Annual Report 2023
Celebrating conservation success
Over the past 12 months, the Fund has made big gains in conservation that positively impacted endangered species and the dedicated individuals protecting them. From rescuing species on the brink of extinction to rediscoveries, these successes enhance biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem resilience, showcasing our collective commitment to preserving the planet's natural heritage.
Foreword
As I reflect on the accomplishments and strides made in species conservation, it is my pleasure to introduce the 2023 Annual Report of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, themed ‘Celebrating Conservation Successes.’ This theme is a testament to the impactful work being done globally, supported by our commitment to providing targeted financial assistance to direct species conservation project worldwide. These grants, often modest but pivotal, empower conservationists working tirelessly to protect some of the most endangered species on our planet—species that are frequently uncharismatic and even overlooked.
At the core of our mission is the belief that every species matters, as each grant from the Mohamed Bin Zayed Fund supports efforts to stabilize and recover critical populations, reinforcing the interconnected web of life on Earth. These species are essential for maintaining ecological balance. COP28 (United Nations Climate Change Conference), held in December 2023, where nations agreed to stop deforestation by 2030, was a watershed moment that recognized the importance of nature to climate solutions. While our grants may not directly address global policy changes, they serve as an important model that works to protect nature and biodiversity, subsequently supporting broader climate solutions. Our grants empower local conservationists whose passion and regional expertise are vital for success, emphasizing our reliance on nature and species conservation to safeguard our planet’s rich heritage for future generations.
This year’s report highlights remarkable stories of resilience and recovery. Through focused financial support, we have seen firsthand how dedicated conservation efforts can reverse the fortunes of species, many of which are at the brink of extinction. These successes are not only victories for biodiversity but also bolster broader environmental stability, contributing to climate change mitigation and enhancing community health and wellbeing.
Looking forward, the challenges remain significant, but the stories of success we celebrate today reinforce our resolve. Each grant, each project we support, is a step towards a richer, more vibrant planet. Together, through continued collaboration and unwavering commitment to conservation, we can extend this impact. Protecting nature is ultimately about protecting ourselves—ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for all. I invite you to join us in this vital endeavor, as we continue to champion the cause of species conservation and build on our successes for years to come.
Razan Al Mubarak,
Managing Director
About Us
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund seeks to empower species conservation efforts and programmes globally, embodying the deep-rooted commitment of both the government and the people of Abu Dhabi to preserve our natural heritage.
By preserving and protecting endangered species, we not only safeguard biodiversity but also ensure the sustainability of our natural resources, the stability of ecosystems, and the well-being of all living beings, including humans.
Of the estimated 13-14 million species on Earth, only 1.9 million have been described. Alarmingly, human activity has led to the extinction of 869 species in the past 500 years. The IUCN Red List currently identifies over 163,000 species, with more than 45,300 threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 37% of sharks and rays, and 36% of reef-building corals.
The alarming statistics from the IUCN Red List highlight the urgent need to recognize the intricate connections between nature, species, and human well-being. The decline of threatened species can disrupt ecological balance, leading to consequences such as reduced pollination, diminished food security, and the collapse of fisheries, all of which are essential for human livelihoods.
Healthy ecosystems provide essential services, such as clean air and water, climate regulation, and natural resources, which directly impact our quality of life. By valuing the interdependence of all living beings, we can ensure a more sustainable relationship with our environment, ensuring that both wildlife and human communities can thrive together.
At the Fund, we are trying to do our bit and have supported over 2800 recipients who have protected over 1,700 species and subspecies, bringing many back from the brink of extinction while discovering new populations and habitats.
This dedicated focus on threatened species makes the Fund unique globally and highly impactful. This number reflects only the minimum species per project supported, making the actual impact even greater. No other funder is as dedicated to supporting threatened species.
Together, let’s forge a sustainable future for all species and the communities they sustain. Join us in creating a world where biodiversity thrives, endangered species flourish, and harmony between humans and nature prevails.
Small Grants
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund provides financial support in the form of small grants of less than $25,000 to conservation projects worldwide. These small grants are as much for the species as they are for the conservationists and organizations working so passionately to protect them.
Small Grants
Case Studies
The Fund is dedicated to empowering grassroots conservation initiatives that have a significant impact at a local level. Through our small grants program, we prioritise supporting efforts that often go unnoticed, ensuring that even the less charismatic species receive the attention they deserve.
Every species matters and plays a crucial role in the delicate balance of our ecosystems. By engaging with local communities and focusing on species conservation in their natural habitats whilst working hand in hand with nature, we can make a lasting difference. Together, let’s protect and celebrate the incredible diversity of life on our planet.
Rediscovery after 40 years
The big puma fungus, Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis, is a mysterious species of underground fungi found in Chile’s Nahuelbuta Mountains. It was initially discovered in the 1980s but was recently rediscovered by an expedition team from the Fungi Foundation and Fundación Nahuelbuta. This remarkable find marks the first rediscovery of a fungi species through the Search for Lost Species initiative, which aims to locate species that haven’t been sighted in at least a decade. With the support of the MBZF, the expedition team embarked on a journey to the temperate forests of the Nahuelbuta Mountains in May 2023, following the footsteps of Chilean mycologist Norberto Garrido, who first documented the big puma fungus in 1988. The expedition was meticulously timed to coincide with the exact dates of Garrido’s original exploration over 40 years ago. During their expedition, the team discovered a small mushroom on the first day that shared several characteristics with the big puma fungus. However, it was too tiny to definitively identify in the field. Despite searching for nearly six additional days, no similar mushrooms were found. It was on the last day of the expedition, during a community hike led by the...Read More
Small Grants
Small grants supported 2023
IUCN Red List classifications
Species Types
| Type | IUCN | Vernacular Name | Scientific Name | Name | Name of Organization | Country, Continent | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reptile | CR | Durban dwarf burrowing skink | Scelotes inornatus | Joshua Weeber | Endangered Wildlife Trust | South Africa, Africa | $24,966 |
| Reptile | CR | Painted terrapin | Batagur borneoensis | Muhammad Zaid Nasir | World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Malaysia) | Malaysia, Asia | $25,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Amamioshima dung beetle | Phelotrupes oshimanus | Mackenzie Kwak | Hokkaido University | Japan, Asia | $8,000 |
| Fungi | CR | Tapir’s bark polypore | Fomitiporia nubicola | Genivaldo Alves da Silva | Federal University of Santa Catarina | Brazil, South America | $14,000 |
| Fungi | VU | Lavender Baeospora | Baeospora myriadophylla | Reda Iršėnaitė | Nature Research Centre | Lithuania, Europe | $9,000 |
| Plant | NE | Small-leaved Currant Bush | Coprosma inopinata | Theodore Brook | Imperial College London and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Australia, Oceania | $7,000 |
| Plant | EN | Tawny Star of Bethlehem | Ornithogalum fuscescens | Aziz SALAMEH | AL Quds Open University | Palestinian territories, Asia | $10,000 |
| Plant | EN | Himalayan trillium | Trillium govanianum | RIZWANA KHANUM | PAKISTAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ISLAMABAD | Pakistan, Asia | $9,000 |
| Plant | EN | Aloe ankoberensis | Aloe ankoberensis | Abiyot Berhanu Wassie | Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute | Ethiopia, Africa | $16,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Tiger Beetles | Cicindelidae | Sanjay Molur | Zoo Outreach Organisation | India, Asia | $14,000 |
| Invertebrate | DD | Samastacus spinifrons | Samastacus spinifrons | Magdalena Huerta | Legado Chile Foundation | Chile, South America | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Yabassi freshwater crab | Louisea yabassi | Pierre Armand Mvogo Ndongo | Cameroon Association for Research on Crustaceans and Other Aquatic Resources | Cameroon, Africa | $9,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Nepal Wall | Lopinga lehmanni | Bimal Raj Shrestha | N/A | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Fish | EN | Clanwilliam sandfish | Labeo seeberi | Jeremy Shelton | Freshwater Research Centre | South Africa, Africa | $22,500 |
| Fish | CR | Duck-billed buntingi | Adrianichthys kruyti | Bayu Kreshna Adhitya Sumarto | Research Center for Conservation of Marine and Inland Water Reseources | Indonesia, Asia | $9,000 |
| Fish | CR | Decorated dwarf gourami | Parosphromenus ornaticauda | Winda Putri | Perkumpulan Kawan Konservasi Tropis | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Argelia robber frog | Pristimantis bernali | Ricardo Medina | TropiCall | Colombia, South America | $11,000 |
| Amphibian | NE | Tlalocohyla celeste | Tlalocohyla celeste | Valeria Aspinall | Costa Rica Wildlife Foundation | Costa Rica, North America | $9,500 |
| Amphibian | EN | Vampire flying frog | Vampyrius vampyrus | Duong Thi Thuy Le | VNUHCM-University of Science | Vietnam, Asia | $9,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Campell's alligator lizard | Abronia campbelli | Monica Torres | FUNDESGUA | Guatemala, North America | $6,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Antiguan Racer | Alsophis antiguae | Arica Hill | Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) | Antigua and Barbuda, North America | $13,000 |
| Bird | CR | Bengal Florican | Houbaropsis bengalensis | Chhote Lal Chowdhary | Biodiversity Conservation Center Nepal | Nepal, Asia | $11,500 |
| Bird | EN | Serendib scops owl | Otus thilohoffmanni | Kalya Subasinghe | N/A | Sri Lanka, Asia | $11,000 |
| Bird | EN | Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus | Mohamed Amezian | GREPOM/BirdLife Morocco | Morocco, Africa | $14,300 |
| Mammal | CR | Chinese Pangolin | Manis pentadactyla | Jeevan Rai | Nature Conservation and Study Centre (NCSC) | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Chinese Pangolin | Manis pentadactyla | Sagar Dahal | Florida International University | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Giant pangolin | Smutsia gigantea | MVO DENIS CHUO | University of Dschang | Cameroon, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | West African red colobus | Piliocolobus badius temminckii | Maria Ferreira da Silva | CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus de Vairão | Guinea-Bissau, Africa | $7,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Preuss’s red colobus | Piliocolobus preussi | Peter Mbile | Korup National Park | Cameroon, Africa | $12,500 |
| Mammal | CR | Tricolour langur | Presbytis chrysomelas cruciger | Filian Basri Irpan | Sangga Bumi Lestari | Indonesia, Asia | $12,500 |
| Mammal | EN | African savanna elephant | Loxodonta africana | Anagaw Atickem | Addis Ababa University | Ethiopia, Africa | $12,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Harrisoni’s Giant Mastiff Bat | Otomops harrisoni | Peace Iribagiza | Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association | Rwanda, Africa | $7,500 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Julius Mutale | Embaka | Uganda, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Emmanuel Akampurira | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Kouadio Juslin Hervé KOIGNY | Mimea Internationale | Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Southern tiger cat | Leopardus guttulus | Leonardo Alcântara | Rede Eco-Diversa para Conservação da Biodiversidade | Brazil, South America | $8,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Rusty-spotted cat | Prionailurus rubiginosus | Roshan Babu Adhikari | Rusty-spotted Cat Working Group (RSCWG) | Nepal, Asia | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Irene Natukunda | Embaka-Saving African golden cats | Uganda, Africa | $6,000 |
| Plant | NE | Neesiochloa barbata | Neesiochloa barbata | Yuri Couceiro | Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Plant | EN | Faveiro-da-mata | Dimorphandra exaltata | Andre Carneiro Muniz | Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Plant | NE | Guamirim-do-bananal | Myrceugenia bananalensis | Fábio Vieira | University of São Paulo | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Plant | CR | Commiphora wightii | Commiphora wightii | Muzafar Hussain | Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur | Pakistan, Asia | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Mayfly | Nathanella indica | Srinivasan Pandiarajan | The American College, Madurai | India, Asia | $3,500 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Gambilusa | Linderiella baetica | Vázquez Chanivet | Iberozoa | Spain, Europe | $5,000 |
| Fish | VU | Three-spot seahorse | Hippocampus trimaculatus | Shalu Kannan | Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, India | India, Asia | $4,995 |
| Amphibian | CR | Cemetery treefrog | Dendropsophus nekronastes | Iuri Ribeiro Dias | Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Bale mountain frog | Ericabatrachus baleensis | Wondifraw Zelelew | Jimma University | Ethiopia, Africa | $4,990 |
| Reptile | CR | Giant bronze gecko | Ailuronyx trachygaster | Markus Roesch | CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto | Seychelles, Africa | $4,980 |
| Reptile | CR | Egyptian tortoise | Testudo kleinmanni | Basem Motwaly | Nature Conservation Sector | Egypt, Africa | $5,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Dermatemys mawii | Dermatemys mawii | Rodrigo Mazariegos-Herrera | N/A | Guatemala, North America | $20,000 |
| Bird | CR | White bellied heron | Ardea insignis | Ugyen Wangchuk | Bhutan Tiger Center | Bhutan, Asia | $4,977 |
| Bird | EN | Grey-breasted Parakeet | Pyrrhura griseipectus | Justine Hanson | American Bird Conservancy | Brazil, South America | $16,500 |
| Mammal | CR | Chinese pangolin | Manis pentadactyla | Tulshi Suwal | Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Giant ground pangolin | Smutsia gigantea | Prince Pascal Agro | Alliance for Pangolin Conservation, Ghana (Pangolin-Gh) | Ghana, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Javan slow loris | Nycticebus javanicus | Anna Nekaris | Little Fireface Project | Indonesia, Asia | $11,715 |
| Mammal | NT | Asiatic wild ass | Equus hemionus | Noa Yaffa Kan | Ben-Gurion University of the Negev | Israel, Asia | $12,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Nordmann's birch mouse | Sicista loriger | Mikhail Rusin | Kyiv Zoo | Ukraine, Europe | $6,350 |
| Mammal | DD | Linduan rousette | Rousettus linduensis | Wahyudi Madia | Tadulako Ecology and Conservation (TANGKASI) | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Pampas cat | Leopardus garleppi | Zoila Vega-Guarderas | BioS - Research Center of Biodiversity & Sustainability | Peru, South America | $6,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Margay | Leopardus weiidi | Marvin Vladimir Giron Recinos | N/A | El Salvador, North America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Southern tiger cat | Leopardus guttulus | Vinicius de Morais | Pro-Carnivores Institute | Brazil, South America | $8,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Northern tiger-cat | Leopardus tigrinus oncilla | José Daniel Ramírez-Fernández | Awá Science & Conservation | Costa Rica, North America | $10,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Northern tiger-cat | Leopardus tigrinus | Tadeu de Oliveira | Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative | Brazil, South America | $11,060 |
| Mammal | EN | Andean Cat | Leopardus jacobita | Gabriel Llerena-Reategui | Asociación para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad Pro Carnívoros | Peru, South America | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Mitra Pandey | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $7,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Cheetah | Acinonyx jubatus | Rebecca Klein | Cheetah Conservation Botswana | Botswana, Africa | $8,635 |
| Mammal | EN | Andean Cat | Leopardus jacobita | Merinia Mendoza Almeida | Quechua women for the Conservation of Small Cats Association | Peru, South America | $6,000 |
| MBZ Special Focus | NE | Dung beetle | Scarabaeinae | Sopha Sin | Center for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC), Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) | Cambodia, Asia | $9,500 |
| Fish | CR | Ship sturgeon | Acipenser nudiventris | Tamar Beridze | Ilia State University | Georgia, Asia | $25,000 |
| Bird | CR | Chatham Island taiko | Pterodroma magentae | Edward Marshall | Wildlife Management International Limited | New Zealand, Oceania | $23,550 |
| Fungi | EN | Golden-gilled Waxy Cap | Hygrocybe flavifolia | Gabriela D'Elia | Fungal Diversity Survey (FUNDIS) | United States, North America | $9,000 |
| Fungi | EN | Swiss cheese mushroom | Rickiella edulis | Larissa Trierveiler Pereira | IUCN SSC Brazil Fungal Specialist Group | Brazil, South America | $10,000 |
| Plant | EN | Black oak | Trigonobalanus excelsa | Jorge Andres Ramirez Correa | Semilero de Investigación en Silvicultura Aplicada - Universidad del Cauca | Colombia, South America | $12,000 |
| Plant | DD | Magnolia banghamii | Magnolia banghamii | Jean Linsky | Atlanta Botanical Garden | Indonesia, Asia | $10,000 |
| Plant | CR | Senegalia pseudonigrescens | Senegalia pseudonigrescens | Befkadu Mewded Habtamu | Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute | Ethiopia, Africa | $10,000 |
| Plant | CR | Echinospartum algibicum | Echinospartum algibicum | Victor Jimenez | Asociación Medioambiental O-Live | Spain, Europe | $10,000 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Konrad's Bumblebee | Bombus konradini | Paolo Biella | University of Milano-Bicocca | Italy, Europe | $11,500 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Amami burrow mite | Walchia pentalagi | Mackenzie Kwak | Hokkaido University | Japan, Asia | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Peacock Parachute Spider | Poecilotheria metallica | Sanjay Molur | Zoo Outreach Organisation | India, Asia | $12,000 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Sandfish | Holothuria scabra | MOH. REZA SESE | Zoological Community Of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $5,500 |
| Fish | CR | Catfish | Heptapterus carmelitanorum | Felipe Ottoni | Federal University of Maranhão | Brazil, South America | $8,478 |
| Amphibian | CR | Jambato de Cuenca | Atelopus bomolochos | Laura Edelmira Lojano Guapacasa | Fundación Cordillera Tropical | Ecuador, South America | $10,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Nganha Night Frog | Astylosternus nganhanus | Geraud Canis Tasse Taboue | Environment and Communities Care Front | Cameroon, Africa | $14,750 |
| Amphibian | CR | Rowley’s Litter Toad | Leptobrachella rowleyae | Anh Van Pham | Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Science, Vietnam National University | Vietnam, Asia | $9,750 |
| Amphibian | CR | Paghman Mountain Salamander | Afghanodon mustersi | Mohammad Hassan Jafari | Baghlan university | Afghanistan, Asia | $5,000 |
| Reptile | NE | Gardel’s sand-dune lizard | Liolaemus gardeli | Laura Verrastro | Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul | Uruguay, South America | $14,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Orinoco crocodile | Crocodylus intermedius | Alvaro Velasco | Venezuela Crocodile Specialist Group (GECV) and FUDECI (Foundation of the National Academy of Physic | Venezuela, South America | $7,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Pancake tortoise | Malacochersus tornieri | Dominic Maringa | Lewa Wildlife Conservancy | Kenya, Africa | $15,000 |
| Bird | CR | Grenada Dove | Leptotilla wellsi | Lisa Sorenson | BirdsCaribbean | Grenada, North America | $12,000 |
| Bird | CR | Blue-eyed Ground-dove | Columbina cyanopis | Edson Ribeiro | SAVE Brasil | Brazil, South America | $12,000 |
| Bird | CR | White-winged Flufftail | Sarothrura ayresi | Girma Mengesha | Wildlife Conservation Team Charity Organization (WCTCO) | Ethiopia, Africa | $6,000 |
| Bird | CR | Brazilian Merganser | Mergus octosetaceus | Paulo de Tarso Antas | FUNATURA | Brazil, South America | $15,000 |
| Bird | CR | Red-fronted Macaw | Ara rubrogenys | Tjalle Boorsma | Asociación Armonia | Bolivia, South America | $8,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Western Hoolock gibbon | Hoolock hoolock | Jihosuo Biswas | Conservation Himalayas | India, Asia | $12,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Peleng Tarsier | Tarsius pelengensis | Ray Randers | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | DD | Bicolored Banded Langur | Presbytis bicolor | Ahmad Mursyid | MABBI | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | White-bellied pangolin | Phataginus tricuspis | GBONGBOUI Comlan | Centre d'Action pour la Protection de l'Environnement et la Santé | Benin, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Malabar Civet | Viverra civettina | Divyadharshini Shanthakrishnan | Czech University of Life sciences Prague (CZU) | India, Asia | $7,800 |
| Mammal | DD | Eastern Cordillera Small-footed Shrew | Cryptotis brachyonyx | Darwin Morales-Martínez | Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University | Colombia, South America | $12,500 |
| Mammal | CR | San Quintín Kangaroo Rat | Dipodomys gravipes | Fernando Gavito | Terra Peninsular, A.C. | Mexico, North America | $8,500 |
| Plant | EN | Vellozia sessilis | Vellozia sessilis | Bianca Schindler | University of Brasilia | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Plant | CR | Begonia montis-elephantis | Begonia montis-elephantis | Eric NGANSOP TCHATCHOUANG | National Herbarium of Cameroon-IRAD | Cameroon, Africa | $4,410 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Pachychilidae snail | Tylomelania zeamais | Muhammad Iqram | Tapak Diversitas Hayati Nusantara (TARSIUS) | Indonesia, Asia | $4,983 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Phoxocephalopsis ruffoi | Phoxocephalopsis ruffoi | Giovanna Reis | N/A | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Rameshwaram parachute spider | Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica | Mathew Joseph | Division of Arachnology, Sacred Heart College, Kochi, Kerala | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Fish | CR | Madagascar Blind fish | Typhleotris pauliani | Sama Zefania | Institute of higher education | Madagascar, Africa | $9,313 |
| Fish | NE | Tucacas killifish | Austrofundulus leohoignei | Douglas Rodríguez Olarte | Regional Fish Collection. Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado. UCLA | Venezuela, South America | $4,990 |
| Fish | NE | Pachypanchax sp. | Pachypanchax sp. | Mendrika Nina RAZAFINDRAIBE | N/A | Madagascar, Africa | $7,660 |
| Fish | CR | Spiny Butterfly Ray | Gymnura altavela | Emina Karalic | Sharklab Adria | Albania, Europe | $6,059 |
| Fish | CR | Scalloped hammerhead shark | Sphyrna lewini | Julio Sánchez | Blue World Foundation | Guatemala, North America | $5,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Three stripped roofed turtle | Batagur dhongoka | Rajeev Chauhan | Society for Conservation of Nature (SCoN) | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Reptile | DD | African Turtles & Tortoises | Testudines | Tomas Diagne | African Chelonian Institute | Senegal, Africa | $9,000 |
| Bird | CR | Great Indian Bustard | Ardeotis nigriceps | Rakesh Kalva | Wildlife Research & Conservation Society | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Black Rhino | Diceros bicornis michaeli | Laura Jowell | Zoological Society of London | Kenya, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Mountain anoa | Bubalus quarlesi | Anggra Alfian | Yayasan Aksi Konservasi Celebica / Celebica Conservation Action | Indonesia, Asia | $9,000 |
| Mammal | EN | red capped mangabey | Cercocebus torquatus | IBRAHIM NWUKI | University of Dschang | Cameroon, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Mountain anoa | Bubalus quarlesi | Dirham Dirham | Tangkasi | Indonesia, Asia | $6,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Cuban Solenodon | Atopogale cubana | Margarita Sánchez Losada | Centro Oriental de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (BIOECO) | Cuba, North America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Owston's civet | Chrotogale owstoni | Jes Hooper | The Civet Project Foundation | Vietnam, Asia | $2,935 |
| Mammal | NT | Pampas cat | Leopardus colocola | Patricio Muñoz Peña | Fundación Con Garra - Conservación de Felinos Nativos | Chile, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Güiña | Leopardus guigna | Melanie Kaiser | Fundación Con Garra - Conservación de Felinos Nativos | Chile, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | NT | Asiatic golden cat | Catopuma temminckii | Gyajo Lama Bhote | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $7,500 |
| Mammal | VU | guigna | Leopardus guigna | Carolina Susana Ugarte | N/A | Chile, South America | $5,983 |
| Mammal | VU | Güiña | Leopardus guigna | Christofer Olea | Colocolo Project | Chile, South America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Dikpal Krishna Karmacharya | Clouded Leopard Working Group (CLWG) | Nepal, Asia | $5,900 |
| Mammal | VU | Andean tiger cat | Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides | Juan Camilo Cepeda Duque | Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative - Colombia | Colombia, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | VU | African Golden Cat | Caracal aurata | Elie SINAYITUTSE | NATURE RWANDA | Rwanda, Africa | $5,000 |
| Fungi | NE | Big Puma Fungus | Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis | Daniela Torres | Fundación Fungi | Chile, South America | $10,000 |
| Fungi | NE | Lamelloporus americanus | Lamelloporus americanus | Elisandro Ricardo Drechsler dos Santos | MIND.Funga Research Group (Federal University of Santa Catarina) | Brazil, South America | $13,000 |
| Plant | CR | Extinct Belly-Flower | Gasteranthus extinctus | Dawson White | Harvard University | Ecuador, South America | $12,000 |
| Plant | EN | Black cinnamon | Ocotea catharinensis | Neil Brummitt | Natural History Museum | Brazil, South America | $10,000 |
| Plant | DD | Living Stone | Lithops gracilidelineata | Sebastian Hatt | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Namibia, Africa | $7,500 |
| Plant | EN | Trichoscypha hallei | Trichoscypha hallei | Tchomcheni Aude Jolie | Green Connexion | Cameroon, Africa | $10,000 |
| Plant | EN | Bearded Stonewort | Lychnothamnus barbatus | Michelle Casanova | Charophyte Services | Australia, Oceania | $13,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Anarchita aptera | Anarchita aptera | Dhaneesh Bhaskar | IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group | India, Asia | $12,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Fairy shrimp | Streptocephalus manyarensis | Yusuph Aron Kafula | Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology | Tanzania, Africa | $12,500 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Gambles's relic | Pentaphlebia gamblesi | Abiodun Adedapo | Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, | Nigeria, Africa | $7,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Papyrus Wisp | Agriocnemis palaeforma | Viola Clausnitzer | Senckenberg | Rwanda, Africa | $10,000 |
| Fish | CR | Corfu valencia | Valencia letourneuxi | Kastriot Korro | Agricultural University of Tirana | Greece, Europe | $8,900 |
| Fish | CR | Wayanad Mahseer | Neolissochilus wynaadensis | Anoop V K | Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies | India, Asia | $10,720 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Eastman’s Cape Stag Beetle | Colophon eastmani | Johan du Plessis | Endangered Wildlife Trust | South Africa, Africa | $24,081 |
| Amphibian | CR | Sette Fratelli Cave Salamander | Speleomantes sarrabusensis | Leonardo Vignoli | Department of Sciences - University Roma Tre | Italy, Europe | $14,500 |
| Amphibian | CR | Starry Night Harlequin toad | Atelopus arsyecue | JOSE LUIS PEREZ | Fundacion Atelopus | Colombia, South America | $6,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Manengouba long-fingered frog | Cardioglossa Manengouba | Michele Marina Kameni Ngalieu | Herp-Cameroon | Cameroon, Africa | $14,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Utila Spiny-tailed Iguana | Ctenosaura bakeri | Tom Brown | NGO Kanahau Wildlife Conservation Organization | Honduras, North America | $12,500 |
| Reptile | CR | Elongated tortoise | Indotestudo elongata | Sangay Tshewang | College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan. C/o Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park | Bhutan, Asia | $5,500 |
| Reptile | CR | Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle | Rafetus swinhoei | Pearson McGovern | Turtle Sanctuary Conservation Center | Vietnam, Asia | $10,000 |
| Bird | EN | Black-fronted Piping-guan | Pipile jacutinga | Alecsandra Tassoni | SAVE Brasil | Brazil, South America | $16,640 |
| Mammal | EN | Reticulated giraffe | Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata | Abdullahi Ali | Hirola Conservation Program | Kenya, Africa | $15,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Ashy Red Colobus | Piliocolobus tephrosceles | Michael Stern | New Nature Foundation | Uganda, Africa | $15,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Delacour’s langur | Trachypithecus delacouri | Bui Tung | Center for Nature Conservation and Development | Vietnam, Asia | $13,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Bengal slow loris | Nycticebus bengalensis | Sabit Hasan | Isabela Foundation, Dhaka-1209 | Bangladesh, Asia | $15,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Delacour's langur | Trachypithecus delacouri | Govinda Lienart | Three Monkeys Wildlife Conservancy | Vietnam, Asia | $12,500 |
| Plant | EN | Baker's Drepanolejeunea | Drepanolejeunea bakeri | Eugene Lorence Logatoc | N/A | Philippines, Asia | $5,000 |
| Plant | EN | Senegalia venosa | Senegalia venosa | Mehari Girmay | Gullele Botanical Garden | Ethiopia, Africa | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Arasbaran Anomalous Blue | Polyommatus arasbarani | Karen Aghababyan | BirdLinks Armenia NGO | Armenia, Asia | $3,680 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Katydid | Macroscirtus kekeunoui | Simeu Noutchom Alain | University of Yaounde 1 | Cameroon, Africa | $3,978 |
| Fish | CR | Tamazulapan Tetra | Astynax salvatoris | Topiltzin Contreras | Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos | Mexico, North America | $6,500 |
| Amphibian | CR | Harlequin Frog of Niquitao | Atelopus chrysocorallus | Enrique La Marca | REVA Conservation Center | Venezuela, South America | $5,000 |
| Reptile | EN | Black cheek lizard | Calotes nigrilabris | Yohan Weerasuriya | Federation of Environmental Organizations | Sri Lanka, Asia | $4,950 |
| Reptile | CR | Hoshell´s Forest Racer snake | Dendrophidion boshelli | Julián Rojas Morales | Universidad de Caldas | Colombia, South America | $4,550 |
| Reptile | CR | Big-headed turtle | Platysternon megacephalum | Mark Herse | King Mongkut's University of Science and Technology Thonburi | Thailand, Asia | $8,813 |
| Reptile | NT | Black Spiny Necked Turtle | Acanthochelys spixii | Vivian Páez | IUCN/SSC Red-List coordinator TFTSG | Colombia, South America | $5,000 |
| Bird | CR | Alagoas Antwren | Myrmotherula snowi | Justine Hanson | American Bird Conservancy | Brazil, South America | $21,460 |
| Bird | CR | Bengal Florican | Houbaropsis bengalensis blandini | Philipp Wagner | Westfälischer Zoologischer Garten GmbH / Allwetterzoo | Cambodia, Asia | $19,900 |
| Mammal | DD | Morris’s bat | Myotis morrisi | Dessalegn Obsi Gemeda | Jimma University | Ethiopia, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Red Panda | Ailurus fulgens | Badri Baral | Nature Conservation Initiative Nepal(NCI-Nepal) | Nepal, Asia | $9,510 |
| Mammal | EN | Giant ground pangolin | Smutsia gigantea | Esong Ebong | N/A | Cameroon, Africa | $9,755 |
| Mammal | NT | Marbled cat | Pardofelis marmorata | Sonam Tashi Lama | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African Golden Cat | Caracal aurata | Pettoy Kamara | Forestry Division, Ministry of the Environment | Sierra Leone, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Emanuel Henry Martin | College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka | Tanzania, Africa | $7,500 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Cyrus Langat | N/A | Kenya, Africa | $4,837 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Isaac Twinomuhangi | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Northern Tiger cat | Leopardus tigrinus | Pedro Heredia | Private Conservation Area Milpuj-La Heredad | Peru, South America | $4,900 |
| Mammal | EN | Tiger | Panthera tigris | Aswin KS | College of Natural Resources | Bhutan, Asia | $3,998 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Purna Bahadur Ale | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $7,500 |
| Type | IUCN | ||||||
Partner Projects
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund’s partner grants portfolio comprises various conservation initiatives, powered by contributions from partners with philanthropic or impact interests.
Mubadala Investment Partner Project
Mubadala sponsored projects
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund is implementing a three-year partnership with Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi owned sovereign wealth fund, to support conservation globally. The partnership covers a vast geographical area, spanning across five countries and four continents. The partnership supports eleven projects in Colombia, Thailand, Guinea, Indonesia and Canada focusing on species conservation, habitat restoration, community engagement and environmental education.
The loss of wild species and their habitats has severe consequences, disrupting the natural functions that sustain life, fulfill essential needs for people and economies, provide aesthetic values, and shape cultural identities that have developed over centuries. The root cause of this problem lies in the pursuit of growth, bound by the finite nature of our planet.
Species conservation encounters multiple challenges, ranging from a lack of data to loss of habitat.
By partnering, MBZF and Mubadala not only addressed these challenges head-on, but also committed to making a positive impact on both biodiversity and the well-being of the community in global biodiversity hotspots. Together with MBZF collaborators we initiated local solutions to global problems.
View websitePartner Projects
Large Project Stories 2023
Large projects Canada 2023
Habitat restoration for the conservation of the Canadian Greater sage-grouse
Large projects Guinea 2023
Protecting Our Waters: Safeguarding the African Manatee, Atlantic Humpback Dolphin, and Marine Turtles
Large Projects in Indonesia 2023
Conserving Indonesia's Treasures: Protecting Wild Cats, Coral Reefs, and Seagrass Ecosystems
Large projects Thailand 2023
Safeguarding river ecosystems and coastal habitats to protect riverine species and migratory birds
Philanthropy
The MBZ Fund manages a portfolio of Abu Dhabi's philanthropic interests related to species conservation that extends across the world and different species.
Philanthropy
Panthera
The Global Alliance for Wild Cats in an international coalition of the world’s leading environmental philanthropists who share an extraordinary vision to preserve global wildlife habitat and biodiversity by protecting the world’s wild cats.
Panthera, is creating a world where wild cats thrive in healthy, natural and developed landscapes that sustain people and biodiversity. Through cutting-edge scientific research, strategic species recovery, habitat restoration and collaboration with communities and partners, we’re protecting the world’s 40 species of wild cats and helping ensure a future for us all.
In partnership with Panthera, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund on behalf of the Global Alliance for Wild Cats is developing and managing a customized small-grants mechanism, designed to engage with Indigenous organizations to protect biocultural diversity in critical landscapes, and participate actively in the protection of wild cat conservation.
Accomplishments include:
- Formulating a comprehensive strategy to study and conserve the 33 species of small cats.
- 6 million square kilometers of habitat prioritized for the protection through the Jaguar Corridor initiative.
- Seven Counter-Wildlife Crime information hubs around the world.
- 30,000 PantheraCam camera traps have been set to date.
- 2,145 children has been taught the importance of jaguars at Panthera’s Jaguar School.
- Building the Tigers Forever Protocol, which has helped tiger populations rebound in key sites across India and Nepal and is turning the tide against poachers in Southeast Asia.
- Forging an extraordinary alliance between six Indigenous tribes and state and national government agencies to preserve pumas and bobcats in Washington State.
Our impact can also be measured by the growth of other local wildlife species, the economic opportunities and benefits our projects provide to local communities, the reduction of incidents of crime and wildlife part trafficking in and around protected areas and the number of people who join our movement. Protecting cats provides a host of ecosystem and community benefits, from the maintenance of key watersheds to the creation of ecosystem industry jobs.
View websiteFinancials
Endowment
The endowment
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund’s endowment was established in April 2009 with an initial allocation of $27.5 million and has since been managed to ensure the financial sustainability of its small grants program in perpetuity.
The long-term objective of the endowment, as outlined in its Investment Policy Statement is:
- to make annual distributions for the benefit of species conservation, in accordance with the MBZ Fund’s spending rule,
- to preserve the capital in US dollars over a 10-year time horizon; and, to the extent that these two objectives are met,
- to grow the capital by having financial returns in excess of the distributions made.
The endowment’s capital has increased from $27.5 million at its inception to $29.8 million by the end of 2023, while $21.3 million has been distributed in grants during this period*, successfully achieving all three of its goals.
In Q1-2023, the Fund revised its Investment Policy, aiming for a long-term net return of 4.5%, measured in USD and using a total return approach, on assets over approximately 8-10 years. The Board considered a risk tolerance of a maximum 15% loss over one year, measured using an Expected Shortfall at a 95% confidence interval.
Since inception, the annualised net performance has been +4.89%, exceeding the target, while the last five years have seen a +6.27% annual return.
The endowment is managed through discretionary mandates by Goldman Sachs (equities, fixed income) and Banque Pictet (private equity, hedge funds), along with two self-directed investments in Core/Core+ real estate (PGIM, Blackstone) and one in hedge funds (Aurum Millenium).
* Additional distributions to the benefit of species conservation were made outside of the endowment (directly from donations), to the tune of $4.2m, bringing the total to $25.5m.
Markets and performance in 2023
The year 2023 was marked by significant market events that required careful navigation by investors. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March triggered major upheaval, leading to dramatic shifts in the bond market. By May, enthusiasm for AI spurred a rally in big tech stocks, while summer brought a bond selloff that briefly pushed the 10-year US Treasury yield above 5%. Geopolitical concerns, particularly following Hamas’ attack on Israel in October, loomed large. However, an impressive rally emerged in late October as declining inflation raised hopes for a soft landing, further supported in December by the US Federal Reserve’s indication of 75 basis points of rate cuts for 2024.
Despite the volatility, most assets performed well in 2023, with the S&P 500 index recording a +26.3% total return, driven by a +107% increase in the “Magnificent Seven” stocks. Bonds returned to positive territory after two years of losses, while European property values struggled due to higher rates. In this context, the MBZF portfolio achieved a +6.23% return, translating to an annualized 6.27% over the past five years, outperforming the average balanced USD portfolio’s +4.77% return.
The “conventional” portfolio managed by Goldman Sachs delivered +12.05%, while the “alternative” portfolio managed by Banque Pictet and MBZF directly yielded +3.08%, reflecting the lag in private asset valuations.
* Source: ARC PCI indices, 140 contributing financial institutions across Europe, more than 300’000 portfolios.
Beyond 2023
The Investment Policy Statement (IPS) had been revised during the course of 2022 (and the next revision took place in H1-2024).
An IPS is typically reviewed every three years; however, the review date was advanced due to a significant capital injection from the Presidential Court, consisting of a $40 million donation pledge spread over four years. This substantial increase in the endowment size will enable the SCF to award more grants in the future while also allowing for greater diversification, and thus more resilience, within the endowment portfolio.
Financials
Distribution of funds
In 2023, the Fund distributed a total of $1,637,581 which included a generous $126,813.00 donation from the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation (SWCCF) and $11,000.00 from Advisory Board member Bill Konstant. This support enabled the Fund to back a total of 179 projects, including five Chairman’s Awards, across 64 countries. Notably, the average grant size rose from $8,913.92 in 2022 to $10,296.70, largely due to the additional contributions from SWCCF and Bill Konstant.
Distribution of funds by species type
Distribution of funds by continent
Distribution of Funds by IUCN Red List
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund remains dedicated to fulfilling the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to support species conservation efforts in all their forms across the globe. Inspired by this vision, and the dedication of the many conservationists, researchers and scientists working in the field to assess and protect our most vulnerable flora and fauna, the Fund is committed to preserving the extraordinary biodiversity of Earth for generations to come.
www.speciesconservation.org
Mailing address:
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund
P.O. Box 131112
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
