2014 Annual Report 1

Transcription

1 2014 Annual Report 1

2 Our Mission WCN protects endangered species and preserves their natural habitats by supporting entrepreneurial conservationists who pursue innovative strategies for people and wildlife to co-exist and thrive. BOARD OF DIRECTORS David Berger Christine Hemrick Charles Knowles John Lukas Rebecca Patton Bill Unger Akiko Yamazaki 2014 Annual Report STAFF Charles Knowles, President Dr. Jean-Gael JG Collomb, Executive Director Rebecca Patton, Vice-President Veleta Allen, Controller Dave Cortright, Director of Technology Tracy Elsen, Marketing & Communications Manager Eve Schaeffer, Program Manager Vivian Twu, Program Associate Joyce Wang, Program Manager Kelly Wilson, Program Manager Grevy s zebra photo Suzi Eszterhas / 2

3 One of WCN s core beliefs is that people whether they are conservationists living among wildlife in Africa or supporters contributing from half a world away have the power to create change for endangered animals. The many members of our community who are committed to creating this change inspire and amaze us year after year. Thank you for being a part of that community. In 2014, when a rabies outbreak threatened the survival of Ethiopian wolves we saw donors step in to help. As the level of elephant poaching continued to increase we saw a plethora of highly impactful organizations take action, many of which were funded through the Elephant Crisis Fund. And we saw how quickly positive change can occur, with the saiga antelope population in Kazakhstan where 95% of all saigas live increasing by a remarkable 37% in just one year with the help of dedicated on-the-ground-conservationists was also a year of growth and change for WCN itself. WCN continues to grow at an average of 25% each year. To accommodate this growth, while still maintaining low overhead, WCN moved its offices to San Francisco in At the close of the year, Dr. Jean-Gael JG Collomb stepped into the role of Executive Director, where he will oversee the operations and conservation programs of WCN. JG has spent three years as WCN s Director of Conservation Programs and has done an outstanding job. I know he will bring the same level of professionalism and passion to his new role. I will continue my deep involvement with WCN as President, a role which will allow me to focus more on WCN s strategic direction and the scalability and sustainability of our conservation programs. These changes will allow WCN to continue to grow its impacts and our ability to support visionary conservationists. As we look ahead, we know that 2015 will continue to bring changes that are both challenging and exciting. We also know that with the support of you, the WCN community, we will be able to create real, positive changes for wildlife around the world. I am incredibly honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute more deeply to conservation in my new role as WCN s Executive Director. I have always been passionate about wildlife. It has shaped my career, from my field-work years in the forests of Central Africa to my office years in Washington, DC and today in San Francisco. When I came to WCN, my major goal was to enhance our support services to match the needs of our Partners. Many conservationists who live and work in the field do not have access to the type of capacity-building, training and support services that businesses often take for granted. Providing conservationists with these services allows them to scale their impacts on the ground and run effective and sustainable organizations that can make a difference for endangered wildlife. In the coming years, I look forward to building on WCN s experience and achievements to enhance the impacts of field-based conservationists. I m also looking forward to continuing and expanding upon WCN s tradition of collaboration and cooperation. I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to get to know and work with all of those involved with WCN, from the staff and the donor community to the volunteers and all the field conservation organizations we interact with. Thank you for all your support, past and future. I can t wait to continue working with all of you to save wildlife around the world. Dr. Jean-Gael Collomb WCN Executive Director Charles Knowles WCN Co-founder and President 1

4 2014 Highlights Jane Goodall s 80th WCN hosted Dr. Jane Goodall s 80th birthday celebration in San Francisco, raising $1.25 million for chimpanzees in one evening. Ivory Crisis In 2014, the Elephant Crisis Fund raised more than $3.2 million dollars and sent money to 26 on-the-ground projects for anti-poaching, anti-trafficking and ivory demand reduction efforts. Prestigious awards Ewaso Lions founder Shivani Bhalla won the prestigious Whitley Award and was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer. Survival Strategy Rodney Jackson of Snow Leopard Conservancy coauthored the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy, a tool for conservationists that outlines the threats faced by snow leopards and methods that can be used to protect them. 89% 89% of funds raised by WCN in 2014 were used to support programs in the field. 62nd scholarship WCN awarded twelve scholarships to young conservationists from developing countries. The scholarship program has awarded 62 scholarships to students from 27 countries over the past eight years. 2

5 Book published Dr. Laurie Marker collaborated with photographer Suzi Eszterhas to publish A Future for Cheetahs, a book of stories and photographs of the world s fastest mammal. $50M+ WCN has raised more than $50 million over its lifetime to support wildlife conservation. Support WCN provided support and training to conservationists to scale, sustain and enhance the effectiveness of their work. Topics included assessing environmental education programs, storytelling, conservation photography, developing a board, fundraising, and strategic planning. Caracol Prize Proyecto Tití won the Caracol Prize, with a prize of $75,000 worth of airtime from Colombia s primary TV station to promote cottontop tamarin conservation. Partnership Zynga.org partnered with WCN to raise $700,000 for wildlife conservation from the players of FarmVille Oasis Expansion. 1,200 students Painted Dog Conservation welcomed 1,200 students the most ever to their educational Children s Bush Camp in Zimbabwe. Suzi Eszterhas / suzieszterhas.com 3

6 Aerial surveillance over the Tsavo Conservation Area is geared towards keeping an eye in the sky to protect the area s big tuskers. Without the support from the ECF in 2014, the aerial reconnaissance could not have been maintained. Richard Moller, Chief Conservation Officer, Tsavo Trust 4

7 PROTECTING WILDLIFE WCN and its Partners use creative and effective approaches to combat the threats faced by wildlife around the world The Elephant Crisis Fund raised over $4 million through the end of 2014 to tackle poaching, trafficking and demand for ivory. Poachers slaughtered more than 100,000 African elephants for their ivory in the three years from 2010 to 2012, according to research released by Save the Elephants (STE). In May 2013, STE and WCN partnered to respond to the crisis with the launch of the Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF). The ECF sends 100% of its funds to urgent, on-theground programs that combat poaching, ivory trafficking, and demand for ivory. By the end of 2014, the ECF had raised $4 million and supported 31 projects that directly contribute to the survival of elephants. Frank af Petersens The ECF supports anti-poaching programs that put rangers on the ground to protect elephants. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ECF provided critical funds to the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation for anti-poaching patrols to protect 670 elephants over a threemonth period when no other funding was available for the patrols. In Mozambique s Niassa National Reserve - where elephant poaching has been rampant - the ECF helped fund an anti-poaching strategy led by Wildlife Conservation Society and supported by the Niassa Lion Project. The multi-pronged approach integrated air patrols, ground patrols, intelligence-gathering and a data collection system to coordinate and inform patrol responses. To address trafficking, the ECF supported a review by Working Dogs for Conservation that determined best practices to strengthen the use of sniffer dogs to detect ivory. The ECF also partnered with Wildlife Direct, a Kenyan organization that has pushed for tougher sentencing for ivory traffickers and that monitors courtrooms to ensure that those harsher penalties are being handed down. The ECF supports the efforts of multiple organizations, including WildAid and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, to reduce ivory demand. This strategy includes Public Service Announcements and outreach campaigns by celebrities and key opinion leaders Suzi Eszterhas / 5

8 in China and elsewhere to lower consumer demand and foster the adoption of policies geared to stop the illegal trade of ivory. Despite the progress made, poaching continues to be a major threat to the survival of Africa s elephants. The Elephant Crisis Fund will continue to find and support the best partners around the world to combat this crisis and help ensure a future for this magnificent species. A plane funded by the ECF tracks Tsavo s big tuskers from the sky In Kenya s Tsavo National Park, a 16,000-square-mile area with very few roads, roam some of the largest remaining tuskers on earth. These grand elephants are highly coveted for their ivory, and poaching has been a substantial problem in Tsavo over the past few years. One of the many advantages of working with WCN is its willingness to consider new ideas. Diane Johnson Below: Ted and Diane Johnson of the Handsel Foundation. Right: Wilton Nsimango and Johanna Vega have traveled around the world to learn about conservation education programs from each other. When the ECF launched in 2013, the Tsavo Trust was in need of money for plane fuel and a pilot to fly an aircraft over Tsavo s vast area and spot poachers from the air. The ECF provided these funds. In 2014, the ECF built on its partnership with Tsavo Trust by supplying a new Toyota Land Cruiser to the Kenya Wildlife Service for on-the-ground poaching work in Tsavo. The vehicle will help KWS and Tsavo Trust work closely together to watch over Tsavo s elephants from both air and land. Poaching reports from Tsavo Trust s aircraft help KWS create a ground-level response to stop poachers. During 2014, the Tsavo Trust s aerial reconnaissance flew for 474 hours and more than 35,000 miles. The plane was used to spot 38 poacher camps and to assist Kenya Wildife Service with 17 responses to armed situations with poachers. With the help of the ECF, the plane will continue flying through

9 CREATING CONNECTIONS WCN builds strong ties between conservationists and supporters of wildlife Support from the Handsel Foundation creates enduring impacts for wildlife When Diane and Ted Johnson first became interested in supporting wildlife conservation through their Handsel Foundation, they wanted to enable conservation on a broad scale while also focusing their giving on relatively small organizations with big impacts. They came to WCN with this goal and have accomplished it by providing funding for strategic cross-partner initiatives and for vital but difficult-to-fund projects like conservationist camps and equipment. The cross-partner visit program helps conservationists learn from each other Johanna Vega and Wilton Nsimango both lead education programs that engage children in conservation. However, they do so on opposite sides of the earth: Johanna works for Proyecto Tití (PT) in Colombia and Wilton works with Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) in Zimbabwe. Diane and Ted s support has been vital in developing some of WCN s core programs such as the scholarship program and the Conservation Acceleration Fund, which helps conservationists develop diverse skills such as human-wildlife conflict mitigation and strategic planning. After supporting the scholarship program, Diane and Ted approached WCN with the idea of a new internship program that would fund prospective conservationists who wanted to gain experience in the field but couldn t afford to do so on their own. We asked if WCN would consider supporting a paid internship program for interested students, Diane says. WCN was very supportive of this idea and added one of its own: a cross-partner visit program to support training and knowledge sharing. This brainstorm led to the establishment of WCN s internship and cross-partner visit programs that have now brought eighteen student interns to work with WCN Partners and supported eighteen visits between partners. The Handsel Foundation s support has created enduring impacts for wildlife conservation, from camps in the field to education for future conservation leaders. The WCN cross-partner visit program was founded with support from the Handsel Foundation to allow conservationists like Johanna and Wilton to travel to each other s projects and to learn from one another. In 2013, Johanna visited PDC. Following her visit, she implemented two new programs based on insights she gained from observing PDC s programs in action. The Tití Kids program is for elementary school children, a younger group than those PT had previously worked with. The Tití Leaders program was inspired by PDC s conservation clubs and involves children directly in conservation projects. After just one year, PT already has twenty-five children working on their own conservation projects. Johanna and Wilton were able to build on their 2013 visit with a follow-up trip in 2014 during which Wilton visited PT. Wilton was especially interested in learning how PT assessed the success of its education programs and was able to see how an impact assessment program could involve the parents of attendees. He also learned how games and activities keep children focused and returned to Zimbabwe with plans to use games to inspire children to consider becoming scientists, biologists or ecologists. As Wilton and Johanna put into practice what they have learned from each other, they remain committed to sharing knowledge to continually improve their programs.. 7 7

10 RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES WCN Partners respond to on-the-ground emergencies with the support of the WCN community The Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program battled a rabies crisis to save the wolves The worst fears of staff at Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program (EWCP) were realized in July 2014 when a wolf found dead in Ethiopia s Bale Mountains tested positive for rabies. Diseases like rabies are one of the greatest threats to the fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves that remain in the wild because disease can spread quickly in a short time. With the confirmation of rabies, the EWCP team, led by founder Dr. Claudio Sillero, had to work fast. EWCP immediately sought permission from the government and worked with the wildlife authorities to set up an Emergency Rabies Response Team. The team worked through wet and blustery conditions at 13,500 feet of altitude to vaccinate 78 wolves. The WCN community jumped in to respond to the outbreak by donating funds to support the emergency vaccinations. Although 25 wolves were lost to the disease, EWCP s valiant efforts stopped the spread of rabies. By the end of December, four packs that had been exposed to rabies had bred successfully, and ten new pups were born. The team will continue to monitor the wolves health over the next year to ensure that no cases of rabies reappear. EWCP continues to work on a proactive oral vaccine for the wolves that can be put into food, eliminating the need to capture and sedate the animals. Rabies often spreads from domestic dogs owned by farmers who have been moving higher into the Ethiopian highlands and closer to wolf habitat in recent years, bringing more frequent outbreaks. There are more than twice as many dogs than wolves in the Bale Mountains National Park. EWCP vaccinated more then 3,300 dogs against rabies in Although disease remains a threat to the wolves, EWCP will continue to fight for their future with careful monitoring and an even larger vaccination program. With generous funds raised virtually overnight by a WCN appeal, an Emergency Rabies Response Team was able to step in and vaccinate wolves across fourteen packs against rabies to stop its deadly advance. Dr. Claudio Sillero 8

11 Following a rebel attack, safety is returning to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve In June 2012, a rebel group led by an infamous elephant poacher known as Morgan raided the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing people and okapis and destroying surrounding villages. Since then, Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) has helped lead the recovery of the area by supporting both local people and the government s wildlife agency, The Congolese Institute for Conservation of Nature (ICCN). With the help of WCN donor support following the attack, major progress has been made toward restoring peace in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. In April, the rebel leader Morgan was captured and subsequently killed during an escape attempt. Several months later, community leaders, chiefs and government officials came together to commit to removing illegal gold mining camps from the Reserve, a move that will protect okapi habitat. As a direct result of improved security in the region, ICCN patrols are able to monitor the status of okapi and other species like elephants and chimpanzees. An especially encouraging development has been evidence of okapi and other wildlife in areas that were recently occupied by poachers and miners. OCP has stepped up to provide support to local communities devastated by the attack. That support encompasses a wide array of activities, from funding for schools to sustainable livelihood programs that increase agricultural production and reduce pressure on the forest resources of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Over the past two and a half years, OCP has built even deeper ties with communities that will endure as security is restored in the region.. Left: Dr. Claudio Sillero and EWCP staff members vaccinated 78 Ethiopian wolves to stop a rabies outbreak. Right: As security returns to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, there is evidence of okapi and other wildlife in areas previously occupied by poachers and miners. 9

12 Our Partner Conservationists Accomplishments in 2014 DR. CLAUDIO SILLERO ETHIOPIA EWCP enhanced and broadened its use of tablet computers and software to aid in the collection, accuracy and analysis of data about the wolves straight from the field. Proyecto Tití Save the Elephants COLOMBIA KENYA, MALI, SOUTH AFRICA, CONGO ROSAMIRA GUILLEN DR. IAIN DOUGLAS-HAMILTON Two graduates from PT s TITÍ LEADERS program will begin technical school with financial support provided by Proyecto Tití s Blue Sky Fund. They both hope to pursue careers in conservation. In Samburu, STE s main area of operations, elephant births outnumbered elephant deaths and the decline of the elephant population due to poaching has leveled off, in part thanks to the work of STE s anti-poaching efforts. Andean Cat Alliance Okapi Conservation Project ARGENTINA, CHILE, BOLIVIA, PERU DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO JOHN LUKAS LILIAN VILLALBA OCP provided improved health care for communities that live around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve by installing a solar power system at the local health center and giving sixteen rural health centers basic sanitary materials. The Andean Cat Alliance built partnerships with zoo-based veterinarians to collar Andean cats in Argentina. This information about the cats activities and movements contributes to conservation efforts. Cheetah Conservation Fund Cheetah Conservation Botswana NAMIBIA BOTSWANA DR. LAURIE MARKER Photos on this spread Jeff Kennel Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program More than fifty livestock guarding dog puppies were born and placed with farmers around Namibia by CCF. An additional six puppies went to Ruaha Carnivore Project in Tanzania. REBECCA KLEIN CCB celebrated its ten-year anniversary, marking a decade of work conserving cheetahs and working with communities on the ground in Botswana.

13 Saiga Conservation Alliance Snow Leopard Conservancy Small Cat Conservation Alliance UZBEKISTAN INDIA, MONGOLIA, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, RUSSIA, BHUTAN AND KAZAKHSTAN WORLDWIDE ELENA BYKOVA The saiga antelope population in Kazakhstan, home to 95% of the worldwide population, increased by 37% from 2013 to SCA monitors saiga populations in Kazakhstan to determine what conservation actions are working. DR. RODNEY JACKSON In Nepal, eight corrals were predatorproofed and twelve Foxlight electronic deterrents and one solar-electric fence were installed to protect livestock against snow leopard predation and herder retaliatory killings. DR. JAMES SANDERSON A new, tuition-free wild cat conservation and research program was established at Georg-August University in Germany with the support of SCCA. The program supports both master s and Ph.D students. Grevy s Zebra Trust BELINDA MACKEY KENYA AND ETHIOPIA GZT created the El Barta Conservation Council, which is made up of two oftenwarring tribes. Council meetings give members the opportunity to work together, increasing peace in the region and allowing community members to focus on conservation. Ewaso Lions SHIVANI BHALLA KENYA Ewaso Lions expanded conservation and research activities in Laikipia to identify and secure important lion habitat. The Samburu-Laikipia ecosystem is home to Kenya s third largest lion population. Painted Dog Conservation Niassa Lion Project ZIMBABWE MOZAMBIQUE PETER BLINSTON Trackers found a pack of twenty dogs the largest pack seen in fifteen years living in Hwange National Park, where PDC focuses its work. Large pack sizes are important for the dogs survival. DR. COLLEEN & KEITH BEGG In Niassa, participation in a livestock breeding program that provides an alternative to bushmeat for locals increased from 16 to 66 families. Snares set for bushmeat have been one of the largest threats to lions.

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15 FINDING COMMON GROUND Art can create a common language for conservationists and communities to talk about wildlife Art may not seem to be an important tool in the world of wildlife conservation, where many conservationists have scientific backgrounds and research is a core component of their work. However, local communities perceptions of wildlife can be one of the biggest challenges faced by conservationists. To change these views, conservationists look for ways and reasons to celebrate wild animals alongside local people. This is where art has a role to play. Art can deliver conservation messages by providing an engaging creative and common platform for conservationists and community members to express their points of view. Collaborating around a creative process can be less daunting than directly engaging in scientific discussions. Lion Day celebrations held by Niassa Lion Project (NLP) in Mozambique used art to celebrate wild animals. Children colored in pictures on long pieces of white cloth with paint, and the next day NLP staff acted out the stories that had been created. One piece depicted a lion getting trapped in a snare and then injuring the poacher who had trapped him, opening up a conversation about the cause of the attack. Art works well because children take ownership of the stories, since they have painted them, said Colleen Begg, founder of NLP. The murals allow for interactive storytelling in the local language. Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA) regularly uses art to connect with children in Uzbekistan and sees children showing an insatiable curiosity about wildlife after participating in an art project. In 2014, SCA brought a British artist to create a wildlife mural alongside local children, created a saiga cartoon reflecting the challenges for saiga in Uzbekistan s Ustyurt Plateau and celebrated Saiga Day by turning a hall into a gallery of drawings, posters, and craftworks in which the saiga was the main character. In Nepal, Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) invited Nepalese artists into snow leopard habitat to connect with the great cats. Although the artists did not see snow leopards, they were inspired by the mountains and painted images of the cats for an art exhibit held by SLC. The exhibit s opening drew together local wildlife officials, students, and members of the press to celebrate the snow leopard and its role in Nepal. Several of the paintings were sent to the United States to be sold, with the proceeds going to benefit snow leopard conservation. When art is used for conservation, it can bring people together to understand the beauty and significance of wildlife and spark conversations between conservationists and community members about the realities of living among wild animals.. Left: Children in Mozambique celebrate wildlife through art at Lion Day celebrations. Above: Artists in Nepal created works inspired by snow leopards. 13

16 ENGAGING COMMUNITY WCN Partners engage local people as stewards of their environment and its wildlife New base camps help Partners demonstrate long-term commitments to conservation In 2014, Ewaso Lions and Grevy s Zebra Trust, two WCN Partners, began building camps within a stone s throw from one another in northern Kenya s Westgate Community Conservancy. The camps, which will give both organizations long-term bases within their core areas of work, provide an opportunity for the two organizations to build on their history of working together and deepen their collaboration by sharing resources in construction. When Kenyan women asked to get involved in conservation, the Mama Simba program was born Women in northern Kenya spend a significant amount of time in areas where wildlife roam as they fetch water, collect firewood, and look after livestock. They also remain in villages while the men are away, meaning that they deal with humanwildlife conflict firsthand. However, women have rarely been included in conservation activities. In 2013, the women of Westgate Conservancy approached Ewaso Lions with a request for conservation training and education. Community engagement has always been a cornerstone of Ewaso Lions conservation approach, so they immediately agreed to work with the women. Ewaso Lions new women s program is named Mama Simba, meaning Mothers of Lions. The program provides women with both education and conservation workshops and takes women on game drives into nearby Samburu National Reserve to forge a connection with wildlife. Mama Simba also works with women to make beaded animals, which can be sold to tourists for additional income. A new litter removal initiative organizes clean-up campaigns to remove plastic shopping bags from the landscape that could otherwise be ingested by wildlife, including lions. A reusable tote bag for shopping is provided to any woman who helps collect trash. By August 2014, 266 women had helped clean up 4,346 plastic containers and 15,922 pieces of plastic litter, all of which were sent for recycling.. When complete, the Ewaso Lions and GZT camps will provide spaces for community and partner training workshops, as well as accommodation for staff and volunteers, and give staff easy access to the communities that they work with. The camps will also demonstrate to local residents the organizations longterm commitment to conservation and the Westgate area. Left: A new camp for Ewaso Lions has replaced temporary tent accommodations (pictured above) with a long-term base (pictured below). Right: Women in northern Kenya are gaining conservation training and education through Ewaso Lions Mama Simba program. 14

17 We believe that a long time ago all wildlife belonged to the women and then they were released to the wild. No one brought them back. Now, because women are involved in conservation, we will conserve [animals] in the wild. Mparasaroi, a Mama Simba participant 15

18 Volunteers making a difference for WCN Randy Mazzuca is a dedicated WCN volunteer Randy Mazzuca is best known among the conservationists of WCN for the food that he makes every year during the Expo training workshops. Randy runs the kitchen for all breakfasts and lunches during the week, using the culinary skills that he honed in the US Coast Guard to feed hungry conservationists from around the world. Randy s support in the kitchen is invaluable, but the dedication that he brings to WCN goes far beyond his time spent cooking. Randy regularly volunteers in the WCN office in San Francisco and at WCN events around the Bay Area, helping with anything and everything that needs to be done. He also drives to Sonoma to volunteer in Snow Leopard Conservancy s headquarters. Randy s enthusiasm and passion for wildlife are clear in everything he does. Randy is just one of the talented and dedicated group of volunteers that donated hundreds of hours of time to WCN in We are grateful to each of them and we could not do what we do without our volunteer team.. 16

19 CONSERVATION S FUTURE WCN Scholarship Program Dina Farfan Flores Dina Farfan Flores was born in the Andean region of Peru and is a direct descendant of the area s native people and culture. This background allows Dina to work with Andean communities on wildlife conservation by mixing her local knowledge with more formal knowledge gained at university. Dina has been devoted to conservation in the Andes for more than ten years, first as a field assistant and then as a staff member of a Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) project. When FZS decided to pull back from the area, Dina was undeterred. She continued her work by starting her own NGO, the Association for the Conservation and Study of the Andean-Amazonian Mountains. Through this work, Dina became part of the Andean Cat Alliance, a WCN Partner. Dina is now returning to school for a master s degree in wildlife management. A scholarship from WCN has helped Dina fund her master s studies, which she will directly apply to her work on the Andean cat in Peru. During her studies, Dina will work closely with Andean Cat Alliance co-founder Dr. Mauro Lucherini, who is based in Argentina. Her thesis will focus on socio-economic tools that can improve local community participation in conservation, and she will compare her home region to Mauro s study area. Dina is just one of the exceptional scholars supported by the WCN Scholarship Program. Visionary donors have endowed the program with several scholarships that contribute to the education of talented rising conservationists committed to protecting the wildlife of their home countries. With these scholarships, WCN helps shape the future of conservation.. Left: Community work in the Andean region of Peru is an important part of conserving the Andean cat. Below: Dina Farfan Flores was awarded a WCN Scholarship for master s studies that she will apply to her work on the Andean cat. 17

20 Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. Albert Einstein 18 Gnagel Dreamstime.com

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22 We know that you want your donation to have a real impact for endangered animals. At WCN, we continually strive to make our model as effective as it can possibly be for our donors, our Conservation Partners, and wildlife. 20

23 Financial Statement STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES CALENDAR YEAR ENDING TOTAL REVENUE REVENUE Contributions Donor Designated $9,844,065 Contributions Undesignated $1,706,602 Income from Activities (Net) $141,203 Income from Investments $368,742 Total Revenue $12,060,612 EXPENSES Program Grants and Services $8,632,947 Management and General $578,583 Fundraising $463,595 Total Expenses $9,675,125 Change In Net Assets $2,385,487 Contributions-Donor Designated 82% Contributions-Undesignated 14% Income from Investments 3% Income from Activities (Net) 1% STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS OF DECEMBER 31, TOTAL EXPENSES ASSETS Unrestricted Cash and Equivalents $699,395 Restricted Cash and Equivalents $4,209,991 Grants and Pledges Receivable $140,585 Scholarship Fund $1,838,908 Mary S Boardman Fund $2,587,618 Property and Equipment (Net) $81,874 Total Assets $9,558,371 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities $199,261 Beginning Assets $6,973,623 Change in Net Assets $2,385,487 Program Grants and Services 89% Management and General 6% Fundraising 5% Total Liabilities and Net Assets $9,558,371 WCN continued to receive Charity Navigator s highest-possible 4-star rating in Charity Navigator is America s leading independent charity evaluator, and rates over 5,000 charities on their Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency. Complete financial reports are available upon request. Wildlife Conservation Network is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 organization - #

24 209 Mississippi St., San Francisco, CA 94107, USA Photo Suzi Eszterhas / Design: Monica DuClaud Printed in the USA on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, processed chlorine-free.