Addressing threats to species in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is hugely rich in biodiversity and is home to a vast range of threatened and endemic species. There is a relatively short history of conservation across much of the region, and therefore a limited skills base. Much conservation is still of limited effectiveness, and there is a generally low level of public awareness of species loss. Overall, the species in this region face higher levels of threat than in neighbouring parts of Asia or other parts of the tropics.
Our Programme
The Asian Species Programme aims to address an urgent extinction crisis. Southeast Asia has suffered ever-increasing ecosystem loss (particularly of forests and wetlands), as well as escalating pressure from hunting and wildlife harvest. This has resulted in a shocking number of species being at risk of extinction – for example, almost 30% of mammals are listed as threatened in the region. The mission of the Asian Species Programme is to catalyse conservation efforts for the most threatened and overlooked species in Asia, mobilising resources and capacity to reverse their decline.
Protecting Species
Providing direct support for species conservation, in particular in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Advancing Knowledge
Increasing and improving knowledge and research on species and ecosystems across Southeast Asia.
Building Capacity
Building species conservation capacity with selected partner organisations across Southeast Asia.
* Images (L to R): Chris Scarffe; Chris Scarffe; Mabuwaya Foundation
“When we started the conservation project, we used to hear comments like ‘These people are crazy, why do they work for the conservation of an animal that eats people?’ and you would hear them laugh. In the Philippines, these crocodiles have an image problem.”
Marites (Tess) Gatan Balbas, Mabuwaya Foundation
Partner Profile: Mabuwaya Foundation
The Mabuwaya Foundation started conserving the Critically Endangered Philippine crocodile in 2003, with just 24 known individuals in the wild. The population is slowly recovering with about 100 crocodiles now. According to Tess Gatan Balbas, Executive Director of Mabuwaya, “the best way to conserve the unique Philippine crocodile is to continue to work with communities, involving them in everything they do.”
At Synchronicity Earth, we recognise the important role that long-term and flexible funding can play in saving one of the last wild populations of Philippine crocodiles from extinction whilst at the same time promoting sustainable local livelihoods.
“The biggest problem for wildlife conservation in Vietnam is consumption. A lot of people use wildlife for traditional medicine, meat consumption, as pets and for many other things. To protect local wildlife we need to raise awareness among local people, reduce demand and work to improve law enforcement to protect the animals we have in the wild.”
Thai Nguyen Van, Founder, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife
Spotlight on Species: Sunda pangolin (Manis Javanica)
Sunda pangolin © Chris Scarffe
Image © Chris Scarffe
The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), which can be found across Southeast Asia, is classified as Critically Endangered due to illegal wildlife trafficking. Our partner, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), has been actively working to prevent the illegal trade of the Sunda pangolin and has developed a rescue and rehabilitation programme for this species.
Since its founding in 2014, SVW has rescued around 1,500 pangolins from the illegal trade and released a majority of these back into the wild.
Synchronicity Earth is building support for species conservation in this region, capitalising on our experience and track record in identifying excellent local organisations, and our model of supporting capacity development in tandem with project and core support.
Asian species news
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Meeting partners where they are – a Vietnam photo story
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In it for the long haul: Transforming the crocodile from villain to hero
Wildlife corridors through oil palm plantations. Local communities saving the world’s rarest crocodile from extinction (...)
One last chance to find the saola
The saola is the world’s rarest large mammal. It hasn’t been recorded since a trail camera captured an image of one (...)
Email exclusive: From the field: gallery of photos fresh from our conservation partners
Enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek at the images in our Programmes Team inbox with stories fresh from our partners about con (...)
The glass slipper of the greenhouse: what is the cost of the orchid trade?
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Not forgotten any longer: the Gigantes forest frog
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Painting a new future for a Critically Endangered terrapin
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Four conservation stories from 2021 to make you smile
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In search of secret wildlife Part II: The saola
Continuing our ‘In search of secret wildlife’ series, following our blogpost on lost fishes, Nina Seale tells the s (...)
A new chapter for Dr Simon Stuart
Dr Simon Stuart, our Director of Strategic Conservation, will step into a new role as Executive Director of A Rocha Inte (...)
Turning a lens on community-based conservation
Chris Scarffe is an environmental filmmaker who has been lucky enough to work in some of Earth’s most unique and diver (...)
Every heron counts: an international effort to save one bird
When it is estimated that only 60 of a species still exist in the wild, every single individual is important. Gemma Goo (...)
Home is where the heart is: the true meaning of community conservation
The Mabuwaya Foundation is a conservation organisation based in Isabela province, in Northern Luzon, the Philippines. Th (...)
A crocodile success story (in pictures)
The Philippine Crocodile is one of the rarest and most endangered crocodiles in the world. Once found throughout the Phi (...)
Lights, Camera, Heron!
Conservation Research Analyst Anna Heath on how a camera trap set up to capture images of one of the world's most iconic (...)
Interview with Isabelle Lackman: Protecting a Critically Endangered primate
Isabelle Lackman founded Hutan in Kinabatangan, Malaysian Borneo with her then husband Marc Ancrenaz in 1998 with the a (...)
If you are interested in supporting our Asian Species Programme, please get in touch.