Avian Influenza response in the Galapagos

Following the first case of Avian Influenza in the Galapagos, the RRF has provided US$ 40,000 to support active surveillance of seabird populations, aiming to understand the extent and limit the spread of the potentially devastating virus. The Galapagos archipelago is a world-famous UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, known for its rich diversity of endemic…

Following the recent two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia, large quantities of abandoned waste were identified in the Simien National Park. The Rapid Response Facility (RRF), a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna and Flora International (FFI) joint initiative providing small grants in emergency situations affecting biodiversity within natural World Heritage sites mobilized US$40,000 to engage…

During the end of 2022, regular monitoring within W National Park in Niger, part of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex World Heritage site, showed a marked increase in illegal activities, including poaching, illegal logging, deliberate wildfires and incursions by armed militants. The Rapid Response Facility (RRF), a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna & Flora joint initiative…

Virunga National Park (Virunga) in the Democratic Republic of Congo houses one-third of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Current unrest around the park is restricting ranger activities in the gorilla area, leaving the mountain gorilla population unprotected. The Rapid Response Facility (RRF), a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna and Flora International (FFI) joint initiative…

A fire in Mount Kenya National Park, burning for over two months, escalated to uncontrolled levels on the northern slopes in February. RRF thus granted US$40,000 to the Mount Kenya Trust to support fire suppression activities and to prevent additional loss of valuable habitat. From mid-March 2022, fires scoured sections of the National Park, threatening…

From 8 and 10 February 2022, attacks involving improvised explosive devices resulted in the death of four rangers, two drivers, one instructor and one soldier, with 12 other individuals hospitalised with critical injuries in the W National Park in Benin, one of the components of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger) inscribed on…

The Brazilian Cerrado is the largest savannah region in South America, and is home to the Cerrado Biosphere Reserve which encompass the Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks World Heritage site. The Cerrado biome is also the most biodiverse savannah in the world, home to approximately 5% of the planet’s biodiversity.…

Vaquita are one of the world’s most threatened mammals, with less than ten individuals thought to remain. These all exist in a small area of the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California UNESCO World Heritage site in Mexico, where entanglement in illegal fishing nets threatens their survival. The RRF is supporting removal…

2020 was an extremely challenging year globally, and (like everyone) we sincerely hope the world fares better in 2021. Even in the best of times, unexpected crises and disasters can occur. The RRF provides small grants in emergency situations affecting biodiversity within natural World Heritage sites. With a target to decide on applications in just…

Unprecedented fires are blazing through the Pantanal, threatening numerous endangered species and the highly valuable ecosystem. RRF is supporting firefighting activity in the Pantanal Biosphere Reserve to prevent fires from spreading into the Pantanal Conservation Area World Heritage site. The Pantanal region is the largest tropical wetland in the world, located mostly within Brazil, but…