focusSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 • VOLUME 31, NUMBER 5 WORLDWILDLIFE.ORG

In Mexico: Expanding OurCommitment P4

FEATURE

IN THIS ISSUE: Species Spotlight 2 Conservation News 3 Science 6

New Multinational Collaboration to Protect the Coral TriangleConserving Natural Resources Protects Livelihoods and Food Security of Some 120 Million People

WWF Partners in Alianza Mexico to Protect Unique Natural Heritage

Mixed SourcesCert no. SGS-COC-003683©1996 FSCcontains recycled fiber

At the Coral Triangle Summitin Manado, Indonesia, in May,the leaders of six SoutheastAsian and Pacific countries for-mally adopted a conservationplan that will result in long-termprotection for the region’smarine resources and the peo-ple who depend on them. Thecountries are Indonesia,Malaysia, Papua New Guinea,the Philippines, SolomonIslands, and Timor Leste.

“The new 10-year RegionalCoral Triangle Initiative Plan ofAction is one of the most com-prehensive, specific and time-bound plans ever put in placefor ocean conservation,” saysKate Newman, WWF leader forthe Coral Triangle. “This com-mitment is what it needs tobe—equal in scale to the valueof the region’s precious and irre-placeable natural resources.”

The Coral Triangle contains76 percent of all known coralspecies, even though the areacovers a mere 2 percent of theworld’s ocean. This high coraldiversity is the reason whythese waters are brimming withan extraordinary variety of fish.

More than 120 million peopledirectly depend on the bountyof these seas for their food andincome. The value of fisheries,tourism and shoreline protectionprovided by coral reefs, man-groves and associated habitatsis estimated at US $2.3 billionannually. The area’s tuna fish-eries—among the largest in theworld—generate billions inglobal income every year.

Threats to the area includeoverfishing, illegal fishing,unsustainable coastal develop-ment, and pollution, all madeworse by the increasing severi-ty of storms and tsunamis, aneffect of climate change.Together these threats lead todepleted fish stocks, large-scale loss of mangroves, anddegraded coral reef systems.

WWF has worked here sincethe 1970s, when we focusedon species conservation andmarine protected areas. By the1990s, we expanded ourefforts to a broad geographicarea and began promoting theeconomic value of the region’sbiodiversity. More recently, wepartnered with ConservationInternational and The NatureConservancy to help the coun-tries launch the Coral TriangleInitiative and develop the new

10-year conservation plan. Actions in the plan center

around improving managementof fisheries in the region, build-ing a comprehensive networkof marine protected areas inshared ocean waters, andadapting species, habitats and

MEMBER NEWS

Travel & Conservation:Supporting WWF in 2010

When you travel to theworld’s wild places, youbecome intimately familiarwith them—and their peopleand wildlife. You also gain abetter understanding of whythese places are so impor-tant to protect.

Accompanying this edi-tion of FOCUS is the 2010WWF Travel catalog, whichincludes trips to wildlife des-tinations around the world.For 2010 we’ve added moredestinations in Africa, addi-tional active programs inMexico, and new itinerariesfor families.

To learn more, check outthe travel insert, view our schedule online at worldwildlife.org/travel, orcall the WWF Travel Programat 888-WWF-TOUR.

On June 4, 2009, WorldWildlife Fund, the Carlos SlimFoundation and the Mexicanfederal government announcedan exciting new initiative thataims to establish Mexico as aglobal model for conservationby supporting sustainabledevelopment in six priorityregions of Mexico. This powerfulalliance connecting the govern-ment, the private sector, andnonprofit organizations createsan ideal model for maximizingconservation efforts. The initia-tive will develop strategies toprotect the selected areas fromthreats to their land, speciesand other natural resources.

Boasting rich, vibrant biodi-versity, the six target regionsare the Mesoamerican Reef,Gulf of California, ChihuahuanDesert, Oaxaca, MonarchButterfly Region, and Chiapas.Collectively they cover 30 percent of the country.

Unsustainable tourist andreal estate development, over-fishing, deforestation and cli-mate change are among themany threats confronting thesepriority areas.

“The Alianza WWF-FundaciónCarlos Slim provides anunprecedented opportunity towork hand in hand with local,state and federal governments,the private sector, civil societyand communities, and aims totransform the way conservationis done in Mexico,” said OmarVidal, director of WWF-Mexico.“The potential in front of us isthrilling.”

WWF views this partnershipas a model for transforming theway we conserve our placesand balance the needs of people and nature around theworld. Species that thrive in natural habitats and the peoplewho depend on naturalresources for their livelihoodsprovide inspiration for the hard work that lies ahead.

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Coral reefs are home to a wide variety of fish species, such as thisparrotfish.

The Coral Triangle Initiative aims toprotect the livelihoods of six SoutheastAsian and Pacific countries.

WWF President and CEO CarterRoberts (left), Mexican EnvironmentSecretary Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada(center), and Mexican philanthropistCarlos Slim (right) kick off the newpartnership for Mexico at the signingceremony in Quintana Roo in earlyJune. The initiative will establishMexico as a global model for conservation.

See inside, pages 4-5, formore on this story.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 �

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2 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 FOCUS

PresidentCarter S. Roberts

Editorial DirectorSheila Donoghue

ContributorsKaty Conroy, Will Gartshore,

Jennifer Hanna, Michael Kite, Megan Policicchio, Elissa Poma

Copy EditorAlice Taylor

ProductionLee FreedmanMichael Jones

Member ServicesPhone: 800-960-0993

Email: membership@wwfus.org

World Wildlife Fund is the leading U.S.organization working worldwide topreserve the abundance and diversityof life on Earth. WWF is affiliated withthe international WWF Network, whichhas representatives in more than 50countries and an international office in Gland, Switzerland. All contributionsare tax-deductible.

Unless otherwise noted, materialappearing in FOCUS is copyrighted andmay be reproduced with permission.

Cover photo: Rio Conchos, Mexico© Edward Parker /WWF-Canon

Volume 31, Number 5(ISSN 0774-3315)

FOCUS is published bimonthly byWorld Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th Street,NW, Washington, DC. 20037. Annualmembership dues are $15.00.Nonprofit postage paid at Washington,DC. and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changesto: FOCUS, World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th Street, NW, P.O. Box 97180,NW, Washington, DC 20090-7180.

Few wildlife migrations are as astonishing asthe one performed by monarch butterflies.Each fall, millions of monarchs travel as muchas 2,800 miles from Canada and the UnitedStates to hibernate in the forested mountainsof central Mexico, including the 138-acreMonarch Butterfly Reserve.

These beautiful, fragile travelers can cover aremarkable 50 miles a day, guided by the sun’sorbit and an internal biological compass. WWF works with the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature to protectand restore the near-threatenedbutterflies’ wooded winter homes.

Habitat: United States, southeastCanada, central Mexico, Australiaand New Zealand

Diet: Nectar from milkweeds and other flower-ing plants

Threats: Deforestation, toxic plants, introducedpredatory beetles, parasites

Interesting fact: Monarch butterflies live forjust five weeks, except for one generation borneach fall. Nicknamed the “Methuselah genera-tion,” that group survives for seven months or more—long enough to make the tripto Mexico and back.

Monarch Butterfly(Danaus plexippus)

Step Up to Support a Strong U.S. Climate Bill

This past June, the U.S.House of Representatives nar-rowly passed a landmark bill tojumpstart America’s clean ener-gy future and take serioussteps to reduce global warmingpollution and address climatechange. The American CleanEnergy and Security Act wouldfor the first time put a price on

carbon and position the UnitedStates to be a serious player ininternational climate negotia-tions in Copenhagen this com-ing December.

Given the historic importanceof this legislation and the need

On the beaches at Junquillal, Costa Rica, Gabriel Francia hasworked a kind of magic, launched in part by a grant from WWF’s

Russell E. Train Education forNature Program. WWF helpedsupport his master’s degree inwildlife management, but suc-cess for Gabriel didn’t endwhen his studies did. He wentstraight from research intoaction to save the marine turtlesthat nest on the local beaches.As he says in a new WWFvideo, the people who todaypatrol the beach and protectthe nests used to be the onesdoing the poaching. It’s a fan-

tastic story of a new generation of conservationists and you canhear it firsthand at worldwildlife.org/costaricaturtles.

to garner 60 votes in the U.S.Senate in order to pass a simi-lar bill, WWF has decided todedicate significant resourcesto a targeted campaign to helpwin the needed votes andensure that a strong climateand energy bill passes the cur-rent Congress. This multifac-eted advocacy campaign is

a first for WWF.Through public out-reach in state, localand national media,the campaign high-lights the costs ofnot acting and callson Congress to passstrong climatechange legislation.

Grassroots effortsare a key compo-nent of WWF’s cli-mate change cam-

paign. By taking part in ourConservation Action Network,you can play an essential rolein our campaign to pass astrong climate bill and stop climate change.

Take action now by going to worldwildlife.org/climatecampaign.

President’s MessageTAKE ACTION

World Wildlife Fund1250 24th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037

worldwildlife.org

focus September/October 2009Volume 31 Number 5

speciesSPOTLIGHT

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Timing is everything.WWF’s record of suc-cess depends on strategy, science, hardwork, negotiation, technical expertise—andpatience. We work in a carefully selected

portfolio of places around the world that represent incredible biodiversity and offer the great-est possibility of true change. But success comes at a unique pace in each place. It only hap-pens when the stars line up and the efforts of many lead to government commitments, policychange and sustainable, on-the-ground results.

We’ve experienced this level of success recently in the Coral Triangle—after years of effortby WWF and others, six heads of state came together in May and committed publicly to pro-tect the vast natural wealth of their region. We’ve seen it in the Amazon, where the work of ourAmazon Region Protected Areas program has resulted in nearly 62 million acres of new pro-tected areas in the past five years. And most recently the stars are lining up in Mexico—thefourth most biodiverse country in the world—where we have an unprecedented opportunityto redefine a nation’s approach to conservation and develop a global model for success.

WWF has joined forces with the government of Mexico, legendary businessman CarlosSlim, international and local NGOs, and international investors to establish models of sustain-able development in six key landscapes that collectively represent 30 percent of the country.Fundación Carlos Slim has committed an initial $50 million, to be matched by WWF and otherinvestors for a total investment of $100 million.

I traveled to Mexico in June to join Mr. Slim, Mexico’s Secretary of the Environment JuanElvira, and others to formalize this groundbreaking partnership. We also heralded a series ofconservation announcements from President Felipe Calderfin, including a pledge to reduceCO2 emissions by 50 million tons a year. For a developing country, this stands as an unprece-dented commitment.

Also announced were the creation of nearly 2 million acres of new protected areas, an 80 percentreduction in levels of deforestation in the Monarch Butterfly Reserve, and the creation of an inde-pendent panel to track deforestation, an idea we’ve worked on with the government for the past year.

Any one of these is worth celebrating and the entire package places Mexico at the fore-front of international environmental leadership. Indeed, with Mexico’s dedication to climatereform, the country may well be one of the brightest spots around the world in the effort toaccomplish a global climate deal in Copenhagen at the end of the year.

WWF’s enduring commitment in every place we work is all about building the capacity andresolve necessary to achieve conservation. We do that by digging in for the long term, the onlyway to develop the relationships and build the trust necessary for transformational change. Thischange doesn’t come easily, or without challenges. But when everything comes together—as ithas in the Coral Triangle and the Amazon, and as it will in Mexico—the results are extraordinary.

Carter S. Roberts

When the Stars Align, theResults are Extraordinary

WWF’s enduring com-mitment in every place wework is all about buildingthe capacity and resolvenecessary to achieve conservation.

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The Art and Science of Saving Marine Turtles

The Arctic's iconic polar bears callattention to the need for climate action.

Gabriel Francia documents the workhe is doing to protect marine turtles.

Help save monarch butterflies and other threatened species and their habitats. Visit worldwildlife.org/offer to symbolically adopt a species. Your donation will be used in general support of WWF’s conservation efforts around the world. For more on the monarchmigration, visit worldwildlife.org/monarchs.

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FOCUS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 • 3

conservationNEWS

Large Paper CompanyThreatens SumatranEndangered Species

New WWF Research Highlights Plight of Small Cetaceans

You need to know what you have in order to protect it.

By Sheila Donoghue, FOCUS Editor

A new scientific study byWWF, Small Cetaceans: TheForgotten Whales, shows thatdolphins, porpoises and smallwhales are heading towardextinction as their survival isovershadowed by efforts tosave their larger cousins.These smaller species are dis-appearing from the world’soceans and waterways as theyfall victim to fishing gear, pollu-tion, and habitat loss—com-pounded by a lack of conser-vation measures such as thosedeveloped for great whales.

Almost all great whalespecies have the strongestlevel of protection offered byCITES—a conservation con-vention that regulates interna-tional trade in protected wildlifespecies—compared to just 17percent of dolphin and por-poise species. In addition, theConvention on MigratorySpecies protects 87 percent ofgreat whale species, but lessthan half of the small whales.

The report focuses on a crip-pling lack of the data requiredto determine the species’ sta-tus—such as near-threatened,vulnerable, endangered, orcritically endangered—whichin turn feeds into conservation

policies both locally and glob-ally. Data is currently lackingfor 58 percent of smallcetaceans, while for greatwhales, the number is consid-erably less at 27 percent.

Small cetaceans play a criti-cal role in their environment, sta-bilizing and ensuring a healthyand productive ecosystem.

They also are part of the highlyprofitable whale and dolphinwatching industry worldwide,which generates over US $1.5billion each year. WWF haschallenged the InternationalWhaling Commission and itsmembers to take full responsi-bility for the conservation futureof all whales, great and small.

To read the report, visitworldwildlife.org/theforgottenwhales.

The Bushmeat Crisis in the Congo Basin

By Lauren Alexander, Staff Writer

In May, Cameroon officials staged a successful raid in theCongo Basin, seizing more than 2,200 pounds of illegal bush-meat and arresting 15 wildlife poachers for possessing bush-meat from a variety of animals, including gorillas, elephants andchimpanzees. The officials also confiscated several illegal firearms, including high-caliber rifles. The raid was part of a week-long antipoaching operation and a step toward the elimination of illegal trade. However, poaching continues to be a threat toendangered species in the Congo Basin.

Bushmeat is a leading cause of biodiversity loss in theCongo Basin. Commercial logging and community expansionhave expanded access to forests, allowing hunters to supplybushmeat for growing urban demand. Poaching continues toincrease as more illegal weapons are used in the operation.There is a proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition, much of it military, from the many conflicts in the region. Political and

social instability has also led to increased poaching because people in refugee camps huntwildlife to compensate for the limited amount of food available in the camps.

For nearly 50 years, WWF has worked with Central African governments to protect the forests,species and other natural resources of the Congo Basin. Part of this work aims to end the illegalbushmeat trade. Poaching has become widely recognized as a leading conservation threat, butwith the help of local communi-ties and law enforcement it canbe stopped. The capture andprosecution of mass poachingoperations are important for theprotection of highly endangeredspecies.

Learn more at worldwildlife.org/congobushmeat.

By Megan Policicchio, Staff Writer

Over the last century, millionsof marine turtles have beenkilled on the beaches of theDominican Republic for foodand tonics and to feed the tor-toiseshell markets of the U.S.,Europe and Asia. In addition to jewelry, ornamental boxes,and picture frames, turtle eggsand meat also have been pop-ular items sold illegally in the marketplace.

TRAFFIC, the world’s largestwildlife trade monitoring net-work, has helped curb this ille-gal trade. In 2006, our TRAF-FIC experts investigated themain tourist centers in theDominican Republic and usedvideos and photographs to cat-alog over 23,000 items madefrom hawksbill turtles for saleby hundreds of gift shops andstreet vendors. Armed withsurvey data, our expertsworked with local governmentauthorities, raising awarenessand providing details about theflow of illegal trade, includingspecific cities, markets, storesand traders. We also encour-aged them to step up efforts tomeet their commitments tolaws and international treatieslike CITES, the Convention onInternational Trade inEndangered Species.

The government took strongaction to clear the shelves ofillegal turtle products, instruct-

ing traders to find alternativesouvenirs to sell to the millionsof tourists who visit the countryeach year. And it worked:When we surveyed the samelocations again this year, only135 turtle products remained.

“If governments are willing totake effective enforcementaction and find alternativeproducts for traders there ishope for endangered specieslike the hawksbill turtle,” saidCrawford Allan, director ofTRAFFIC North America.

“Working with governments andconsumers is the only way wecan secure the long-term futureof species where they are high-ly valuable and in demand forillegal wildlife trade.”

Learn more about the speciesat worldwildlife.org/hawksbill.

Read the 2006 survey report at worldwildlife.org/turtletrade2006. TRAFFIC is along-standing partnership ofWWF and IUCN.

Turtle Trade in DominicanRepublic Down by 99 Percent

By Lauren Alexander, Staff Writer

Deep in the forests outsideIndonesia’s Bukit TigapuluhNational Park lives a populationof Sumatran orangutans oncetaken from the wild for the ille-gal pet trade. Rescued by gov-ernment officials, brought backto health, and taught to fend forthemselves, these animals havebeen successfully reintroducedto the wild by the SumatranOrangutan Reintroduction Centerof the Frankfurt ZoologicalSociety. Unfortunately, theiramazing journey may not beover as they are now threatenedby the legal conversion of forestinto pulp and paper plantations.

Asia Pulp & Paper Company(APP) has acquired the rights tothe land that is home to the rein-troduced orangutans. The com-pany plans a massive conver-sion operation that will destroyhabitat critical to the orangutansand to some of the island'sremaining Sumatran tiger andelephant populations. The con-version of forests into planta-tions will also displace and dis-enfranchise two indigenoustribes who are equally depend-ent on the forests for their liveli-hoods and cultural identity.

Because APP may startclearing the forest within a year,immediate action is called for toprotect their home. WWF hasjoined with four local organiza-tions in pressuring the Sumatrangovernment to maintain their2008 agreement to save theisland’s remaining forests. Localand international activists arealso asking Indonesian Forestry

officials to have the forest legal-ly designated as a protectedarea. And WWF’s Global Forest& Trade Network is urging majorcompanies and financial institu-tions to phase out their supplyand use of unsustainable woodproducts before it is too late forthese precious forests and thespecies and people who livethere.

Learn more about this storyat worldwildlife.org/APP.

This hawksbill turtle is laying hereggs on a beach above the high-water mark.

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anonBushmeat consumption will likely

double in the next 25 years, placingmost large-bodied mammals, includ-ing chimpanzees, at risk of extinction.

There are over 80 species ofcetaceans, a group made up ofwhales, porpoises and dolphins, suchas this pantropical spotted dolphin.

The commercial bushmeat trade in theCongo Basin is often linked to thearrival of logging roads and workersin remote areas.

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Orangutans move from tree to tree,avoiding climbing down to the ground.

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MESOAMERICAN REEFSpanning four countries—Mexico, Belize, Honduras andGuatemala—the nearly 115 million-acre Mesoamerican Reef isthe largest reef system in the Americas. The Mexican portion cov-ers more than 38 million acres, about the size of the state ofGeorgia. The massive reef harbors a vast array of aquatic life:more than 500 species of fish, 65 species of stony coral, sea tur-tles, whales, dolphins (below) and more. The area has alsobecome a travel destination, with exponential growth in cruiseship tourism contributing to the estimated 8 million tourists whovisited last year.

4 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 FOCUS

MexicoA NEW FOCUS ON

WWF and Partners Launch a Landmark Program for Conservation and Sustainable Development Across 30 Percent of the Country of Mexico

Mexico is a wellspring of biodiversity. It is one of 18 countriesthat collectively harbor more than 70 percent of the world’sspecies, while representing only 10 percent of the Earth’s

surface. These facts earn Mexico the distinction of being classified as megadiverse. Recognizing the importance of this diversity to the

health of the country’s people and its ecosystems, WWF isexpanding our conservation program here to cover 30

percent of the country. WWF has had a presence in Mexico for more than 40

years; our first project was a study on Mexican graywolves. Over the years our work has included thefirst-ever comprehensive assessment of biodiversity inthe Chihuahuan Desert; the conservation of EspirituSanto, a pristine island in the Gulf of California; sup-

port to fishermen in the Mesoamerican Reef to meetsustainability standards; and much, much more. And our con-

nection and commitment to Mexico has only deepened over time.WWF is building on this enduring legacy through Alianza Mexico,

our new, multi-year partnership with the Mexican government,Fundación Carlos Slim and other local and international partners.Alianza Mexico aims to establish the country as a global model ofconservation. It focuses on six regions of the country—the Gulf ofCalifornia, the Mesoamerican Reef, the Chihuahuan Desert, the statesof Chiapas and Oaxaca, and the Monarch Butterfly Reserve. The newalliance will address such critical threats to Mexico’s glorious biodi-versity as climate change, unsustainable development, and illegal

logging and fishing. Alianza Mexico has engaged with

hundreds of community partners,academic leaders and others toestablish the basis for the conser-vation of priority protected areaswithin the six regions. Goals will beachieved by strengthening localresources and by supporting man-agement strategies for land andwater conservation, threatenedspecies protection, and climatechange adaptation.

From the biologically rich seas of the Gulf of California to the tower-ing fir forests of the Monarch Butterfly Reserve, the wealth of Mexico’snatural resources is truly astounding. Let’s take a closer look at the sixregions of the country where WWF and partners are working to conservethese resources and enhance Mexico’s growing reputation as a regionalleader on climate change, conservation and other sustainability issues.

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GULF OF CALIFORNIAThe Gulf of California separates the Baja California Peninsula fromthe Mexican mainland. Its waters are vast, stretching more than900 miles, and rich, with more than 6,000 species or subspeciesof marine life. This region is also an important economic zone, pro-viding livelihoods for tens of thousands of artisanal and commer-cial fishermen (see the shrimp fleet below) and yielding morethan half of Mexico’s annual take of fish and other marine prod-ucts. More than 8 million people make their home here, and theyrely almost exclusively on the area’s natural resources to survive.

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STATE OF CHIAPASThe state of Chiapas is home to the Lacandon Rainforest, thelargest example of dense jungle and rain forest in the countrydespite a deforestation rate that has increased dramatically overthe past 30 years. The Lacandon is a treasure trove of biologicaldiversity: Half of Mexico’s bird and daytime butterfly species arefound here, along with 30 percent of the country’s mammalspecies and nearly all of its tropical trees. Chiapas also boaststhe El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, one of the most pristine anddiverse natural areas in Mexico. The reserve is home to dozens of rare, endemic and endangered species—including pumas,jaguars (right) and the resplendent quetzal—as well as manyindigenous communities who depend on its natural bounty to survive.

STATE OF OAXACAThe Mexican state of Oaxaca covers about 25 millionacres and is fronted by 370 miles of Pacific coastline. It ishome to nearly 3.5 million people, a figure that includesmore than half of the total indigenous population ofMexico. Oaxaca is also the most biodiverse of Mexico’s31 states—50 percent of all species in Mexico can befound here. The region’s forests, such as the Sierra Norteat right, preserve great expanses of timberland thatinclude cedar, mahogany and oak. However, inadequateforest management is threatening this natural wealth.Oaxaca also faces conservation challenges from unsus-tainable development and agricultural conflicts.

MONARCH BUTTERFLY RESERVEIn the fall of each year, millions of monarch butterflies leave theUnited States and Canada on a journey as far as 2,800 miles fromhome. Destination: the Monarch Butterfly Reserve in centralMexico—138 protected acres of oak, pine and oyamel fir forestswhere the butterflies hibernate for the winter. These forests arealso home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including morethan 130 species of birds, as well as 13 indigenous communitieswhose livelihoods depend on forest use and subsistence agricul-ture. Careful management of the area’s natural resources isimperative to ensure the continued survival of these communitieswhile also preserving the butterflies’ hibernation habitat. Thephoto below shows people at work in a tree nursery in thereserve, a source of local employment and a way to preserveforests and, in turn, the monarchs. CHIHUAHUAN DESERT

The Chihuahuan Desert stretches from the southwestern UnitedStates, including parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, deepinto central Mexico, covering an area almost as big as Montana.And although the desert sees very little rainfall inan average year, it hums with life: More than 130species of mammals, 100 native freshwater fish,and 3,000 plant species (including 500 of theworld’s 1,500 species of cactus) thrive here. Theregion’s 500 bird species attract birdwatcherssuch as the ones shown here atop an impressivedesert sand dune. The Rio Grande River runsthrough the Chihuahuan Desert and is a lifelinefor all of these species, as well as the millions ofpeople who call the region home. Increasing eco-nomic expansion is causing unprecedentedstrain on the area’s vital natural resources.

FOCUS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 • 5

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about WWF’s work in Mexicoat worldwildlife.org/mexico.

Learn more…

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6 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 FOCUS

retail purchases. There’s noannual fee† and you canselect from one of three ani-mal images—polar bear,panda or tiger.

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For every $100 in net retailpurchases that you make withthis card, Bank of Americawill contribute $0.25 to WWF.

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By Colby Loucks and MikeMascia, WWF ConservationScientists

Since World War II, the worldhas witnessed more than 150armed conflicts in some 70countries, many of them inWWF’s Global 200 ecoregions.Understanding armed conflictand the socioeconomic condi-tions that follow is an important—yet often underappreciated—factor in the success of biodiversity conservation.

To find ways to addressthese issues, we formed a

team of WWF scientists andcolleagues to research condi-tions in the tropical dry forestsof eastern Cambodia, home toAsian elephants and myriadother species. We studied 18species in depth, using datafrom remote sensing and inter-views of local hunters to under-stand the impact of armedconflict on wildlife. For these 18species, we looked at the rela-tionships among wildlife abun-dance, habitat loss, influx ofguns, wildlife trade, gover-nance, and local livelihoods

from 1953, when Cambodiagained full independence fromFrance, to 2005. During thisperiod, there were massivesocioeconomic upheavals,numerous governments, andfrequent fighting.

Our results, published in thejournal Conservation Letters,show that both distribution andabundance of wildlife declinedduring the study period. Anumber of Cambodia’s mostcharismatic species, such asthe Asian elephant, Eld’s deer,hog deer, kouprey andSiamese crocodile, becamelocally extinct.

The sharpest decline tookplace in the 1970s, due not tohabitat loss but to the prolifera-tion of guns, Khmer Rougepolicies mandating hunting bylocal villagers, and the emer-gence of wildlife trade for mar-kets outside the villages.

Wildlife trade increased dra-matically during this decade,from a single species (the gaur,a wild cattle species) to eightspecies (including tigers, leop-

The Legacy of ArmedConflict: Wildlife Decline

workplaceGIVING

One of the simplest andmost efficient ways to supportWWF is by donating at workthrough EarthShare, a networkof more than 400 local, state,national and international envi-ronmental and conservationorganizations. EarthSharegives America’s employersand employees an easy andeffective way to care for theenvironment through work-place giving campaigns. Moreand more companies are giv-ing their employees the oppor-tunity to support WWF throughEarthShare, and many willeven match your gift.

What does this mean toyou? When you make apledge to WWF throughEarthShare, your specifiedcontribution will be automati-cally deducted from eachpaycheck and donated toWWF and your gifts are tax-deductible to the extentallowed by law. Just selectWWF during your workplacegiving campaign and yourcontribution will go far in help-ing us to preserve the diversi-ty and abundance of life onEarth, halt the degradation of

Help WWF Protect the Future of Nature—At Work

the environment, and combatclimate change.

Giving to WWF through pay-roll contribution entitles you toour bi-monthly member publi-cation, FOCUS, which featuresin-depth updates on our suc-cesses and our ongoing con-servation projects and priorities.

Giving as a Federal Employee

Each fall, EarthShare par-ticipates in the largest work-place giving campaign in theworld: The Combined FederalCampaign (CFC), which is tai-lored to meet the needs of

federal employees,including U.S. postalworkers and the U.S.military at home andoverseas. To give toWWF through theCFC, simply enter

CFC code #12072 on yourpledge card during your funddrive and return it to yourcampaign coordinator.

Questions?If your workplace is not

currently involved, EarthSharewill work with your employerto set up a program thatmeets your company’s needs.To learn more, visit themonline at earthshare.org, callthem at 1-800-875-3863, orcontact WWF’s Michael Kiteat 202-293-4800.

ards and elephants). Whilearmed conflict officially ceasedin 1991, wildlife hunting remainsa primary source of income formany villagers, eclipsing fishingand rice farming.

Our research points the wayto solutions that can be imple-mented here and in other WWFGlobal 200 ecoregions. Wemake the case for integratingconservation into efforts torebuild peace by (1) develop-ing the capacity of local com-munities to participate in natu-ral resource management deci-sions, (2) providing jobs andother economic opportunitiesfor former combatants, and (3) building peace parksacross political boundaries tobring people together in sup-port of conservation. These area few of the actions that canhelp post-conflict societies sus-tain both their livelihoods andtheir local natural resources.

To learn about WWF’s workin the Mekong, which includesCambodia, visitworldwildlife.org/Mekong.

SCIENCE UPDATE

The Siamese crocodile, the hog deer and Asian elephant (shown below), areamong the species now locally extinct in the Cambodian region studied byWWF scientists.

Over the last two decades, endan-gered hog deer populations inCambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand,China and Bangladesh have declinedby more than 90 percent, continuinga trend going back to the 1950s.

In 1992 there were some 1,500-2,000Asian elephants in Cambodia. Abouta decade later, the number was downto between 250 and 600, mostlyfound in the mountains.

Correction to the Species Spotlight in the July/August 2009 issue ofFOCUS: The biggest leatherback turtle ever recorded was a male,stranded on a Welsh beach, that reached 100 inches long and weighed2,000 pounds.

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FOCUS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 • 7

Financial information about World Wildlife Fund can be obtained by contacting us at 125024th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, 1-800-960-0993, or as stated below.

Colorado: Colorado residents may obtain copies of registration and financial documentsfrom the office of the Secretary of State, (303) 894-2680, http://www.sos.state.co.us/ re: Reg.No. 20023005803. Florida: SC No. 00294. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION ANDFINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMERSERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELP-FLA. Georgia: A fulland fair description of the programs and activities of World Wildlife Fund and its financialstatement are available upon request at the address indicated above. Illinois: Contractsand reports regarding World Wildlife Fund are on file with the Illinois Attorney General.Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, documents and information filed under theMaryland charitable organizations laws can be obtained from the Secretary of State,Charitable Division, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401, (800) 825-4510. Michigan: MICSNo. 9377. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of World WildlifeFund may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State's office by calling 1-888-236-6167. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNINGTHIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONSRECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDI-CATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAYBE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GEN-ERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING 1-973-504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLEON THE INTERNET AT www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. NewYork: Upon request, acopy of the latest annual report can be obtained from the organization or from theOffice of the Attorney General by writing the Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, NewYork, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copyof its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 1-888-830-4989.Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of World Wildlife Fund maybe obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, withinPennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: Financial statements are available from the StateOffice of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: The noticeof solicitation required by the Charitable Solicitation Act is on file with the WashingtonSecretary of State, and information relating to financial affairs of World Wildlife Fund is avail-able from the Secretary of State, and the toll-free number for Washington residents: 1-800-332-4483.West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registrationand financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305.

REGISTRATION IN THE ABOVE STATES DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL,OR RECOMMENDATION OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND BY THE STATE.

What WWF Activism Can AccomplishBy Will Gartshore, Manager, WWF Conservation Action Network

The members of WWF’s Conservation Action Network (CAN) are committed grassroots activists seeking to make a difference.By taking action and lending their voices to WWF’s campaigns and policy efforts, CAN activists help WWF achieve results, bothon the ground and on Capitol Hill. Here are just a few of the successful CAN actions from the past year. To learn about stillother CAN results or to take action or enroll as a WWF activist, visit takeaction.worldwildlife.org.

Remembering the Exxon Valdezand Protecting Arctic Species

Last winter, more than 11,000 activists urgedthe Obama administration to help prevent futureExxon Valdez-type disasters by removing BristolBay and the Beaufort and Chukchi seas from the5-year offshore drilling plan for 2010-2015. Morethan 10,000 activists sent comments opposingnew lease sales in the two seas. In April, the D.C.Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the InteriorDepartment’s 2007-2012 Leasing Program, rulingthat, under the Bush administration, it had failedto properly consider the environmental sensitivityof the Beaufort, Chukchi and Bering seas.

Signing on to Save the Western Gray Whale

Over 30,000 activists worldwide have signed apetition to ExxonMobil, Rosneft and BP Grouptelling them to postpone new oil and gas activitiesin the waters off Sakhalin Island, the main summerfeeding grounds for the western gray whale. Thisfollows on significant successes WWF has alreadyrealized in convincing other energy companies,including Shell, to postpone their activities in thearea due to the potential negative impacts on thiscritically endangered species.

Increasing Funding for International Wildlife Conservation

Last spring, some 11,000 people urgedCongress to increase funding for the conservationof sea turtles, tigers, rhinos, elephants, great apesand neotropical migratory birds. During the sametime, almost 900 U.S. activists asked their repre-sentatives to cosponsor a bill to create a specialpostal stamp to raise funds for tigers, rhinos, ele-phants and other imperiled species. In June, keycommittees in the House of Representativespassed the stamp bill and significantly increasedfunding for international species conservation.

Helping Overturn DamagingEndangered Species Rules

In March, nearly 9,000 U.S. activists emailed theirsenators and asked them to preserve language inCongress’s annual spending bill to help overturnrules pushed through in the final days of the Bushadministration that would undermine endangeredspecies protection. The Senate kept the languagein the bill, which was then signed into law. InApril, the Obama administration reinstated long-standing protections requiring agencies to carryout expert scientific consultations to safeguardendangered species.

Committing to Sustainable Choices in the Marketplace

To date, 14,000 activists have pledged to buyForest Stewardship Council-certified wood prod-ucts, and 14,000 have taken a pledge to buyMarine Stewardship Council-certified seafood. Bychoosing good wood and sustainable seafood,activists are using their buying power to helpkeep our forests standing and help stop the over-fishing of our oceans.

Encouraging Cool Companiesto Help Save the Climate

Since March 2008, close to 18,000 activistsworldwide have signed a petition thanking the 15companies that have joined WWF Climate Savers.In June 2008, more than a dozen of these mem-bers joined with WWF on an open letter to theU.S. Senate supporting action on climate changelegislation. A March 2009 summit commemoratedthe 10-year anniversary of Climate Savers andincluded a briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss cor-porate action on climate change.

human livelihoods to theimpacts of climate change.WWF is urging world leaderswho are meeting at the UNClimate Conference inCopenhagen this December tosupport Coral Triangle coun-tries in their efforts to protecttheir most vulnerable communi-ties from the impacts of climatechange and the loss of foodand livelihoods.

WWF will continue workingtogether with other conserva-tion organizations, fundingagencies and governmentsaround the world to support theCoral Triangle governments,businesses and communitiesas they conserve the region’svaluable marine resources.

For more information, visitworldwildlife.org/coraltriangle.

Coral TriangleContinued from page 1

The spectacularly rich and vibrant coral reefs in the Coral Triangle are havensand food sources for thousands of species of fish and invertebrates.

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A New OpportunityA New Opportunity

AlianzaMexicoAlianzaMexico

focusSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 • VOLUME 31, NUMBER 5

8 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 FOCUS

3For membership inquiries, please call 1-800-CALL-WWF.

Give to WWF Through a Will or Other Estate Plan

World Wildlife Fund works to preserve the diversity of lifeon Earth and the health of ecological systems. You can makethe long-term conservation of nature part of your legacyby remembering WWF.

There are several ways to make a bequest to WWF:• A specific bequest of an amount of money or an asset• A percentage bequest, listing the percentage of yourestate you wish to leave to WWF• A residual bequest of the remainder of your estate ora percentage of the remainder after you have madeyour specific bequests• A contingent bequest naming WWF as the recipientin case another beneficiary does not survive you

For more information, please call a WWF Gift Planningrepresentative toll-free at 1-888-993-9455

or email legacygifts@wwfus.org.

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Our FutureOur World, Our Future

WWF’s Roberto Troyabecame a conservationist byaccident. Although he grew up a nature-loving child inEcuador, he did not set out to work in conservation; hebecame a lawyer. But when theEcuadorian government askedhim to develop a nuclear policyfor the country, he discoveredthe emerging field of interna-tional environmental law, and anew career was born. Afterearning a master’s degree fromHarvard, he was hired as theCEO of Fundación Natura inEcuador. He went on to work atThe Nature Conservancy formore than a decade, eventuallyrunning their international gov-ernment relations program, aposition that involved closecoordination with more than 35

In the two years since WWF launched our chan-nel on YouTube, our videos have been viewed wellover 500,000 times. They are popular with men andwomen, fairly equally, and appeal to internet usersfrom teens to seniors. Among the most viewed: aclip of a wild tiger in Malaysia thanks to a motion-sensitive camera, a slide show of new species dis-covered in the Greater Mekong, and two polar bearvideos featuring actors Sharon Lawrence and NoahWyle. Visit worldwildlife.org/videos for an indexto the nearly 200 videos and links to them on theWWFUS YouTube channel.

WWF’s YouTube Channel

countries to develop and influ-ence public policy and fundingstrategies for conservation ini-tiatives around the world.

At WWF, Roberto leads ourwork in Latin America and theCaribbean. Along with ourWWF colleagues in Mexico, heis intimately involved in Alianza

Mexico, WWF’s partnershipwith the Mexican government,philanthropist Carlos Slim andothers. His long list of prioritiesalso includes building astronger marine presence inthe region, as well as continu-ing WWF’s strong legacy ofconservation success in theAmazon.

“It has always been my goalto return my focus to LatinAmerica and share the localand global conservation les-sons I’ve learned,” saysRoberto. “In Mexico, particular-ly, the opportunities we haveright now are nothing short oftransformational, and that setsa fantastic tone for the rest ofthe region.” Read more aboutAlianza Mexico on page 1 andpages 4-5.

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Polar bears are just one of the many species you can seeon WWF's YouTube channel.

WWF: BEHIND THE SCENES

Roberto Troya, Vice President and Regional Director, Latin America and the Caribbean

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