Wildlife Alliance
Encyclopedia
Wildlife Alliance is an international non-profit wildlife and forest conservation
organization with current programs and partnerships in Cambodia
, Thailand
, and the Russian Far East
. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices or partners in Phnom Penh
, Bangkok
, and Vladivostok
.
The logo of the organization is the Asian elephant
, an emblematic species of Southeast Asia
and the namesake for the organization's programs in the Southwest Elephant Corridor of the Cardamom Mountains
of Cambodia.
, and currently serves as the CEO of Wildlife Alliance's Board of Directors, as well as director of its Cambodia Conservation Program. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and a volunteer International Advisory Board provides guidance on strategy, fundraising, and outreach.
. The organization has conducted fieldwork in Asia in cooperation with Fauna and Flora International, Conservation International
, Traffic (conservation programme)
, and other international conservation organizations. Wildlife Alliance is also a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the International Ecotourism
Society, the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance, and other international conservation and sustainable development organizations.
conducting the Active Conservation Awareness Program, Shark Conservation, and Galapagos Islands
programs and Wildlife Alliance conducting field operations in Southeast Asia and Russia.
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
organization with current programs and partnerships in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices or partners in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, and Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
.
The logo of the organization is the Asian elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
, an emblematic species of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and the namesake for the organization's programs in the Southwest Elephant Corridor of the Cardamom Mountains
Cardamom Mountains
The Krâvanh Mountains, literally the "Cardamom Mountains" , is a mountain range in the south west of Cambodia, jutting into southeastern Thailand.-Location and description:...
of Cambodia.
Programs
Wildlife Alliance defines its core programs as:- Cambodia Conservation Program - an effort to work with the Royal Government of CambodiaCambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, villages, and partner organizations to conserve the Wildlife of CambodiaWildlife of CambodiaWildlife of Cambodia is home to a diverse array of wildlife. There are 212 mammal species, 536 bird species, 240 reptile species, 850 freshwater fish species , and 435 marine fish species....
, through conservation of its habitat, promotion of Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable developmentSustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
in rural areas, and stopping the illegal wildlife tradeWildlife tradeThe international wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem, addressed by the United Nations' Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES, which currently has 175 member countries called Parties. The 15th meeting of the Parties took place in Doha,...
and Deforestation in CambodiaDeforestation in CambodiaCambodia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, third to only Nigeria and Vietnam, according to a 2005 report conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ....
. - Phoenix Fund - a partnership with the independent Russian NGO Phoenix FundPhoenix fundPhoenix Fund is a Russian wildlife and forest conservation organization serving regions of the Russian Far East, especially Primorski Krai and Khabarovsk Krai...
to protect the wildlife and habitat of the Russian Far East - Cambodia Wildlife Rescue - rescuing and caring for wildlife victimized by the illegal wildlife trade in Cambodia
- ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network Support Program - training and capacity building for governments in Southeast Asia to combat the illegal wildlife trade
Mission statement
Wildlife Alliance’s mission is to protect and preserve forests and wildlife for future generations.Administration
Suwanna Gauntlett is one of the founders of the original WildAidWildAid
WildAid is an international 501 NGO whose mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade. Rather than an issue of biology or culture WildAid views the illegal wildlife trade fundamentally as a matter of economics - of supply and demand....
, and currently serves as the CEO of Wildlife Alliance's Board of Directors, as well as director of its Cambodia Conservation Program. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and a volunteer International Advisory Board provides guidance on strategy, fundraising, and outreach.
Affiliations
Wildlife Alliance has a partnership with the Cambodian-American rock band Dengue Fever (band)Dengue Fever (band)
Dengue Fever is a six-member band from Los Angeles who combine Cambodian pop music and lyrics with psychedelic rock.-History:The band was formed in 2001 by Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by a trip to Cambodia...
. The organization has conducted fieldwork in Asia in cooperation with Fauna and Flora International, Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
, Traffic (conservation programme)
Traffic (conservation programme)
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, is an international organization dedicated to ensuring that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature....
, and other international conservation organizations. Wildlife Alliance is also a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the International Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
Society, the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance, and other international conservation and sustainable development organizations.
History and Background
Wildlife Alliance was originally founded in 1994 by a group of American and British conservationists under the name Global Survival Network, and reorganized in 1999 as WildAid. The organization restructured itself again in 2006, dividing the organization's programs between two organizations - a new separate WildAidWildAid
WildAid is an international 501 NGO whose mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade. Rather than an issue of biology or culture WildAid views the illegal wildlife trade fundamentally as a matter of economics - of supply and demand....
conducting the Active Conservation Awareness Program, Shark Conservation, and Galapagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
programs and Wildlife Alliance conducting field operations in Southeast Asia and Russia.
Significant Landmarks
- 1994 - Founding of Global Survival Network
- 1997 - Global Survival Network partners with Russian conservationists to launch the Phoenix Fund, a VladivostokVladivostokThe city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
-based non-profit dedicated to protecting the Amur LeopardAmur LeopardThe Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
, Siberian Tiger, and their habitat and ecology - 2000 - Launch of Care for Rescued Wildlife program at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, to provide veterinary treatment, rehabilitation and lifetime care for animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
- 2002 - Cambodia program creates "Wilderness Protection Mobile Unit" – now known as the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT) – to stop the sale, purchase, and trade of illegally-sourced wildlife and wildlife products.
- 2004 - Government of Thailand calls for regional wildlife law enforcement network to address Southeast Asia's role as a shipment hub for illegal wildlife products. Ultimate result is the creation of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network, of which Wildlife Alliance led the NGO support program from 2005 to 2008.
- 2005 - Initial assessment of wildlife and habitat threats in Gunung Leuser National ParkGunung Leuser National ParkGunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after Mount Leuser , protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang is located inside...
, Indonesia. When the Boxing Day tsunami devastates the region weeks later, WildAid returns to conduct a post-tsunami assessment to help Indonesian government agencies respond to the crisis. - 2006 - Phoenix Fund Director, Sergei Beruznuk, wins a £30,000 Whitley Award recognizing his "outstanding achievements in nature conservation" related to re-routing an oil pipeline away from the habitat of critically endangered Amur leopardAmur LeopardThe Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
. - 2007 - Original WildAid changes name to Wildlife Alliance. CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°Anderson Cooper 360°Anderson Cooper 360° is a one-hour television news show on CNN, hosted by the American journalist Anderson Cooper. It is also broadcast around the world on CNN International....
series, Planet in PerilPlanet in PerilPlanet in Peril is a two-part, four hour documentary on CNN that premiered on October 23, 2007, broadcast in the CNN Presents format. It also aired as a special presentation on December 2 & 3, 2007 on Animal Planet & Animal Planet HD...
, features Wildlife Alliance programs in Thailand and Cambodia, including Care for Rescued Wildlife, Bokor National Park, and efforts to stop the illegal wildlife trade in Asia. - 2008 - Wildlife Alliance launches Community-Based EcotourismEcotourismEcotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
program in the village commune of Chi Phat, Cambodia. - 2008 - Launches reforestation project to reconnect the fragmented rainforest in the Cardamom Mountains. The goal is to ultimately restore more than 5000 acres of rainforest with 58 species of native tropical trees.
- 2010 - Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team gains official recognition from ten Asian countries as Cambodia’s official wildlife crime task force
- 2011 - Cambodian government reverses plan to construct titanium mine in Cardamom Mountains, in light of online petitions and advocacy led by Wildlife Alliance
External links
- Wildlife Alliance Home page
- Community Based Ecotourism Project in Cambodia - A community-based ecotourism project in Cambodia's Cardamom mountains started by Wildlife Alliance in order to provide alternative livelihoods for illegal loggers and hunters, and reduce local poverty
- Charity Navigator Evaluation by America's premier independent charity evaluator
- Wall Street Journal "A Fresh Start: Asian villages carve out a new life
- The Guardian (UK) - "Conservationists hope to avoid teenage kicks over elephant's false leg"
- Mongabay.com "Cambodian prime minister cancels titanium mine project citing impact on biodiversity and local people"