Protected: Annual Report 2024
Together towards a better tomorrow
Baba Dioum said it best: “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” Collaboration is the key to unlocking impactful conservation, and 2024 stands as a testament to this for the Fund. Through partnerships with government, local organisations, and global allies, we have witnessed the transformative power of working together. These collective efforts are showcased in the 2024 annual report, highlighting significant wins for biodiversity.
Foreword
2024 MBZF Annual Report Foreword. Theme “Together Towards a Better Tomorrow”
Conservation’s greatest achievements emerge when we work together. At the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, this principle guides everything we do. Each grant we award represents more than funding—it is a partnership with dedicated individuals and organizations on the frontlines of species conservation.
Throughout 2024, our impact has been amplified by an extraordinary network of conservationists, local communities, and partners who share our commitment to protecting the world’s most vulnerable species. Together, we have supported initiatives driven by scientific rigor, enriched by indigenous knowledge, and strengthened through collaborative action.
The projects featured in this report showcase the transformative power of these partnerships. From remote field sites to community-led conservation efforts, each success story demonstrates how collective determination can create lasting change for threatened species and the ecosystems they call home.
As we look toward the future, we remain steadfast in our mission to empower those working tirelessly on the ground. Together, we continue building pathways toward a better tomorrow for all life on Earth.
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak
Executive Managing Director
About Us
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, an Erth Zayed Affiliate, 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.
A sustainable future does not come from the safeguarding of just a few popular animals or keystone species. Nature is a complex and delicate web of coexistence, collaboration, and predation. When one thread of this web is placed at risk, all species suffer.
Human activity is responsible for the rapid deterioration of this web as we exploit the world for financial gain, destroying habitats for the resources within these fragile ecosystems. With an estimated 13-14 million species believed to call earth home, we have managed to only document roughly 14% of which 46,337 are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List, including 41% of amphibians, 71% of cycads and 27% of mammals.
Harlequin toad project in Ecuador
Though the situation seems dire, there is still hope. We at the Muhamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund believe that one step, however small, is better than no step at all. This year alone, the Fund has supported 238 projects, across 64 countries, investing $2,231,317 back into global conservation. This spread-out approach ensures that all species, famous or yet unknown, are given the support they deserve.
The year of 2024 has been one of reconstruction and collaboration for us at the Fund, as we excitedly watch the efforts mount. With each completed project, rediscovered species and reclaimed habitat, our grant recipients are keeping the fire of hope for a sustainable future lit, working around the clock to fold humanity back into the complex web that is our planet’s ecology.
Taking notes on the Pygmy Chameleon in Malawi
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 committed to empowering grassroots conservation initiatives that create significant local impact. Through our small grants programme, we prioritize support for less charismatic species, ensuring they receive the attention they deserve.
By engaging with local communities and focusing on species conservation in their natural habitats, we work hand in hand with nature to effect lasting change. Every species matters and plays a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Together, let’s protect and celebrate the remarkable diversity of life on our planet.
Cross border conservation collaboration
The canopies of the tropical dry forest of Cotsa Rica are home to a diverse range of species, including the critically endangered Yellow-Naped Amazon (Amazona auropalliata) a favourite of the illegal pet trade because of their bright plumage, impressive speech ability and social nature. Together with illegal trade, habitat destruction from urban development and other activities such as farming has pushed the bird to the brink but with a Grant from MBZ and special assistance from the UAE Embassy in Costa Rica led by H.E. Rawdha Mohamed Jumaa Mohamed Alotaiba who facilitated the grant, Abraham Hernández Bacca and his team at the Toucan Rescue Ranch refuse to accept what seemed to be the Yellow-Naped Amazon’s fate. Their latest project is focused on boosting the bird’s numbers and raising awareness in local communities. The 6 present Yellow-Naped Amazon pairs were given new breeding enclosures and nest boxes at the Toucan Rescue Ranch’s release site in Sarapiqui. With this helping hand, and continuous monitoring, the team are hopeful to see an increase in chick numbers and survival rates, securing the next generation of Yellow-Naped Amazons. By continuing the education of local communities and forming alliances with...Read More
Small Grants
Small grants supported 2024
IUCN Red List classifications
Species Types
| Type | IUCN | Vernacular Name | Scientific Name | Name | Name of Organization | Country, Continent | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBZ Special Focus | NE | Protozapotecia angelesae | Protozapotecia angelesae | Grisel de la Caridad Cabrera Dávila | Ecology and Systematics Institute | Cuba, North America | $5,000 |
| Fungi | EN | Boletus chilensis | Boletus chilensis | INGRID RUTH SEMPÉRTEGUI ALVEAR | N/A | Chile, South America | $5,000 |
| Fungi | CR | Hongo del coco | Phlebopus bruchii | Gerardo Robledo | Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias Centro de Transferencia de Bioi | Argentina, South America | $17,000 |
| Plant | CR | Nymphoides macrospermum | Nymphoides macrospermum | Pradeep N.S | KSCSTE- Malabar Botanical Garden & Institute for Plant Sciences | India, Asia | $17,000 |
| Plant | EN | Operculicarya pachypus | Operculicarya pachypus | Princy Rajaonarivelo Andrianina | Kew Madagascar / Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Madagascar, Africa | $12,000 |
| Plant | EW | Kalimantan mango | Mangifera casturi | Range Harnata Palodang | The Ethnobiological Society of Indonesia | Indonesia, Asia | $10,000 |
| Plant | EX | Sándalo | Santalum fernandezianum | Ben Nyberg | National Tropical Botanical Garden | Chile, South America | $19,000 |
| Plant | CR | Sang's Paphiopedilum | Paphiopedilum sangii | Muhammad Fajri Ramadhan | Celebica Conservation Action | Indonesia, Asia | $3,605 |
| Plant | EN | Bankoualé palm | Livistona carinensis | Ahmed Awale | Candlelight for Environment, Education & Health | Somaliland, Africa | $14,000 |
| Plant | CR | Memecylon incisilobum | Memecylon incisilobum | Mário Machunguene Jr | Department of Biological Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University | Mozambique, Africa | $15,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Caribbean Metalmark | Dianesia carteri ramsdeni | Yosiel Alvarez | Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática | Cuba, North America | $4,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Cave tube-worm | Marifugia cavatica | Ana Komerički | Croatian Biospeleological Society | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe | $10,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Pemba Featherleg | Proplatycnemis pembipes | Viola Clausnitzer | Senckenberg | Tanzania, Africa | $11,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Greek Red Damselfly | Pyrrhosoma elisabethae | Eleana Kazila | Dragonfly Conservation Europe | Greece, Europe | $23,780 |
| Invertebrate | DD | Double banded forest damselfly | Drepanosticta sundana | Puji Lestari | Endemic Indonesia Society | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Mt. Bamboutos Black Grasshopper | Parapterotiltus bamboutos | Charly Oumarou Ngoute | University of Douala, Faculty of Sciencies, Cameroon | Cameroon, Africa | $10,000 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Almeja de río | Leila blainvilleana | Cristhian Clavijo | Vida Silvestre Uruguay | Uruguay, South America | $4,900 |
| Invertebrate | NE | mejillón de río | Haasica balzani | Rebeca Carballo | BIVAAS South American Freshwater mussels, National Museum of Natural History of Paraguay | Paraguay, South America | $6,500 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Macrobrachium purpureamanus | Macrobrachium purpureamanus | Lora Purnamasari | Ekspedisi Riset Akuatik (ERA) Indonesia | Indonesia, Asia | $4,800 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Poplar hawkmoth | Laothoe philerema | Abdulaziz Davlatov | E.N. Pavlovsky Institute of Zoology and Parasitology, National Academy of sciences of Tajikistan | Tajikistan, Asia | $3,800 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Katydid | Macroscirtus kekeunoui | Simeu Noutchom Alain | University of Yaounde 1 | Cameroon, Africa | $3,000 |
| Fish | EN | Bamileke Killi | Aphyosemion bamilekorum | Ornella Paceli TUEKENG EVOBA | Hydrobiology and Environment Research Laboratory, University of Yaounde 1 | Cameroon, Africa | $4,850 |
| Fish | EN | Periyar Barb | Hypselobarbus periyarensis | Smrithy Raj | N/A | India, Asia | $10,500 |
| Fish | EN | Tiger-tail Seahorse | Hippocampus comes | Amanda Vincent | Project Seahorse | Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia | Indonesia, Asia | $24,977 |
| Fish | CR | Licorice Gourami gunawani | Parosphromenus gunawani | Mira Aristawidya | ENVIIRO Foundation | Indonesia, Asia | $9,500 |
| Fish | EN | Rono | Oryzias bonneorum | Abdul Gani | ERA Indonesia | Indonesia, Asia | $4,500 |
| Fish | EN | Philippine Medaka | Oryzias luzonensis | Faith Tadeo | Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University | Philippines, Asia | $7,000 |
| Fish | CR | Niger Stingray | Fontitrygon garouaensis | Lotanna Micah Nneji | Howard University, Washington DC | Nigeria, Africa | $10,000 |
| Fish | EN | Spiny Butterfly Ray | Gymnura altavela | Emina Karalic | Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology | Albania, Europe | $11,500 |
| Fish | CR | Scalloped hammerhead shark | Sphyrna lewini | Julio Sánchez | Blue World Foundation – FUNMZ- | Guatemala, North America | $8,400 |
| Amphibian | CR | Pehuenche spiny-chest frog | Alsodes pehuenche | Gabriela Diaz | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo | Argentina, South America | $4,950 |
| Amphibian | CR | Micro Frog | Microbatrachella capensis | Kurt van Wyk | Grootbos Foundation | South Africa, Africa | $4,960 |
| Amphibian | EN | Long-toed Tree Frog | Leptopelis xenodactylus | Jeanne Tarrant | Anura Africa | South Africa, Africa | $12,500 |
| Amphibian | EN | Green-Eyed Frog | Lithobates vibicarius | Steven Whitfield | Audubon Nature Institute | Costa Rica, North America | $16,000 |
| Amphibian | EN | Oriente Dark-bellied Frog | Eleutherodactylus intermedius | Irelis Bignotte | N/A | Cuba, North America | $3,000 |
| Amphibian | EN | Golden Tree Frog | Phytotriades auratus | Richard Lehtinen | The College of Wooster | Trinidad and Tobago, North America | $4,940 |
| Amphibian | CR | Hansen’s warty | Callulina hanseni | JOSEPH MBOYA | TANZANIA RESEARCH CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION | Tanzania, Africa | $5,685 |
| Amphibian | CR | Bearded Salamander | Pseudoeurycea tenchalli | Adán Bautista del Moral | Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. | Mexico, North America | $5,855 |
| Reptile | CR | Utila Spiny-tailed Iguana | Ctenosaura bakeri | Tom W. Brown | Kanahau Wildlife Conservation Organization | Honduras, North America | $19,500 |
| Reptile | EN | Talaud mangrove monitor | Varanus lirungensis | Auni Ade Putri | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $9,736 |
| Reptile | NE | Agumbe dwarf shieldtail | Teretrurus agumbensis | Akshay Lakshminarayan | Kalinga foundation | India, Asia | $3,500 |
| Reptile | EN | Cantor's pitviper | Trimeresurus cantori | Naveen R S | The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust & Centre for Herpetology | India, Asia | $4,550 |
| Reptile | CR | Siamese Crocodile | Crocodylus siamensis | Robert van Zalinge | Wildlife Conservation Society - Laos | Laos, Asia | $24,970 |
| Reptile | CR | Hoge’s Side-necked Turtle | Ranacephala hogei | Luiza Passos | Rede Eco-Diversa para Conservação da Biodiversidade | Brazil, South America | $15,000 |
| Reptile | NT | Pacific Coast Musk Turtle | Staurotypus salvinii | Eduardo Reyes Grajales | Turtle Survival Alliance | Mexico, North America | $14,100 |
| Reptile | CR | Black Softshell turtle | Nilssonia nigricans | Sushmita Kar | TSA Foundation India | India, Asia | $13,500 |
| Bird | CR | Juan Fernandez Firecrown | Sephanoides fernandensis | Valentina Colodro | Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge | Chile, South America | $25,000 |
| Bird | EN | Forty-spotted pardalote | Pardalotus quadragintus | Fernanda Alves de Amorim | Australian National University | Australia, Oceania | $15,000 |
| Bird | CR | Polynesian ground dove | Alopecoenas erythropterus | Caroline Blanvillain | Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie 'Association Manu' | French Polynesia, Oceania | $17,000 |
| Bird | CR | Brazilian Merganser | Mergus octosetaceus | Paulo de Tarso Antas | FUNATURA | Brazil, South America | $20,000 |
| Bird | CR | Red-fronted Macaw | Ara rubrogenys | Romeo Rojas-Estrada | Asociación Armonía | Bolivia, South America | $8,000 |
| Bird | CR | Banggai crow | Corvus unicolor | Mochamad Indrawan | Universitas Indonesia - Research Center for Climate Change | Indonesia, Asia | $7,900 |
| Bird | EN | Sokoke Scops Owl | Otus ireneae | Martin Mwema | A Rocha Kenya | Kenya, Africa | $12,000 |
| Bird | EN | Sokoke scops owl | Otus ireneae | Ezra Peter Mremi | Sokoine University of Agriculture | Tanzania, Africa | $16,400 |
| Bird | CR | Maleo | Macrocephalon maleo | Fajra S. Djena | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $9,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Bahamian Hutia | Geocapromys ingrahami | Ros Kennerley | IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, based at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust | Bahamas, North America | $9,300 |
| Mammal | EN | Golden-rumped sengi | Rhynchocyon chrysopygus | Jessica Carey | Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest | Kenya, Africa | $12,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Greater Caribbean Manatee | Trichechus manatus manatus | Anmari Alvarez Aleman | Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute | Cuba, North America | $12,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Mountain tapir | Tapirus pinchaque | Omar Landázuri | Fundación Sur Silvestre | Ecuador, South America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | African wild ass | Equus africanus | Redae Tesfai | Colorado State University | Somaliland, Africa | $12,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Okapi | Okapia johnstoni | Berce Nsafuansa | Okapi Conservation Project | Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa), Africa | $20,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Nubian giraffe | Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis | Mengistu Wale Molalign | Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute | Ethiopia, Africa | $15,000 |
| Mammal | DD | Lariang tarsier | Tarsius Lariang | Ongky Ongky | N/A | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Red-bellied Monkey. | Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster | Akovognon Jérôme DOHOU | NGO ACT FOR SUSTAINABLE ACTIONS | Benin, Africa | $9,800 |
| Mammal | CR | Pig-Tailed Snub-nosed Langur | Simias concolor | Sepriyoga Virdana | N/A | Indonesia, Asia | $7,400 |
| Mammal | EN | Ashy Red Colobus | Piliocolobus tephrosceles | Michael Stern | New Nature Foundation | Uganda, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Western lowland gorilla | Gorilla gorilla gorilla | Bionick Andrey Mokoke | The Jane Goodall Institute | Congo, Republic of (Congo-Brazzaville), Africa | $18,000 |
| Mammal | EN | White-bellied pangolin | Phataginus tripiscus | Esong Ebong | Foundation for Restoration and Environmental Conservation (FReECo) | Cameroon, Africa | $9,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Chinese pangolin | Manis Pentadactyla | Sandeep Shrestha | Biodiversity Conservancy Nepal | Nepal, Asia | $4,700 |
| Mammal | EN | African Elephant | Loxodonta Africana | GLADYS KAMASANYU | Help Afrcian Animals | Uganda, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Pampas Cat | Leopardus garleppi | Zoila Vega- Guarderas | Centro de Investigación Biodiversidad Sostenible BioS | Peru, South America | $8,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded tiger-cat | Leopardus pardinoides | Catalina Sanchez Lalinde | N/A | Colombia, South America | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Southern tiger cat | Leopardus guttulus | Vinicius de Morais | Pro-Carnivores Institute | Brazil, South America | $10,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Andean Cat | Leopardus jacobita | Merinia Mendoza Almeida | Quechua Women’s Association for the Conservation of Small Cats | Peru, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | VU | tiger cat | Leopardus tigrinus | Viviana Albarracin | Pampas cat working group | Bolivia, South America | $4,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Northern tiger-cat | Leopardus tigrinus | Gitana Cavalcanti | Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative | Brazil, South America | $6,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Margay | Leopardus weiidi | Mariam Weston Flores | Ocelot Working Group | Mexico, North America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | NT | Margay | Leopardus wiedii | Alba Estefania Maya vazquez | N/A | Mexico, North America | $5,500 |
| Mammal | NT | Margay | Leopardus weiidi | Marvin Vladimir Giron Recinos | N/A | El Salvador, North America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Margay | Leopardus wiedii | Andrea Molina | Colectivo Ichankuat | El Salvador, North America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Gislain Wilfried EBANG ELLA | Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale | Gabon, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Emmanuel Akampurira | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $9,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Emanuel Martin | College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka | Tanzania, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Imran Ejotre | Muni University, Arua, Uganda | South Sudan, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Dikpal Krishna Karmacharya | Clouded Leopard Working Group (CLWG) | Nepal, Asia | $8,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Sumatran rhinoceros | Dicerorhinus sumatrensis | Adam Oswell | Wildlife 1 Conservancy | Myanmar (Burma), Asia | $25,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Namoroka leaf chameleon | Brookesia bonsi | Timothy Eppley | Wildlife Madagascar | Madagascar, Africa | $7,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Asian giant softshell turtle | Pelochelys cantorii | Akshay Moti | Digital University Kerala | India, Asia | $4,997 |
| Reptile | CR | Anzuetoi arboreal alligator lizard | Abronia anzuetoi | Marcelo Serrano | Bios Media Guatemala | Guatemala, North America | $12,400 |
| Amphibian | CR | Bhupathi’s Purple Frog | Nasikabatrachus bhupathi | Suchetana Gupta | Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Cameroon Wolterstorff Toad | Wolterstorffina parvipalmata | EVITA LAVERTU DOUNYA NOUMBOUSSI | University of Yaoundé I | Cameroon, Africa | $6,260 |
| Amphibian | DD | Uganda Clawed Frog | Xenopus ruwenzoriensis | Stephen Ssemwaka | Makerere University | Uganda, Africa | $6,964 |
| Fish | CR | Scalloped hammerhead sharks | Sphyrna lewini | Juliana Klein | Stellenbosch University | South Africa, Africa | $3,000 |
| Fish | EN | Bighead striped catfish | Pseudoplatystoma orinocoense | Mailuet Vanessa López Gómez | Association of Fishermen, Marketers and Environmentalist Farmers La Doncella | Colombia, South America | $17,400 |
| Fish | EN | Dayi's Killifish | Aplocheilus dayi | Hiranya Sudasinghe | N/A | Sri Lanka, Asia | $5,000 |
| Fish | EN | Ulúa Killifish | Tlaloc portillorum | Dilenia Eloísa Martínez Durón | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras en el Valle Sula | Honduras, North America | $6,100 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Sundarbans crow | Euploea crameri nicevillei | Md Jahir Rayhan | Entomological Society of Chittagong University-ESCU | Bangladesh, Asia | $5,116 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Poso Endemic Mussel | Corbicula possoensis | Wahyuni Wahyuni | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $3,500 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Balssi crab | Louisea balssi | Tchietchui Carine Rosine | Cameroon Association for Research on Crustaceans and Other Aquatic Resources | Cameroon, Africa | $7,500 |
| Invertebrate | NE | White-tail gorgonian | Menella indica | Ramvilas Ghosh | Independent Researcher | India, Asia | $5,705 |
| Plant | NE | Siphonochilus aethiopicus | Siphonochilus aethiopicus | Patricia Carmichael | Eswatini Institute for Research in Traditional Medicine, Medicinal and Indigenous Food Plants | Eswatini, Africa | $19,000 |
| Plant | EN | Adimundan | Humboldtia bourdillonii | JITHU K JOSE | Hyderabad University, India | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Plant | VU | Cochlospermum tetraporum | Cochlospermum tetraporum | Axel Lautaro Gualdoni Becerra | University of Gottingen | Argentina, South America | $15,000 |
| Fungi | NE | Stinking milk-cap | Lactifluus foetens | Armel Boris Olou | Research Unit "Tropical Mycology and Plants - Soil Fungi Interactions" (UR / MyTIPS) | Togo, Africa | $5,000 |
| Plant | CR | Pinanga leonardcoi | Pinanga leonardcoi | Jiro Adorador | Plant Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños | Philippines, Asia | $6,500 |
| Mammal | CR | Sunda Pangolin | Manis javanica | Darryl Sweetland | Thailand Wild | Thailand, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | African forest elephant | Loxodonta cyclotis | Daniela Hedwig | Elephant Listening Project, K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell University | Central African Republic, Africa | $12,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Seram Bandicoot | Rhynchomeles prattorum | Todd Elliott | University of New England | Indonesia, Asia | $7,200 |
| Mammal | EN | Chacoan peccary | Catagonus wagneri | Andrea Mariel Neme | Proyecto Quimilero | Argentina, South America | $11,200 |
| Mammal | DD | Wolffsohn's viscacha | Lagidium wolffsohni | Fernando Novoa | Pontifical Catholic University of Chile | Chile, South America | $11,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Harenna shrew | Crocidura harenna | Ejigu Alemayehu Worku | N/A | Ethiopia, Africa | $4,950 |
| Reptile | CR | Cora Mud Turtle | Kinosternon cora | JESUS ALBERTO LOC BARRAGAN | CICODEC A.C. | Mexico, North America | $14,100 |
| Mammal | EN | Francois' langur | Trachypithecus francoisi | Nhung Pham | SEA-FBC Sustainable Forestry Development Joint Stock Company | Vietnam, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Attenborough's Long-beaked Echidna | Zaglossus attenboroughi | Gison Morib | YAYASAN Pelayanan Papua Nenda, YAPPENDA | Indonesia, Asia | $7,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Tres Marías Island cottontail | Sylvilagus graysoni | Consuelo Lorenzo | El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) | Mexico, North America | $10,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Namdapha flying squirrel | Biswamoyopterus biswasi | Dailu Pilot Dovih | Ashoka University | India, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Mauritius Free-tailed bat | Mormopterus acetabulosus | Bunsy Yogishah | Nature Yetu | Mauritius, Africa | $7,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Giant Otter | Pteronura brasiliensis | DIEGO GIMENEZ | S.P.E.C.I.E.S. (Society for the Preservation of Endangered Carnivores and their International Ecolog | Paraguay, South America | $6,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Beisa oryx | Oryx beisa | John Sanare | Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute | Tanzania, Africa | $6,500 |
| Fish | EN | Heuningnes Galaxias | Galaxias sp. nov. Heuningnes | Erica Brink | Nuwejaars River Nature Reserve | South Africa, Africa | $24,776 |
| Plant | CR | NA | Encephalartos delucanus Malaisse, Sclavo & Crosiers | Quentin Luke | EAPRLA | Kenya, Africa | $25,000 |
| Fungi | VU | Type of "Cup Fungus" | Nothojafnea thaxteri | Daniela Torres | Fundación Fungi | Chile, South America | $12,000 |
| Fungi | EN | Yellow carapicu | Pleurotus magnificus | Nelson Menolli Jr | Federal Institute of São Paulo | Brazil, South America | $12,000 |
| Plant | EN | Fautea | Lebronnecia kokioides | Seana Walsh | National Tropical Botanical Garden | French Polynesia, Oceania | $20,000 |
| Plant | NE | Niue flowering plants | 200 Indigenous flowering plants | Peter Heenan | Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Niue, Oceania | $20,000 |
| Plant | CR | Grierson’s Onosma | Onosma griersonii | Phub Gyeltshen | National Biodiversity Centre | Bhutan, Asia | $5,000 |
| Plant | CR | Aloe ghibensis | Aloe ghibensis | Tibebu Bekerie | Jimma University | Ethiopia, Africa | $5,000 |
| Plant | EN | Ire habesha | Aloe adigratana | Daniel Hagos Berhe | Adigrat University | Ethiopia, Africa | $5,000 |
| Plant | EN | Aloe ankoberensis | Aloe ankoberensis | Solomon Getahun | Gullele Botanic Garden | Ethiopia, Africa | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Salem ornamental tarantula | Poecilotheria formosa | Gautam Kadam | N/A | India, Asia | $4,830 |
| Invertebrate | CR | Sulawesi cardinal shrimp | Caridina dennerli | Diky Dwiyanto | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $5,500 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Freshwater mussels | Unionida | Alexandra Zieritz | University of Nottingham | Indonesia, Asia | $10,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Coryphosima danieli | Coryphosima danieli | Tarekegn Fite Duressa | Natural History Museum Karlsruhe | Ethiopia, Africa | $8,500 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Ida's ground beetle | Dicrochile idae | James Tweed | The University of Queensland | Norfolk Island, Oceania | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Togean Damselfly | Rhinocypha togeanensis | Muhammad Amiruddin | Agrotechnology Study Program, PSDKU Tojo Una-Una, Faculty of Agriculture, Tadulako University | Indonesia, Asia | $4,300 |
| Fish | CR | Oryzias soerotoi | Oryzias soerotoi | Abdul Gani | Saangu Adventure | Indonesia, Asia | $2,030 |
| Fish | EN | Orange-Fringed River Bream | Chetia brevis | Roger Bills | South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) | South Africa, Africa | $21,610 |
| Fish | EN | Timika Mouth Almighty | Glossamia timika | Wisnu Prabowo | Timika Wildlife Learning Community (TWLC) | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Fish | DD | Giant freshwater stingrays | Potamotrygon brachyura | Luis Lucifora | Instituto Nacional de Limnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Litoral | Argentina, South America | $6,610 |
| Amphibian | CR | Taylor's Salamander | Ambystoma taylori | Juan Daniel Aguilar Montes | N/A | Mexico, North America | $7,000 |
| Amphibian | EN | Golden drop toad | Brachycephalus alipioi | Thiago Silva-Soares | Instituto Últimos Refúgios | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Kelaart's Starry Shrub frog | Pseudophilautus stellatus | Sanoj Wijayasekara | Post graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya | Sri Lanka, Asia | $7,500 |
| Amphibian | EN | Southern Darwin's frog | Rhinoderma darwinii | Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez | Asociación Ranita de Darwin | Chile, South America | $8,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Mindo Harlequin Toad | Atelopus mindoensis | Alejandro Arteaga | Khamai Foundation | Ecuador, South America | $10,000 |
| Reptile | EN | Globe-horned chameleon | Calumma globifer | Jacques Rakotondranary | Wildlife Madagascar | Madagascar, Africa | $6,000 |
| Reptile | EN | Green pygmy chameleon | Rhampholeon viridis | ELISHEBA NDIDY | mbeya university of science and technology | Tanzania, Africa | $10,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Home's hinge-back tortoise | Kinixys homeana | Fabio Petrozzi | N/A | Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Africa | $10,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Black Softshell Turtle | Nilssonia nigricans | Shahriar Rahman | Turtle Survival Alliance | Bangladesh, Asia | $13,500 |
| Bird | CR | Marsh Antwren | Formicivora paludicola | Alice Reisfeld | SAVE Brasil | Brazil, South America | $11,000 |
| Bird | EN | Botha's Lark | Spizocorys fringillaris | Hanneline Smit-Robinson | BirdLife South Africa | South Africa, Africa | $16,050 |
| Bird | CR | Silvery Pigeon | Columba argentina | Ahmad Mursyid | MABBI and Zoology Laboratory, Universitas Mahmud Yunus | Indonesia, Asia | $6,800 |
| Bird | CR | Sira Curassow | Pauxi koepckeae | Andre Moncrieff | Louisiana State University | Peru, South America | $8,800 |
| Bird | CR | Yellow-naped Amazon | Amazona auropalliata | Abraham Hernández Bacca | Toucan Rescue Ranch | Costa Rica, North America | $4,800 |
| Bird | CR | Cherry-throated tanager | Nemosia rourei | Marcelo Renan Santos | Instituto Marcos Daniel | Brazil, South America | $14,000 |
| Bird | EN | Ibera Seedeater | Sporophila iberaensis | Miranda Collett | Funndacion Cambyreta para la Naturaleza | Argentina, South America | $6,600 |
| Bird | EN | Black-and-chestnut eagle | Spizaetus isidori | Jorge Muñoz | Caquetá Association for Ornithology | Colombia, South America | $6,500 |
| Bird | VU | Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus | Michel Sawan | Lebanese Association for Migratory Birds | Lebanon, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Sangihe Tarsier | Tarsius sangirensis | Dahri Kisman | Tadulako Ecology and Conservation (TANGKASI) | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Gee Golden langur | Trachypithecus geei | Kuenzang Dorji | Nature Study Center, Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment | Bhutan, Asia | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Giant pangolin | Smutsia gigantea | Alain Delon MOUAFO TAKOUNE | Agriculture and Bio-conservation Organization for Youth Empowerment and Rural Development | Cameroon, Africa | $12,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Sumatran rhinoceros | Dicerorhinus sumatrensis | Adam Oswell | Wildlife 1 Conservancy | Myanmar (Burma), Asia | $12,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Andean cat | Leopardus jacobita | Rodrigo Villalobos | Seeking Andean Wild Cats | Chile, South America | $10,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Northern tiger-cat | Leopardus tigrinus | João Mendonça | Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative | Brazil, South America | $6,230 |
| Mammal | NT | Rusty-spotted cat | Prionailurus rubiginosus | Vikram Tiwari | Rusty Spotted Cat Working Group | India, Asia | $8,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Franklin Simo Talla | Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Initiative | Cameroon, Africa | $10,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Jane Amumpaire | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Byron Ssemambo | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $6,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Bornean Clouded leopard | Neofelis diardi ssp. borneensis | Tomi Ariyanto | Perkumpulan Mandala Katalika Indonesia (Manka) | Indonesia, Asia | $7,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded Leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Tashi Dhendup | Nature Conservation Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, Bhutan | Bhutan, Asia | $8,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Purna Bahadur Ale | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $9,500 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Ganga Ram Regmi | Clouded Leopard Working Group (CLWG) | Nepal, Asia | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Southern tuco-tuco | Ctenomys australis | Andrés Julián Lozano Flórez | Population Ecology and Genetics of Mammals (PEGM, IIMyC-CONICET, UNMdP) | Argentina, South America | $9,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Hispid hare | Caprolagus hispidus | Shivish Bhandari | N/A | Nepal, Asia | $2,700 |
| Mammal | NE | Insectivorous bat of the Caatinga | Molossops sp. | FRANGER JESÚS GARCIA ALVAREZ | Universidad Estadual de Santa Cruz | Brazil, South America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Hairy-nosed otter | Lutra sumatrana | Ferdi Andeska | N/A | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Pampas Cat | Leopardus Munoai | Santiago Turcatti Oviedo | Pampas Cat Working Group | Uruguay, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | NT | Pampas Cat | Leopardus colocolo | María Lina Rinaldi García | N/A | Argentina, South America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | Southern tiger cat | Leopardus guttulus | Mauricio Santos | Instituto Pro-Carnívoros | Brazil, South America | $6,400 |
| Amphibian | CR | Leora´s stream salamander | Ambystoma leorae | Felipe Osuna | ECOSUR | Mexico, North America | $25,000 |
| Plant | CR | Cedar iris | Iris cedreti | Rhea Kahale | Biodiversity Conservation Initiative | Lebanon, Asia | $24,700 |
| Bird | EN | Bermuda petrel | Pterodroma cahow | Jean-Pierre Rouja | The Nonsuch Expeditions | Bermuda, North America | $25,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Starrett´s Treefrog | Isthmohyla tica | Wagner Chaves-Acuña | Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" | Costa Rica, North America | $25,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Vallarta mud turtle | Kinosternon vogti | Taggert Butterfield | Estudiantes Conservando la Naturaleza A.C. | Mexico, North America | $24,647 |
| Fungi | CR | Bondarwezia loguerciae | Bondarwezia loguerciae | Elisandro Ricardo Drechsler dos Santos | MIND.Funga Research Group (Federal University of Santa Catarina) | Brazil, South America | $18,000 |
| Plant | NE | Giant leafless Vanilla | Vanilla atsinananensis | Vincent Droissart | Institut de Recherche pour le Développement | Madagascar, Africa | $19,000 |
| Plant | EN | Encephalartos macrostrobilus | Encephalartos macrostrobilus | Samuel OJELEL | Makerere University | Uganda, Africa | $14,000 |
| Plant | CR | Albanian Tulip | Tulipa albanica | Mihallaq Qirjo | The Resource Environmental Center Albania - REC Albania | Albania, Europe | $10,000 |
| Plant | EN | Cordeauxia edulis | Cordeauxia edulis | Francis Evans | The Yeheb Project | Ethiopia, Africa | $8,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Almeja de rio | Leila blainvilleana | Agustin Basso | BIVAAS (Freshwater Bivalves of South America, from the initials in Spanish or Portuguese) | Argentina, South America | $5,500 |
| Invertebrate | EN | Synchronous flashing bent-winged firefly | Pteroptyx tener | Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh | IUCN SSC Firefly Specialist Group | Malaysia, Asia | $9,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Inotrechus injaevae | Inotrechus injaevae | Shalva Barjadze | NGO Georgian Caves Researchers Society | Georgia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | False scorpion | Antillobisium tomasi | René Alberto Barba Díaz | Cuban Zoological Society | Cuba, North America | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Anthroherpon gueorguievi | Anthroherpon gueorguievi | Iva Njunjic | Taxon Foundation | Montenegro, Europe | $7,000 |
| Fish | CR | Petea Rudd | Scardinius racovitzai | Tamás Müller | Department of Freshwater Fish Ecology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences | Hungary, Europe | $19,000 |
| Fish | CR | Largetooth sawfish | Pristis pristis | Andrés Fraiz | MarAlliance | Panama, North America | $15,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Tiny Squeaker Frog | Arthroleptis kidogo | Eva Johnson | Women in Conservation Organization (WICO) | Tanzania, Africa | $10,000 |
| Amphibian | CR | Spawls boolee | Boulengerula spawlsi | Atubwa Howard | National Museums of Kenya | Kenya, Africa | $10,000 |
| Amphibian | EN | Yellow-peppered Salamander | Ambystoma flavipiperatum | Susana Hernández | N/A | Mexico, North America | $6,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Slender-snouted crocodile | Mecistops cataphractus | Ayékotchami Jacques Calver DOSSOU | Equilibre d'Afrique NGO | Benin, Africa | $8,500 |
| Reptile | CR | Bolson Tortoise | Gopherus flavomarginatus | Ross Kiester | Turtle Conservancy | Mexico, North America | $9,500 |
| Reptile | CR | Radiated Tortoise | Astrochelys radiata | Hery Lova Razafimamonjiraibe | Turtle Survival Alliance | Madagascar, Africa | $9,000 |
| Reptile | EN | Leatherback sea turtle | Dermochelys coriacea | Jorge Tobajas | University of Córdoba | Costa Rica, North America | $10,000 |
| Bird | DD | Black-browed Babbler | Malacocincla perspicillata | R. Arif Alfauzi | Endemic Indonesia Society | Indonesia, Asia | $7,100 |
| Bird | CR | Nofolk Island Green Parrot | Cyanoramphus cookii | Abi Smith | Threatened Species Conservancy | Australia, Oceania | $19,000 |
| Bird | CR | Night parrot | Pezoporus occidentalis | Bill Bateman | Curtin University | Australia, Oceania | $14,000 |
| MBZ Special Focus | NE | Giant black red-legged African millipede | Spiropoeus fischeri | Armand Richard Nzoko Fiemapong | Laboratory of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1 | Cameroon, Africa | $6,722 |
| Plant | NE | Bucketty Bush-pea | Pultenaea renneri | Lindsey and Matthew Gray and Renner | University of Sydney and Botanic Gardens of Sydney | Australia, Oceania | $2,248 |
| Plant | CR | Portuguese Swamp Daisy | Leucanthemum lacustre | Paulo Lemos | N/A | Portugal, Europe | $4,150 |
| Plant | CR | Supard's paphiopedilum | Paphiopedilum supardii | Zainudin Zainudin | Yayasan Tumbuhan Asli Nusantara | Indonesia, Asia | $2,500 |
| Plant | EN | Yuquilla de ratón | Zamia pygmaea | Enrique. González Pendás | Botanical Garden of Pinar del Río | Cuba, North America | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | NE | Fireflies | Lampyridae | Pratistha Shrestha | N/A | Nepal, Asia | $5,000 |
| Invertebrate | DD | Orange-sided Threadtail | Neoneura carnatica | Ana María Hernández Vázquez | Faculty of Biology, University of Havana | Cuba, North America | $5,000 |
| Fish | CR | Kampango | Bagrus meridionalis | Gordian Mataba | Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology | Tanzania, Africa | $4,830 |
| Fish | EN | Sarasin's goby | Mugilogobius sarasinorum | Evans Madiyono Labiro | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $7,500 |
| Amphibian | CR | Dehradun Stream Frog | Amolops chakrataensis | Vishal Kumar Prasad | Biodiversity Research and Conservation Foundation | India, Asia | $4,900 |
| Amphibian | CR | Kanga warty frog | Callulina kanga | Enoka John | Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) | Tanzania, Africa | $6,060 |
| Amphibian | EN | goliath frogs | Conraua goliath | Marcel Marcel AWE DJONGMA'A | University of Maroua | Cameroon, Africa | $4,500 |
| Reptile | CR | Campell's alligator lizard | Abronia campbelli | Monica Torres | FUNDESGUA | Guatemala, North America | $10,000 |
| Reptile | CR | Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon | Rhampholeon acuminatus | Hudson Laizer | Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology | Tanzania, Africa | $4,940 |
| Mammal | CR | Chinese Pangolin | Manis pentadactyla | Prativa Kaspal | Women for Conservation | Nepal, Asia | $4,950 |
| Mammal | CR | Black crested gibbon | Nomascus concolor | Lau A Ky | Center for Nature Conservation and Development | Vietnam, Asia | $8,800 |
| Mammal | EN | Yellow-handed Mitered Langur | Presbytis Melalophos | Fatimah fatimah | Sumatra Langur Working Group | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Isaac Twinomuhangi | Embaka - Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $7,000 |
| Mammal | VU | African golden cat | Caracal aurata | Vera Nshemeire | Embaka-Saving the African Golden Cat | Uganda, Africa | $5,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Uruguayan pampas cat | Leopardus munoai or L. fasciatus | Nadia Bou | Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable | Uruguay, South America | $5,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Colocolo Cat | Leopardus colocola | Carlos Castro | Pampas Cat Working Group | Chile, South America | $8,500 |
| Mammal | LC | Pallas's cat | Otocolobus manul | Vadim Kirilyuk | Wildlife Science and Conservation Centre of Mongolia (WSCC) | Mongolia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | NT | Rusty-spotted cat | Prionailurus rubiginosus | Ramjan Chaudhary | Rusty-spotted Cat Working Group (RSCWG) | Nepal, Asia | $8,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Flat-headed cat | Prionailurus planiceps | Erwin Wilianto | - | Indonesia, Asia | $7,285 |
| Mammal | VU | Clouded leopard | Neofelis nebulosa | Kshitiz Paudel | Clouded Leopard Working Group | Nepal, Asia | $6,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Tana River red colobus | Piliocolobus rufomitratus | Fred Obiya | Northern Rangelands Trust-NRT | Kenya, Africa | $11,000 |
| Mammal | CR | Northern White-cheeked Gibbon | Nomascus leucogenys | Nguyen Trinh Le | People and Nature Reconciliation | Vietnam, Asia | $12,500 |
| Mammal | CR | Delacour's langur | Trachypithecus delacouri | Govinda Lienart | Three Monkeys Wildlife Conservancy (TMWC) | Vietnam, Asia | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Baird’s tapir | Tapirus bairdii | Jorge Rojas | Costa Rica Wildlife Foundation (CRWF) | Costa Rica, North America | $10,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Weber's Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrel | Prosciurillus weberi | Isal Isal | Yayasan Aksi Konservasi Celebica / Celebica Conservation Action | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Mammal | EN | Woolly Flying Squirrel | Eupetaurus cinereus | Ameena Rahman | Pakistan Environment Trust | Pakistan, Asia | $6,200 |
| Mammal | CR | Jamaican Greater Funnel-eared Bat | Natalus jamaicensis | Santiago Burneo | Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Conservación de los Murciélagos | Ecuador, South America | $12,500 |
| Mammal | EN | Small-toothed Fruit Bat | Neopteryx frosti | Alfath Fanidya | Zoological Community of Celebes | Indonesia, Asia | $5,000 |
| Type | IUCN | ||||||
Partner Projects
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund manages larger projects on behalf of caring corporates. These projects focus on specific geographical areas or species taxa and are supported by contributions from partners with philanthropic or impact-driven interests.
Mubadala Alliance
In 2024, we entered the final year and a half of the phase one of our partnership with Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi owned sovereign wealth Fund. The three-year partnership covered a vast geographical area, spanning across five countries and four continents. With eleven projects across Colombia, Thailand, Guinea, Indonesia and Canada, our efforts focussed on species conservation, habitat restoration, community engagement and environmental education.
The initiative supported flagship species like the Sumatran tiger in Indonesia, as well as lesser-known but critically endangered species like the Lynch tree frog in Colombia. Habitat restoration was a priority, ranging from coral and seagrass restoration in the Makassar Strait to enhancing the natural habitat of the sage grouse in Canada. Capacity building was also a key focus, evidenced by the training of 18 manatee fellows in Guinea. All projects incorporated extensive community engagement and outreach campaigns, with Colombia even introducing an educational school bus to reach rural communities.
View websiteDolphin Energy Partnership
Dolphin Energy partnered with the Fund for two years, with the collaboration kicking off in 2024. Their contribution of $100,000 per annum supports our Chairman’s Awards. These projects are nominated by the Advisory Board and assessed based on their impact, scalability, species program contributions, and career development support. The projects are also selected not only for their conservation objectives but also for their demonstration of soft conservation skills, including community engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainable management practices.
View website
The National Aquarium Collaboration
During an Iftar in 2024, The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund unveiled a partnership with the National Aquarium to support the African Aquatic Conservation Fund. The main objective of this unique collaboration was to protect African manatees in their natural habitats.
The National Aquarium in Abu Dhabi is home to two African manatees, providing a groundbreaking approach to conservation. Researching manatees in the murky waters of West Africa is near impossible, but this partnership offers invaluable insights into these fascinating and elusive creatures. For the first time, scientists and marine biologists can observe their behaviours, diets, and social interactions in a controlled and very visible environment. These observations are then relayed to researchers in West Africa, where the knowledge gained can directly benefit their wild counterparts.
Proceeds from the aquariums manatee souvenir shop contribute to capacity building, which is essential for the project’s success. To date, 15 African manatee fellows have been trained in best practices for manatee conservation.
This initiative highlights the power of cross-border collaboration in species conservation, demonstrating how innovative partnerships can drive meaningful change.
View websiteGlobal Environment Facility (GEF) agreement
At the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, we take immense pride in our commitment to supporting early-career or budding conservationists, many of whom are just beginning their conservation journeys. It’s no surprise that 63% of our grantees are first-time recipients, representing the next generation of conservation leaders. This focus on nurturing fresh talent aligns perfectly with our partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
In 2023, GEF launched the Gustavo Fonseca Youth Leadership Program to honor the late GEF Director of Programs, Gustavo Fonseca. This program aims to cultivate a pipeline of young professionals in GEF countries by offering conservation fellowships, grants for biodiversity fieldwork, awards for participation in international conservation events, and a recurring global conservation symposium that unites young environmental leaders.
In 2024, the Mohamed bin Zayed Fund proudly signed a three-year partnership with GEF, committing an additional $500,000 per year to support young conservationists from developing countries. This initiative places particular emphasis on IUCN Red List threatened species, building capacity and empowering youth to enhance species conservation efforts.
View websitePartner Projects
Large Project Stories 2024
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:
- Developed a comprehensive strategy to study and conserve all 33 species of small wild cats.
- Prioritized 6 million square kilometers of habitat for protection through the Jaguar Corridor Initiative.
- Established seven Counter-Wildlife Crime information hubs across the globe.
- Deployed over 30,000 PantheraCam camera traps to monitor and protect wild cats.
- Taught 2,145 children about the importance of jaguar conservation through Panthera’s Jaguar School.
- Built and implemented the Tigers Forever Protocol, helping tiger populations rebound in key sites across India and Nepal, and disrupting poaching networks in Southeast Asia.
- Forged a groundbreaking alliance between six Indigenous tribes and state/national agencies to preserve pumas in Washington State.
- Maintain representation in 18 entities around the world, advancing global wild cat conservation
Financials
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 the two objectives above are reached, 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 $40.7 million by the end of 2024*, while $22.8 million have been distributed in grants during this period**, successfully achieving all three of its goals.
In Q2-2024, the Investment Policy was revised. The long-term net return remains 4.5%, measured in USD and using a total return approach, over approximately 8-10 years. The risk tolerance has been set at a threshold of a 15% loss over one year, measured using an Expected Shortfall with a 95% confidence interval.
Since inception, the annualised net performance of the MBZF portfolio has been +4.99%, exceeding the target, while the last five years have seen a +5.54% annual return.
The endowment is managed through discretionary mandates by Goldman Sachs (Investment Grade Fixed Income) and Banque Pictet (Private Equity, Hedge Funds), along with two self-directed investments in Equities and High Yield (BlackRock), two in Core/Core+ Real Estate (PGIM, Blackstone) and one in Hedge Funds (Aurum Millenium).
* This amount includes an additional capital injection of $10m, made in April 2024.
** 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 $27.0m.
Markets and performance in 2024
2024 was another strong year for financial assets, as economic growth surprised on the upside and central banks finally began to cut rates. Equities had a stellar year, especially in the US, with the S&P 500 index posting a total return of +25%, marking the first time since the late-1990s where it has achieved back-to-back annual returns above 20%. The index was powered by further gains for the Magnificent 7, which were up +67%, and other risk assets did very well too (credit spreads tightened further). Moreover, the US exceptionalism narrative helped push the US Dollar to its strongest annual close since 2001.
Yet despite the generally upbeat performance, there were plenty of bumps along the way. Rate cuts took longer than many expected, meaning that sovereign bonds struggled to gain traction. In fact, the 10yr US Treasury yield rose for a 4th consecutive year, which is the first time that has happened since the 1980s.
Political developments also caused several wobbles, particularly around April as tensions in the Middle East escalated. Over in France, the country’s assets underperformed amidst the political uncertainty. And there was huge (albeit brief) market turmoil in the summer, as weak US data and a BoJ rate hike led to the unwinding of the yen carry trade. So with quite a few concerns still in the background, gold prices posted their strongest annual gain since 2010. In this context, the MBZF portfolio achieved a +6.44% return, translating to an annualized 5.54% over the past five years, significantly outperforming the average balanced USD portfolio’s +3.58% return[1].
[1] Source: ARC US Dollar Balanced Asset PCI. The ARC US Dollar Balanced Asset PCI benchmarks the average performance of discretionary managers running portfolios with historic risk levels of 40–60% of global equity markets, based on anonymized data from over 300’000 client portfolios managed.
Huge Green Turtle heading back to ocean after having laid eggs on beach. Unique hatching place in Ras Al Jinz, Sultanate of Oman.
Beyond 2024
In Q2 2024, the IPS was revised 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
The year 2024 was truly one of significant collaboration. The Fund established three new partnerships with The National Aquarium, Abu Dhabi, GEF, and Dolphin Energy, with the latter two contributing to our small grants program, which achieved remarkable results. Over the course of the year, we invested $2,231,318 into species conservation efforts, reaching 67 countries across all seven continents. With the generous support of GEF, Dolphin Energy, and the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation (SWCCF), we successfully funded 238 grants, with an average grant size of $9,375.29. This collaborative effort allowed us to fund an additional 59 projects compared to the previous year, showing that by working together, we can enhance our impact and create richer biodiversity for a healthier planet.
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.
Mailing address:
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species
Conservation Fund
P.O. Box 131112
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
