The lower the number, the higher the urgency.

The world had cause to celebrate recently when the giant panda’s status was changed from Endangered to Vulnerable.

The world had cause to celebrate recently when the giant panda’s status was changed from Endangered to Vulnerable. But with only 1,864 individuals remaining in the wild, this globally adored member of the bear family is still under threat. With its distinctive black and white coat, it’s perhaps the most powerful symbol for species conservation in the world. In China, the giant panda is a national treasure. For WWF, the panda has special significance as it has been our organization’s symbol since the start in 1961 and a focus of our conservation work since the 1980s.

This peaceful, bamboo-eating bear was once widespread throughout Southern and Eastern China, as well as neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) and Northern Vietnam. Due to expanding human populations and development, it’s now restricted to only 20 or so isolated patches of mountain forest in the Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.

WWF has been working closely with the Chinese government to improve key landscapes for the panda, increasing nature reserves, creating green corridors to link isolated pandas, and setting up patrols for poaching and illegal logging. These projects are bearing fruit.

In the 1980s, there were as few as 1,114 pandas in China. But the most recent survey, in 2014, estimated that there were 1,864 pandas living in the wild, which means their population has increased by 17 per cent over the last decade alone.

To help panda numbers continue to grow, it’s vital that conservation efforts continue. You can help fund this kind of conservation work by ordering a puzzle or making a donation.

The Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger is the smallest subspecies of tiger and was once found across several parts of the Sunda Islands in Indonesia.

The Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger is the smallest subspecies of tiger and was once found across several parts of the Sunda Islands in Indonesia. Today, however, they’re isolated to Sumatra, where estimates indicate that approximately 400 individuals remain in the wild.

They’re the only tiger subspecies that lives in isolation on an island, inhabiting the tropical rainforests near rivers and swamps. Large swaths of forest have been turned into rubber and palm plantations, resulting in Sumatran tigers losing their habitat and access to prey. An additional threat is still the substantial market for tiger parts and products, which makes poaching an ever-present danger.

For the Indigenous people residing around their habitat, the tigers are regarded as enforcers of proper behavior and some experts believe them to be the most intelligent tiger subspecies. They feed on deer and wild pigs, as well as reptiles, birds, fish and berries. They can be recognized by their majestic fur, which is a darker orange shade with heavy black stripes, paired with a furry beard and mane.

WWF works to protect one of the last great stands of rainforest in central Sumatra, while also undertaking groundbreaking research on Sumatran tigers. Camera traps allow tiger populations to be monitored over time and essential wildlife corridors to be identified across the tiger’s final sanctuary. A massive effort is needed to help the Sumatran tiger thrive. You can help support its future by ordering a puzzle or making a donation.

With only 79 pygmy three-toed sloths remaining in the wild, these slow-moving tree-dwellers are Critically Endangered.

With only 79 pygmy three-toed sloths remaining in the wild, these slow-moving tree-dwellers are Critically Endangered. They are found in Panama and live in red mangrove trees, which they also feed on.

The smallest of four species of three-toed sloths, they weigh approximately 3 kg, roughly the weight of a brick. Their long claws and strong grip helps them climb and hang upside down in the treetops, where they spend most of their time. They have a very slow metabolic rate and sleep between 15 and 20 hours a day. While famous for their slow-paced movements and lifestyle, they’re surprisingly good swimmers.

Although threatened by both poaching and incautious tourism, their main threat comes from deforestation. Their preferred habitat is already thought to occupy only 1.5 km2, and any further reduction would be detrimental to the remaining population. WWF’s efforts to protect sloths include working with communities, governments and companies to encourage sustainable forestry.
Looking ahead, even more needs to be done to preserve the pygmy three-toed sloth. You can help support its future, and safeguard other endangered species, by ordering a puzzle or making a donation.

With only 73 Southern Resident killer whales remaining in the wild, the future is increasingly uncertain for these awe-inspiring icons of the Pacific coast.

With only 73 Southern Resident killer whales remaining in the wild, the future is increasingly uncertain for these awe-inspiring icons of the Pacific coast. As shipping intensifies and the ocean gets noisier, it’s becoming harder for the whales, also known as orcas, to use echolocation to find prey. At the same time their main food source, Chinook salmon, is less plentiful than it once was. Without enough food, fewer calves are born and they are less likely to survive. Toxic contaminants in the water also affect the food supply and overall health of the whales.

Residing off the Pacific coast of Canada and the United States, this iconic species is loved by coastal residents and the general public. The Southern Resident killer whale is also culturally significant to west coast First Nations.

The whales are instantly recognizable by their distinctive black and white markings, and can be individually identified based on their colour patterns.

Since 2011, WWF-Canada has been working to support quiet oceans for marine species on the Pacific coast. Working with shipping industry stakeholders and the Port of Vancouver, the goal has been to implement measures to reduce underwater noise from ships in the whales’ critical habitat and increase quiet periods to allow for better feeding opportunities. In collaboration with other conservation groups, WWF-Canada initiated legal proceedings in 2018 under the Species at Risk Act to secure stronger protections for the orcas. This triggered governmental actions, including the restriction of fishing for their prey species, the designation of sanctuaries and limiting whale watching practices. WWF-Canada is also taking action further down the food chain, working with partners to identify, protect and restore spawning beaches for forage fish, a food source salmon, which in turn is the food source for Southern Resident killer whales.

Moving forward, even more needs to be done to protect the Southern Resident killer whale. You can help support its future, and safeguard other endangered species, by ordering a puzzle or making a donation.