Saving nature, together

A portrait of Crocodile Warden Chhim Chhorn releasing a Siamese crocodile at Chhay Reap, Cambodia. Credit: Jeremy Holden / FFI

A portrait of Crocodile Warden Chhim Chhorn releasing a Siamese crocodile at Chhay Reap, Cambodia. Credit: Jeremy Holden / FFI

Fauna & Flora is an international wildlife conservation charity. We work closely with conservation partners in well over 40 countries to save nature, together.

Our focus is on protecting and restoring habitats, saving species from extinction and developing sustainable livelihoods for those living closest to nature.

Our people are based around the world; supporting projects on the ground in-country and providing technical and operational expertise from our UK head office, and from regional offices across the globe.

We’ve been using the collective knowledge and experience of our people and our partners to protect biodiversity in all corners of the planet for more than 120 years.

Today, we apply our expertise across a range of issues affecting nature – whether that’s habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade or unsustainable resource use. Climate change or plastic pollution. Corporate sustainability or global policy.

Our mission

We exist to protect the diversity of life on Earth. For the survival of the planet and its people.

History and Achievements

  • 1903

    The Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire (later to become FFI) is established.

  • 1926

    Fauna & Flora helps to establish Kruger National Park in South Africa.

  • 1933

    Fauna & Flora is the driving force behind the world's first international wildlife conservation treaty.

  • 1962

    Fauna & Flora launches 'Operation Oryx' to save the Arabian oryx - the first ever example of an animal being successfully reintroduced into its original habitat after being declared extinct in the wild.

  • 1978

    Fauna & Flora establishes the Mountain Gorilla Project, a long-term partnership that has helped rescue this great ape from extinction and seen the population rise to over 1,000, a fourfold increase since the work began.

  • 1995

    Fauna & Flora and partners rescue the world's rarest snake from extinction, taking the Antiguan racer population from 50 snakes on a tiny islet to over 1,100 individuals at four separate sites.

  • 2000

    Fauna & Flora and partners discover over 400 new species, and rediscover the Siamese crocodile, during surveys of Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains.

  • 2018

    Fauna & Flora and coalition partners secure UK ban on plastic microbeads.

  • 2022

    Fauna & Flora and partners take action to conserve over 90 threatened tree species in 12 countries worldwide, boosting the global populations of critically endangered species including magnolia, pear and rosewood.

How we work

Fauna & Flora strongly believes – and our experience shows us – that those living closest to nature have the best knowledge and experience of their local environment, and therefore should be at the heart of all conservation strategies and actions. This belief is reflected in our partnership-led conservation model.

We use our international experience, networks and resources to help establish and drive strategies to save nature, but these strategies can only be effective in the long term if they are delivered in close collaboration with local people and organisations.

region

We work in more than 40 countries across Africa, the Americas, Eurasia and Asia-Pacific.

Over 120

conservation projects around the world.

321

partners supported, including governments, universities, businesses and local NGOs.

What is a partnership-led model?

White Stone Community workshop about turtle awareness and education, Cambodia. Credit: Steph Baker / FFI

White Stone Community workshop about turtle awareness and education, Cambodia. Credit: Steph Baker / FFI

We support and work alongside grassroots organisations, governments, communities and corporations all over the world, fusing together local and global knowledge, to find the best approach to local conservation issues and save nature, together.

Our partnership-led approach takes many different forms, flexing to the needs of individual governments, organisations, communities and species. For some projects, our own staff work hands-on, side by side with our partners every day. For others, we provide ongoing capacity development and support – whether through funding, technical expertise or help with operations.

Our end goal is for partners to be entirely self-sufficient in tackling the threats to nature that they face locally – but we know our support is crucial and we are committed to doing whatever we can, for as long as is needed, to make this a reality.

We have been behind some of the most significant initiatives in the history of conservation. And we continue to play a key role in safeguarding some of the world’s most iconic plants and animals, including Sumatran tigers, mountain gorillas, African and Asian elephants, baobabs and proteas. We also champion less-familiar or neglected species such as the Siamese crocodile, Sunda pangolin, Saint Lucia racer and saiga antelope.

Read our latest Conservation report to learn more about the impact of our work (pdf).

Why support Fauna & Flora?

Fauna & Flora’s work to save nature is desperately needed; for the survival of species and habitats, for a healthy climate, and for people’s livelihoods. Whether for food or clothing, resources or housing, or the very air that we breathe, we are all dependent on nature.

With over a century of experience, we know which conservation methods work and which do not. We’ve developed best practice and procedure, and undertake ongoing due diligence, to ensure our projects are delivered in the most effective, efficient and responsible way.

Guiding all our decision-making and expenditures is our council of trustees – a highly experienced board of external experts. Up-to-date financial information can be found in our most recent Annual Report, along with further details of how we are governed and how our council members are selected.

Thanks to our strong governance and reporting, all our supporters – whether they have given £10 or £10,000 – can be confident that their donations are being spent in the best way possible.

Sir David Attenborough - FFI Vice President and member

FFI shares much of its history with one of our most valued ambassadors for conservation – Sir David Attenborough. Read more about FFI and Sir David’s shared history, and the impact he has had on FFI’s work.