongside and benefit from lions.

The LRF is moving swiftly to convene conservationists and other institutions to address the threats to lions and ensure the King of Beasts can thrive across Africa.

Lion recovery is within our grasp.

Support the LRF        Visit the Website

lions_photo_Jack Swenson

Pangolin Crisis Fund

Pangolin Crisis Fund

There is no animal on Earth like the pangolin, yet most people have never even heard of them. Despite their relative obscurity, pangolins have the unfortunate distinction of being the most illegally trafficked wild mammal in the world.

Pangolins are hunted to supply a rampant illegal global trade in their scales, meat, and parts. Because of demand—mostly in Asia, where pangolin meat is considered a delicacy and their scales are believed to have medicinal qualities—all eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction.

But it’s not too late to save pangolins.

The Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) was created by Save Pangolins and WCN to eliminate the demand, trafficking, and poaching crisis that puts all eight species of pangolins at risk of extinction.

Support the PCF      Visit the Website

Pangolin_Credit-Uniquesafarieye

Rhino Recovery Fund

Rhino Recovery Fund

Despite their powerful physical presence, rhinos are incredibly vulnerable to human-induced threats. Asia’s three rhino species have dwindled to distressingly small populations due to habitat loss. In Africa, white and black rhino populations also struggle with habitat loss and are brutally poached for their horns.

But, there is still hope for rhinos. WCN created the Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF) to help protect all rhino species from wildlife crime and restore their landscapes, focusing on improving the health of rhino populations while also benefiting local people.

To protect rhinos from wildlife crime, the RRF supports projects that are designed to stop rhino poaching and end the trafficking and demand for rhino horn. To restore rhino landscapes, the RRF invests in projects that include the management of protected areas, community involvement, and supporting governments.

The RRF believes with the right support, rhinos can turn a corner and recover their populations.

Support the RRF      VISIT THE WEBSITE

Rhino beauty shot
Tom-Stahl_WCNElephants-3

Elephant Crisis Fund

Elephant Crisis Fund

Africa’s elephants could disappear from much of the wild within a generation. A devastating poaching epidemic is threatening these iconic creatures. Driving the killing is a complex, international ivory trade...
lions_photo_Jack Swenson

Lion Recovery Fund

Lion Recovery Fund

Lions are in crisis. In just 25 years, lion populations have declined by half. But, lions can return. WCN launched the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) in 2017 in partnership with...
Pangolin_Credit-Uniquesafarieye

Pangolin Crisis Fund

Pangolin Crisis Fund

There is no animal on Earth like the pangolin, yet most people have never even heard of them. Despite their relative obscurity, pangolins have the unfortunate distinction of being the...
Rhino beauty shot

Rhino Recovery Fund

Rhino Recovery Fund

Despite their powerful physical presence, rhinos are incredibly vulnerable to human-induced threats. Asia’s three rhino species have dwindled to distressingly small populations due to habitat loss. In Africa, white and...

Elephant Crisis Fund

Elephant Crisis Fund

Africa’s elephants could disappear from much of the wild within a generation.

A devastating poaching epidemic is threatening these iconic creatures. Driving the killing is a complex, international ivory trade that thrives on poverty, corruption, and greed.

Scientists, conservation organizations, and governments have united behind a common strategy to end this crisis. We must:

Stop the Killing of Elephants
Stop the Trafficking of Ivory
Stop Ivory Demand

The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) was created by Save the Elephants and WCN to fuel this coalition—supporting the best ideas to end the ivory crisis. The ECF fosters collaboration, and delivers rapid impact on the ground. Since its inception, the ECF has raised over $27.4 million and has funded over 313 projects across 40 countries to stop elephant poaching and the trafficking and demand for ivory.

The Elephant Crisis Fund has but one goal: to end the ivory crisis and secure a future for elephants.

 

Support the ECF           Visit the Website

Lion Recovery Fund

Lion Recovery Fund

Lions are in crisis. In just 25 years, lion populations have declined by half.

But, lions can return.

WCN launched the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) in 2017 in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. This innovative Fund serves as an additional and separate WCN investment vehicle for range-wide lion conservation, alongside the courageous, impactful lion conservation work of our Network Partners Ewaso Lions and Niassa Lion Project who work tirelessly on-the-ground with communities to reduce human-lion conflict, and to protect and manage lion landscapes.

The Lion Recovery Fund invests in the most effective projects aimed at recovering lions across Africa—backing several key tactics such as supporting the parks and reserves that serve as lion strongholds and promoting co-existence so that people can live alongside and benefit from lions.

The LRF is moving swiftly to convene conservationists and other institutions to address the threats to lions and ensure the King of Beasts can thrive across Africa.

Lion recovery is within our grasp.

Support the LRF        Visit the Website

Pangolin Crisis Fund

Pangolin Crisis Fund

There is no animal on Earth like the pangolin, yet most people have never even heard of them. Despite their relative obscurity, pangolins have the unfortunate distinction of being the most illegally trafficked wild mammal in the world.

Pangolins are hunted to supply a rampant illegal global trade in their scales, meat, and parts. Because of demand—mostly in Asia, where pangolin meat is considered a delicacy and their scales are believed to have medicinal qualities—all eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction.

But it’s not too late to save pangolins.

The Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) was created by Save Pangolins and WCN to eliminate the demand, trafficking, and poaching crisis that puts all eight species of pangolins at risk of extinction.

Support the PCF      Visit the Website

Rhino Recovery Fund

Rhino Recovery Fund

Despite their powerful physical presence, rhinos are incredibly vulnerable to human-induced threats. Asia’s three rhino species have dwindled to distressingly small populations due to habitat loss. In Africa, white and black rhino populations also struggle with habitat loss and are brutally poached for their horns.

But, there is still hope for rhinos. WCN created the Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF) to help protect all rhino species from wildlife crime and restore their landscapes, focusing on improving the health of rhino populations while also benefiting local people.

To protect rhinos from wildlife crime, the RRF supports projects that are designed to stop rhino poaching and end the trafficking and demand for rhino horn. To restore rhino landscapes, the RRF invests in projects that include the management of protected areas, community involvement, and supporting governments.

The RRF believes with the right support, rhinos can turn a corner and recover their populations.

Support the RRF      VISIT THE WEBSITE

Elephant Crisis Fund

Learn how the Elephant Crisis Fund is helping end the ivory poaching crisis and secure a future for elephants. Film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Lion Recovery Fund

Learn why lions are in trouble and what we can do to help them recover. Film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

$27.4M

Amount raised to-date for the Elephant Crisis Fund to stop the ivory crisis and secure a future for elephants.

$18.8M Fill 1 Created with Sketch.

Amount raised to-date for the Lion Recovery Fund to recover lions in Africa.

$1.8M Fill 1 Created with Sketch.

Amount the Pangolin Crisis Fund intends to raise in its first three years to help save pangolins from extinction.

Wildlife Crime Prevention's Luwi Nguluka Talks at Expo

The illegal bushmeat trade is the single greatest threat to wildlife in Zambia. Luwi Nguluka shares how the Wildlife Crime Prevention Project—a grantee of Lion Recovery Fund—launched a public awareness campaign, This is Not a Game, with the goal of ending this tragic practice.

Wildlife Funds Reporting

The following are the most recent Elephant Crisis Fund and Lion Recovery Fund reports; they offer supporters greater insight into the impact their investments are having. Get a closer look at the effective projects supported by these Funds and the incredible grantees working to stop the ivory crisis, secure a future for elephants, and bring lions back to Africa.

Elephant Crisis Fund 2019 Overview Report

Elephant Crisis Fund 2019 Mid-Year Report

Lion Recovery Fund February 2020 Progress Report

Lion Recovery Fund August 2019 Progress Report

Lion Recovery Fund Strategy to Recover Lions and Their Landscapes

Accomplishing more by working together

We recognize that the issues we work on are complex and require a variety of approaches. We accomplish so much more when we work together, so we strive for open collaboration with conservationists outside of our Network of partners.

Learn More
Photo Credits: Spectacled Bear Conservation, Eric Ash, Ken and Michelle Dyball, Julian Fennessy, Rachel Graham, Martin Harvey, Jillian Knox, Steve Mandel, Susan McConnell, Frank af Petersens, Juan Reppucci, Navinder Singh, Jack Swenson, Predrag Vuckovic, Jane W Wynyard, Unique Safari Eye
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When you designate your donation to a specific species, 100% of your donation will go directly to the field to support this species.

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