In Our Hands

Restoring the World’s Most Threatened Species

We are in the midst of a global biodiversity and climate crisis.

Globally, over a million species are now threatened with extinction, with some already Lost from Nature: saved only in our zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens.
We strive to continue to rescue into human care those species most in need, to let none slip to extinction, and to drive their recovery towards flourishing wild populations.
These are the Extinct in the Wild species and their fate hangs entirely in our hands.

What will happen to these species?

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identifies 81 species as Extinct in the Wild, with a further 64 classified as ‘Critically Endangered – Possibly Extinct in the Wild’, and with many more species sadly to join them over the coming years

Many species have gone extinct without creation of populations under human care, some under human care have gone extinct, and others are too small or unstable to allow for responsible releases.

Our Vision

The IUCN’s Species Survival Commission Conservation Translocation Specialist Group (CTSG) task force for the recovery of Extinct in the Wild species presented a motion at the 2021 IUCN World Conservation Congress in France. This motion for “Improving Process and Action to Identify and Recover Extinct in the Wild Species” was officially endorsed through 95% of 115 government and 99% of 572 non-government organizations globally.

The IUCN SSC Extinct in the Wild Action Partnership strives to let no Extinct in the Wild species slip to extinction on our watch.  Through a growing global coalition, we will lead the restoration of the world’s most threatened group of species.  We will lead by example, turn innovative plans into courageous actions, and highlight massive potential for responsible species recovery that can yield hope for both nature and humanity.

We have developed a 4-step strategy that aims to

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Where appropriate, create new ex situ populations for species facing imminent extinction in the wild

Strengthen current ex situ populations to ensure that we retain viability for recovery in the wild

Engage in ambitious and innovative translocation programs to return species to the wild

Drive recovery of released populations through continued reinforcement and conservation management

So, the choice is ours to make

Will we let these species go extinct
let them be managed away from nature in perpetuity
or return them to the wild, to safe wild habitat, for potential re-establishment?

Get involved