Read the latest edition of our quarterly newsletter, Conservation Calls below.
Amid the serene grandeur of the Danau Toba highlands lies a story almost lost to time, the tale of Harpesaurus modiglianii, a rare horned lizard, both endemic and mysterious. First documented over 125 years ago, the species vanished from scientific records, only to be rediscovered in 2018, reigniting hope and curiosity.
A team of herpetologists from North Sumatra ventured deep into the challenging highland forests, retracing its elusive presence. Their work uncovered the species’ dramatic history and the serious threats it now faces, hunting and habitat loss.
With support from the MBZ Fund, Wild Heritage of Sumatra Foundation are advancing research to understand its bioecology, map its distribution, and develop conservation strategies. This is more than the story of a rare reptile, it is a call to safeguard North Sumatra’s natural heritage and to protect the fragile, irreplaceable wildlife it shelters.
A truly remarkable story to celebrate World Lizard Day.
#MBZFund #sumatranwildlife #herps #sumatranendemic #whisindonesia #herpetologermania #herpetofauna #reptile#worldlizardday #lindungisatwasumatera #StopAnimalTrade #IndonesianWildlife #AlamKitaIdentitasKita #HutanUntukKehidupan #OnlyInIndonesia #DidYouKnow #ScienceIsCool #BiodiversityMatters #naturenerd
Amid the serene grandeur of the Danau Toba highlands lies a story almost lost to time, the tale of Harpesaurus modiglianii, a rare horned lizard, both endemic and mysterious. First documented over 125 years ago, the species vanished from scientific records, only to be rediscovered in 2018, reigniting hope and curiosity.
A team of herpetologists from North Sumatra ventured deep into the challenging highland forests, retracing its elusive presence. Their work uncovered the species’ dramatic history and the serious threats it now faces, hunting and habitat loss.
With support from the MBZ Fund, Wild Heritage of Sumatra Foundation are advancing research to understand its bioecology, map its distribution, and develop conservation strategies. This is more than the story of a rare reptile, it is a call to safeguard North Sumatra’s natural heritage and to protect the fragile, irreplaceable wildlife it shelters.
A truly remarkable story to celebrate World Lizard Day.
#MBZFund #sumatranwildlife #herps #sumatranendemic #whisindonesia #herpetologermania #herpetofauna #reptile#worldlizardday #lindungisatwasumatera #StopAnimalTrade #IndonesianWildlife #AlamKitaIdentitasKita #HutanUntukKehidupan #OnlyInIndonesia #DidYouKnow #ScienceIsCool #BiodiversityMatters #naturenerd
Meet 22-year-old Emelia Stever, our energetic intern bringing her youthful spirit to the Fund this summer. With a fresh perspective, she’s assisting with annual reports, updating case studies, and evaluating social media campaigns.
We wanted to hear what makes her get out of bed every morning, and with International Youth Day today, it felt like the perfect time to share her story.
PS. among her favorite youth stories from the past week are:
👏 Joseph Mboya and the Warty Frog in Tanzania
👏 María Lina Rinaldi García’s efforts to save endangered Pampas cats in Argentina
👏 Wahyuni Wahyuni’s work with Corbicula possoensis in Indonesia.
Check out her thoughts on these inspiring conservation stories by accessing the link in our bio.
#mbzfund #internationalyouthday #youthday #youth #nextgen #futurestars #intern #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature
Meet 22-year-old Emelia Stever, our energetic intern bringing her youthful spirit to the Fund this summer. With a fresh perspective, she’s assisting with annual reports, updating case studies, and evaluating social media campaigns.
We wanted to hear what makes her get out of bed every morning, and with International Youth Day today, it felt like the perfect time to share her story.
PS. among her favorite youth stories from the past week are:
👏 Joseph Mboya and the Warty Frog in Tanzania
👏 María Lina Rinaldi García’s efforts to save endangered Pampas cats in Argentina
👏 Wahyuni Wahyuni’s work with Corbicula possoensis in Indonesia.
Check out her thoughts on these inspiring conservation stories by accessing the link in our bio.
#mbzfund #internationalyouthday #youthday #youth #nextgen #futurestars #intern #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature
Imagine a world where the fate of a species hangs in the balance and the whispers of nature are drowned out by the noise of academia. You don’t really have to. It’s happening right now all around you. For decades, the critically endangered Pink Iguana was studied intensely, yet the invaluable insights of park rangers remained overlooked.
But then, with the support of the Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund, we initiated a groundbreaking project that empowered park rangers. Within months, the park rangers, with their intimate knowledge, uncovered the breeding grounds of the Pink Iguana. This discovery has changed the trajectory of the Pink Iguana’s future and serves as a powerful reminder that conserving a species doesn’t always require a PhD or a mountain of publications.
Together with passionate conservationists like Luis Ortiz-Catedral, we can create a future where experience and academics meet on equal footing, voices are heard, and every species has a fighting chance.
#mbzfund #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #iuguna #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature #support #environment
Imagine a world where the fate of a species hangs in the balance and the whispers of nature are drowned out by the noise of academia. You don’t really have to. It’s happening right now all around you. For decades, the critically endangered Pink Iguana was studied intensely, yet the invaluable insights of park rangers remained overlooked.
But then, with the support of the Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund, we initiated a groundbreaking project that empowered park rangers. Within months, the park rangers, with their intimate knowledge, uncovered the breeding grounds of the Pink Iguana. This discovery has changed the trajectory of the Pink Iguana’s future and serves as a powerful reminder that conserving a species doesn’t always require a PhD or a mountain of publications.
Together with passionate conservationists like Luis Ortiz-Catedral, we can create a future where experience and academics meet on equal footing, voices are heard, and every species has a fighting chance.
#mbzfund #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #iuguna #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature #support #environment
The endangered “paper tree” (Cochlospermum tetraporum) is the poster child of the Dry Chaco Forest, which spans Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Sadly, this idol is vanishing rapidly, with 9.5 million hectares of the forest lost in Argentina alone since 2000.
With the support of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund field grant in collaboration with the GEF, Axel Gualdoni-Becerra and his team are making a difference. To kick off this conservation campaign, they travelled over 400 km across northern Argentina to survey and protect this vital ecosystem. By combining fieldwork with cutting-edge technology, they aim to map biodiversity and identify key areas for conservation.
Protecting the paper tree means safeguarding the entire Dry Chaco ecosystem for future generations. Join us and Axel in our mission to explore, document, and fight for this incredible forest.
#mbzfund #conservation#DryChaco #SaveTheChaco #SpeciesConservation #ChacoForest #Biodiversity #Fieldwork #ScienceInAction #ProtectNature #GEF #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature #support #environment
The endangered “paper tree” (Cochlospermum tetraporum) is the poster child of the Dry Chaco Forest, which spans Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Sadly, this idol is vanishing rapidly, with 9.5 million hectares of the forest lost in Argentina alone since 2000.
With the support of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund field grant in collaboration with the GEF, Axel Gualdoni-Becerra and his team are making a difference. To kick off this conservation campaign, they travelled over 400 km across northern Argentina to survey and protect this vital ecosystem. By combining fieldwork with cutting-edge technology, they aim to map biodiversity and identify key areas for conservation.
Protecting the paper tree means safeguarding the entire Dry Chaco ecosystem for future generations. Join us and Axel in our mission to explore, document, and fight for this incredible forest.
#mbzfund #conservation#DryChaco #SaveTheChaco #SpeciesConservation #ChacoForest #Biodiversity #Fieldwork #ScienceInAction #ProtectNature #GEF #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #sustainability #uae #wildlife #nature #support #environment
There’s a fun saying: “I’m not weird, I’m a limited edition,” and that perfectly sums up Fungi! They aren’t plants or animals but belong to their own amazing kingdom with unique cellular structures and reproduction styles. This makes fungi super cool and ultra unique.
In this special edition of Conservation Calls, we join the team from Fungi Foundation in Chile as they set out to rediscover the Big Puma Fungus, an incredibly fascinating, quirky, and one-of-a-kind species. Their expedition followed in the footsteps of mycologist Norberto Garrido, exactly 40 years after he first stumbled upon this extraordinary fungus.
Join the Repton podcast crew and Chanda Miyanda as they chat with Daniella Torres, embarking on a sensory adventure that brings this unique rediscovery to life. Access the link in the @speciesconservationfund bio!
P.S. Be sure to follow, rate, and share our Conservation Calls podcast. Your support means the world to us!
#mbzfund #conservation#podcast #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity#fungi #funga #fungifoundation #mushrooms #sustainability #uae #Chile #wildlife #nature #support #environment
There’s a fun saying: “I’m not weird, I’m a limited edition,” and that perfectly sums up Fungi! They aren’t plants or animals but belong to their own amazing kingdom with unique cellular structures and reproduction styles. This makes fungi super cool and ultra unique.
In this special edition of Conservation Calls, we join the team from Fungi Foundation in Chile as they set out to rediscover the Big Puma Fungus, an incredibly fascinating, quirky, and one-of-a-kind species. Their expedition followed in the footsteps of mycologist Norberto Garrido, exactly 40 years after he first stumbled upon this extraordinary fungus.
Join the Repton podcast crew and Chanda Miyanda as they chat with Daniella Torres, embarking on a sensory adventure that brings this unique rediscovery to life. Access the link in the @speciesconservationfund bio!
P.S. Be sure to follow, rate, and share our Conservation Calls podcast. Your support means the world to us!
#mbzfund #conservation#podcast #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity#fungi #funga #fungifoundation #mushrooms #sustainability #uae #Chile #wildlife #nature #support #environment
Colocolo is now playing in the big leagues!
Raising awareness in conservation is crucial to highlight a cause you want to drum support for and what better way to do this than to use a national pastime?
In Chile, over 50% of the population are Colo-Colo fans, but few knew about the small wild cat that shares its name: the Colocolo.
Thanks to the support of the MBZF Fund, the Colo-Colo Project made history: for the first time, the Colo-Colo team wore their logo on the field, introducing this wild feline to over 4 million people.
With MBZ Fund, we created videos using real footage from our trail cameras, set up educational stands in the stadium, and brought life-sized replicas of the Colocolo and the Güiña so players like Arturo Vidal could join the call for conservation.
Today, the Colocolo is not just a team, it’s a cause for all Chileans!
#mbzfund #conservation #Gato #Fútbol #GatoColocolo #CocaCola #FutbolChileno #FaunaSilvestre #ArturoVidal #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #Chile #nature #environment #football #sports #community
Colocolo is now playing in the big leagues!
Raising awareness in conservation is crucial to highlight a cause you want to drum support for and what better way to do this than to use a national pastime?
In Chile, over 50% of the population are Colo-Colo fans, but few knew about the small wild cat that shares its name: the Colocolo.
Thanks to the support of the MBZF Fund, the Colo-Colo Project made history: for the first time, the Colo-Colo team wore their logo on the field, introducing this wild feline to over 4 million people.
With MBZ Fund, we created videos using real footage from our trail cameras, set up educational stands in the stadium, and brought life-sized replicas of the Colocolo and the Güiña so players like Arturo Vidal could join the call for conservation.
Today, the Colocolo is not just a team, it’s a cause for all Chileans!
#mbzfund #conservation #Gato #Fútbol #GatoColocolo #CocaCola #FutbolChileno #FaunaSilvestre #ArturoVidal #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #Chile #nature #environment #football #sports #community
The support from the MBZ Fund has been instrumental in aiding the Toucan Rescue Ranch to launch their conservation breeding program for the critically endangered Yellow-naped Amazon. With this funding, they were able to build specialized enclosures that promote natural nesting behaviours, divide the birds into smaller groups to encourage pair bonding, and microchip and sex each individual to improve medical tracking and increase breeding success. As they approach the breeding season in September, they are optimistic about the outcomes of these efforts.
“This program marks a crucial step toward mitigating human impact and ensuring the survival of this highly threatened species, something we simply could not have achieved without the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund’s support.” Leslie Howle, Executive Director & Founder
#mbzfund #toucanrescueranch #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #costarica #wildlife #nature #support #environment
The support from the MBZ Fund has been instrumental in aiding the Toucan Rescue Ranch to launch their conservation breeding program for the critically endangered Yellow-naped Amazon. With this funding, they were able to build specialized enclosures that promote natural nesting behaviours, divide the birds into smaller groups to encourage pair bonding, and microchip and sex each individual to improve medical tracking and increase breeding success. As they approach the breeding season in September, they are optimistic about the outcomes of these efforts.
“This program marks a crucial step toward mitigating human impact and ensuring the survival of this highly threatened species, something we simply could not have achieved without the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund’s support.” Leslie Howle, Executive Director & Founder
#mbzfund #toucanrescueranch #conservation #speciesconservation #endangeredspecies #wildlifeconservation #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #costarica #wildlife #nature #support #environment
At the MBZ Fund, we continue funding for projects that ensure long-lasting impact in species conservation. One remarkable example is our support for the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s innovative work with drone technology to conserve the critically endangered Lysimachia iniki, a unique cliff-dwelling plant found solely on the island of Kauaʻi.
Through our ongoing commitment and repeated grants, we have successfully completed a full circle in this conservation journey. The species was first discovered and described by botanists after Hurricane Iniki dislodged pieces from the cliffs above but conserving it has presented significant challenges due to its exclusive habitat on 1,000m cliffs. Fortunately, drone technology has played a pivotal role in locating previously unknown plants in inaccessible areas.
Led by Ben Nyberg and his dedicated team, a newly developed drone equipped with a cutting arm was deployed to gather seeds and cuttings from plants growing 500m up the cliffs. These remotely collected specimens were nurtured in a conservation nursery, culminating in a significant conservation milestone on the 3rd June. A helicopter transported the plants and botanists into the remote reaches of Kauaʻi, where the plants were successfully reintroduced into their natural habitat.
This innovative approach is proving invaluable in the fight against plant extinction. As donors, witnessing the transformation of a dream into reality is incredibly rewarding. Supporting this ambitious project has not only led to significant achievements for the Lysimachia iniki but has also made a profound impact on biodiversity conservation.
#conservation #MBZFund #success #endangeredspecies #plants #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #Hawaii #reintroduction #nature #speciesconservation #wildlifeconservation #uae #support #environment
At the MBZ Fund, we continue funding for projects that ensure long-lasting impact in species conservation. One remarkable example is our support for the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s innovative work with drone technology to conserve the critically endangered Lysimachia iniki, a unique cliff-dwelling plant found solely on the island of Kauaʻi.
Through our ongoing commitment and repeated grants, we have successfully completed a full circle in this conservation journey. The species was first discovered and described by botanists after Hurricane Iniki dislodged pieces from the cliffs above but conserving it has presented significant challenges due to its exclusive habitat on 1,000m cliffs. Fortunately, drone technology has played a pivotal role in locating previously unknown plants in inaccessible areas.
Led by Ben Nyberg and his dedicated team, a newly developed drone equipped with a cutting arm was deployed to gather seeds and cuttings from plants growing 500m up the cliffs. These remotely collected specimens were nurtured in a conservation nursery, culminating in a significant conservation milestone on the 3rd June. A helicopter transported the plants and botanists into the remote reaches of Kauaʻi, where the plants were successfully reintroduced into their natural habitat.
This innovative approach is proving invaluable in the fight against plant extinction. As donors, witnessing the transformation of a dream into reality is incredibly rewarding. Supporting this ambitious project has not only led to significant achievements for the Lysimachia iniki but has also made a profound impact on biodiversity conservation.
#conservation #MBZFund #success #endangeredspecies #plants #biodiversity #sustainability #uae #Hawaii #reintroduction #nature #speciesconservation #wildlifeconservation #uae #support #environment