1. Projects

Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund

WWF’s Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund supports the testing of new ideas that have potential to reduce the vulnerability of wildlife to changes in climate through on-the-ground projects. Successes and lessons learned from these pilot projects provide useful guidance that move conservation beyond business-as-usual approaches and successful efforts can be replicated or taken to scale to help wildlife endure under conditions of rapid change. Projects piloted through this fund must meet the following criteria:

  • Address climate vulnerability of one or more target species through interventions that directly support those species or help communities adapt to change and thus reduce pressure on target species.
  • Be implemented in one year or less with plans to monitor results in following years.
  • Focus on on-the-ground implementation of a project rather than research.

 

Funded projects

albatross in their nests

Constructing artificial nests for shy albatross

Constructing artificial nests for shy albatross
polar bear stalking a group of walruses

Relocating Pacific walrus carcasses to minimize predator disturbance

Relocating Pacific walrus carcasses to minimize predator disturbance
red panda curled up and sleeping on a branch

Red pandas, climate change, and the fight to save forests

Red pandas, climate change, and the fight to save forests
one-horned rhino in tall grass

Building artificial mounds for one-horned rhinos in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park

Building artificial mounds for one-horned rhinos in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park
newborn saiga in the grass

Establishing a network of artificial watering holes for saiga antelope in Russia

Establishing a network of artificial watering holes for saiga antelope in Russia
baby sea turtle in shallow water

Controlling sand temperatures for sea turtles in the Choco region of Colombia

Controlling sand temperatures for sea turtles in the Choco region of Colombia
Three sarus cranes stand in a grassy wetland

Creating wetlands and improved nesting sites for sarus cranes in Nepal

Creating wetlands and improved nesting sites for sarus cranes in Nepal
Two African penguins stand on a dune. One faces right, and the other faces left. Vegetation grows behind them.

Improved nesting, management and monitoring for African penguins in South Africa

Improved nesting, management and monitoring for African penguins in South Africa
Tiger wading into a pool of water

Grassland creation and water provision for tiger prey in Thailand

Grassland creation and water provision for tiger prey in Thailand
A South African Tapir stands in ankle deep water and looks towards the left.

Installing and monitoring artificial water sources to help endangered species in the Maya forest, Mexico

Installing and monitoring artificial water sources to help endangered species in the Maya forest, Mexico
A female Bengal tiger stands regally in front of a lake in India.

Creating wildlife corridors for tigers in the Churia range, Nepal

Creating wildlife corridors for tigers in the Churia range, Nepal
A martial eagle perches in a tree in Botswana.

Providing shade for birds of the Tankwa Karoo desert, South Africa

Providing shade for birds of the Tankwa Karoo desert, South Africa
Two brown ducks swim along dark waters

Improving habitat for Baer’s pochard in the Chonghu wetland, China

Improving habitat for Baer’s pochard in the Chonghu wetland, China
An elephant in dense foliage

Restoring elephant habitat through enrichment planting and check dams in Myanmar

Restoring elephant habitat through enrichment planting and check dams in Myanmar
Closeup of a southern ground hornbill

Providing artificial nests for southern ground hornbills in the Zambezi Region, Namibia

Providing artificial nests for southern ground hornbills in the Zambezi Region, Namibia
Close up of a Hawksbill turtle

Constructing climate-resilient hatcheries for endangered sea turtles in the Philippines

Constructing climate-resilient hatcheries for endangered sea turtles in the Philippines
Desert landscape with tree

Preventing plant extinctions in the Richtersveld, South Africa

Preventing plant extinctions in the Richtersveld, South Africa
Closeup of gazelle in grass

Improving water access for Goitered gazelles in the transboundary area of Azerbaijan and Georgia

Improving water access for Goitered gazelles in the transboundary area of Azerbaijan and Georgia
Gharial on top of another larger gharial

Gharial crocodile translocation to Banke National Park, Nepal

Gharial crocodile translocation to Banke National Park, Nepal
Closeup of a yellow-billed hornbill

Managing microclimates for southern yellow-billed hornbills in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa

Managing microclimates for southern yellow-billed hornbills in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa

How is WWF Helping?

The climate crisis is affecting wildlife around the world in many ways—from extreme weather events to the availability of food and water to long-term shifts in temperature and rainfall.

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dry field bed© Jürgen Freund / WWF

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