50 years of animals and people thriving together

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A Message from our CEO

When a group of activists first witnessed newborn seal pups being slaughtered on the ice floes in East Coast of Canada, every one of them asked the same question:

What can I do about it?

They answered that question by founding IFAW in 1969. During those early years, IFAW was committed to one problem threatening one species in one part of the world. And in 1983, with the European ban on whitecoat Harp seal products, we saved more than one million seal pups in the process.

Since then, we’ve taken on more problems threatening more species, including our own, in more than 40 countries. Today, we are rescuing more animals and conserving more habitats, on land and at sea, than at any other point in our history. And it almost always starts with one person or one community asking that same question:

What can I do about it?

President & CEO

Azzedine Downes

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Elephants are a keystone species, maintaining the balance of all other species in the ecosystem. They pull down trees and break up thorny bushes, which left unchecked would cause the grassland to disappear due to lack of sunlight. These remarkable animals require a large habitat to live in and humans have become their direct competitors for space. To protect elephants and other wildlife, we must protect wild spaces. Around the world, we're empowering people to invest in the land. Through implementation of community conservation projects and nature-sourced livelihoods, we can align our own economies with the environment and give all beings a habitat they can safely call home. - Photo by @donalboyd

A post shared by ifaw (@action4ifaw) on Apr 1, 2019 at 2:19pm PDT

"When we rescue one animal—one leopard trapped as a backyard novelty, one whale tangled up in fishing gear—we’re doing much more than saving a life. We’re saving a species..." IFAW CEO @AzzedineTDownes on why individual animals matter via @thehill: https://t.co/cfgUSgAZ1E pic.twitter.com/95rjonVTAx
— ifaw (@action4ifaw) April 4, 2019

These orphaned flamingo chicks are celebrating their new outdoor enclosure at @SANCCOB! Since their rescue in January, they’ve grown in strength & independence & are each day a step closer to their eventual release back to the wild. #WildlifeWednesday https://t.co/ahJm6eygJv pic.twitter.com/hkNPLz0Rkt
— ifaw (@action4ifaw) April 10, 2019

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Abundant with wildlife and flourishing landscapes, you wouldn't see a sign of Meru National Park's dark past if you visited today. Though it began as a haven for biodiversity, the park entered a downward spiral of poaching and neglect in 1979. Within a decade, 90% of the park's elephants had been killed and its rhinos were altogether exterminated. - In 2000, we teamed up with Kenya Wildlife Service to take on the seemingly insurmountable challenge of restoring the park to its former glory. After five years of rebuilding the park’s entire ecosystem, from reintroducing wildlife to enforcing wildlife security operations, Meru National Park was awarded world-class conservation status. - Experience has taught us that wildlife and habitats can bounce back and thrive but we can't make this happen without buy-in from people. We must all take an active role in protecting wildlife and preserving wilderness for the generations to come.

A post shared by ifaw (@action4ifaw) on Apr 19, 2019 at 1:13pm PDT

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We believe that individual animals matter. Saving one animal can be the key to the health of a habitat and can mark the difference between losing or saving an entire species. This #EarthDay, join us in celebrating the intrinsic value of animals and the interconnected biodiversity all around us. Photo: @donalboyd © IFAW

A post shared by ifaw (@action4ifaw) on Apr 22, 2019 at 8:26am PDT

Thanks to @BasEickhout and @SkaKeller for signing IFAW's pledge along with many other MEP candidates from @GreensEP! The protection of wildlife and the environment requires everyone's involvement. Together, we can have an impact! https://t.co/Iwpe9d30cW #Vote4Wildlife pic.twitter.com/oUbhgRETpa
— ifaw European Union (@ifawEU) May 3, 2019

Every problem has a solution, every solution needs support.

The problems we face are urgent, complicated, and resistant to change. Real solutions demand creativity, hard work, and involvement from people like you.

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