2020 Annual Report

2020 ANNUAL REPORT YEARS ©AP ©Alexis Fotos on Unsplash 2 2020 WildAid Annual Report To Protect Wildlife from Illegal Trade OUR VISION and Other Imminent Threats We envisage a time when illegal wildlife trade is a rare aberration, rather than a multibillion-dollar industry, and when humanity truly values wildlife conservation as an essential priority. WildAid delivers cost-effective, long-term solutions for protecting wildlife against imminent threats, such as illegal trade, poaching, and human- wildlife conflict. WildAid protects wildlife across the globe by reducing demand for wildlife products with world-class communications campaigns that support stronger policies and improved enforcement, and inspire public support for stronger conservation. By reducing consumption of wildlife and bushmeat and closing commercial trade in live wild animals in key target countries, WildAid is also helping to prevent another zoonotic disease pandemic. WildAid increases the effectiveness of marine protected areas through new technology, professional training, and capacity building. By using widespread and innovative forms of media and communication avenues to deliver locally resonant, respectful, and culturally appropriate conservation narratives, we will make clear that protecting wildlife and the environment must be a central part of our lifestyles and sustainable- development policies and plans, resulting in behavior and policy changes that acknowledge that human quality of life depends on the health of natural ecosystems and all their inhabitants. ©Nyumbani Content Agency Our latest influencers for our Africa Pride campaign observing wildlife in Ruaha Park, Tanzania, with WildAid staff. 3 ©iStock/Prasanna S 4 2020 WildAid Annual Report LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER AND CEO This year was one no one will forget. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a dire warning of the potential costs of ignoring pressing environmental issues, such as climate change, deforestation, and wildlife trade. All these factors increase the risk of the evolution and spread of new diseases, and we hope that COVID-19 generates renewed energy and commitment to address them with the urgency they deserve. Our Keep Them Wild, Keep Us Safe campaign in Asia and Africa hopes to drastically reduce the urban commercial trade in bushmeat and end live wildlife markets to protect millions of animals and endangered wildlife species, as well as the health and prosperity of many nations. Our expanded mission, to protect wildlife from illegal trade and other imminent threats, allows us to adapt to a changing world and tackle additional threats to wildlife, such as climate change, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. We believe changing social behavior toward wildlife products also provides a foundation for effecting environmental change, which is why we launched our EarthAid brand in China, expanded our African campaigns, and enhanced protection in marine reserves. As a society, we’ve all had to adapt and develop new ways of working, learning, and living. COVID restrictions slowed many of our programs and meant no donor trips or in-person gala, which impacted our income. But our first-ever livestreamed gala brought our supporters together from all over the world, and thanks to your generosity, we raised over $800,000—and we look forward to moving full speed ahead in the coming years. The above accomplishments would have been impossible without the continued support of our partners and donors. On behalf of the WildAid team, I share our deepest gratitude. YEARS Sincerely, When the buying stops, Peter Knights ©Kristian Schmidt the killing can too 5 THE PROBLEM The illegal wildlife trade is a An estimated Over 70 shark multibillion-dollar global industry, 150,000 species largely driven by consumer demand. pangolins are at risk of extinction. From overfishing to transportation —the most heavily choices, human activity is driving wildlife trafficked wild extinction and ecosystem breakdown at mammal—are poached an unprecedented rate. annually. Up to 17,000 Up to 75% of Oceanic elephants fatal human sharks and have been killed diseases rays declined annually for their ivory come from animals. 70% in recent times. over the past 50 years. Every 22 All 7 species Less than 3% hours, of sea turtles of the ocean a rhino is killed for its are threatened with is highly protected, horn in South Africa. extinction, even though despite a healthy they are among the ocean being critical for oldest creatures. a healthy future. 6 2020 WildAid Annual Report Image Credits: elephant: Geran de Klerk on Unsplash, rhino: Ashes Sitoula on Unsplash, pangolin: iStock, civet cat: Paul Hilton, sea turtle: Randall Ruiz on Unsplash; shark: Alex Rose on Unsplash, manta ray: Mary O’Malley, ocean: Francesco Ungaro on Unsplash ©iStock/fishcat007 7 Elephants OUR IMPACT: IN 2020 To mitigate human-elephant conflict in Africa, we increased the number of trial sites for our nontoxic scent- based elephant repellent to six and realized an overall success rate of over 80%. We also expanded the trials to Asia. ©iStock/Lquang2410 Sea Turtles Our 2020 consumer awareness survey showed a 45.5% decline since 2017 in those who would consider ©iStock/Indian Ocean Imagery buying sea turtle products in Chinese cities where our campaign appeared. Whale Sharks Taiwan enacted new legal protection for whale sharks and increased the Over the past year, we worked with jail time and fines for anyone found guilty of disturbing or capturing them, local rangers and volunteers in following our two decades of campaigning. coastal Ecuador to protect 1,300 sea turtle nests, including eight rare Pangolins leatherback turtle nests, and 20,000 sea turtle hatchlings. After five years of WildAid ©Andrew Wegst campaigns, the Chinese government upgraded pangolins’ protection Rhinos status from Class II to Class I, with a In a survey of people who penalty of 10 years imprisonment for watched our latest PSAs, 81.7% those convicted of hunting, killing, said they would never purchase ©Paul Hilton smuggling, or trading them. rhino horn. ©Max Gotts for Unsplash 8 2020 WildAid Annual Report Manta Rays Rhinos OUR IMPACT: Within a two-year period, 67% of Reduced rhino resurveyed respondents stopped or horn prices in PAST 20 YEARS reduced consumption of dried manta Vietnam by more gills (as seen below), with at least than 70% due to 43% of those doing so because of lower demand. our messaging. ©Wikimedia/Cloneofsnake ©Rhino horns Flickr/USFWS Sharks Reduced shark fin imports in China by 82% and supported Marine Habitat China’s shark fin soup ban at state banquets. Expanded our marine enforcement work to 40 sites in seven countries. From 2018-2019 alone, ranger patrol hours increased 44% Elephants across five priority marine protected areas Reduced demand in coastal Ecuador. for ivory and helped the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong end domestic Pangolins ivory trade: 97% of 97% of Chinese citizens said they survey participants were less likely to buy products made agreed an ivory ban from pangolin after viewing our PSA is necessary after starring Jackie Chan. In June 2020, viewing our pangolins were upgraded to Class I celebrity-driven protection in China, affording them campaigns. the same protection as giant pandas. ©Flickr/USFWS/IVY ALLEN ©Wikimedia/Dan Bennett 9 HOW WE WORK 200+ $308 million international in annual pro WildAid’s media campaigns feature some ambassadors bono media of the most influential voices in the world, representing film, TV, placement from our network of media advocating for wildlife conservation on a music, sports, politics, religion, and business partners massive scale thanks to donated media. Our programs persuade consumers not 140+ media 40+ media to buy illegal or unsustainable wildlife partners platforms, products, and to make sustainable donating media space including television, transportation and food choices to help or airtime print, transit, billboard, online, and social mitigate climate change. media Those Who Have Lent Their Voices to Our Cause Over the Years WildAid enlists popular Asian, African, Edward Norton Danai Gurira Lupita Nyong’o and Western stars to spread the message about wildlife conservation.Working with David Beckham, Arnold Yao Ming these celebrities, as well as with our Prince William, Schwarzenegger network of media partners, we deliver and Yao Ming and James high-impact, culturally sensitive campaigns Cameron that reach hundreds of millions of people every year. 10 2020 WildAid Annual Report LEVERAGING YOUR DONATION OUR REACH 311 million subway passengers per month via in-car screens x40 Donor Amplification With hundreds of millions of dollars in pro Your bono media placement, we are able to Donation amplify donor support by 40 times. 1.9 million travelers daily via airport video screens and billboards Jackie Chan Kung Fu Panda Maggie Q Angelababy Wang Yibo 800+ million social media content views in 2020 11 PROTECT WILDLIFE, Campaign Channels Asia Press Conferences/ In Asia, we launched a major PREVENT PANDEMICS Media Launches campaign to close wildlife markets, Surveys and educate the public, and reduce Evaluation Threats to Wildlife Threaten Humans demand. The campaign focuses on the Government connection between wildlife trade and The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the catastrophic risks of live animal Outreach consumption, with a spotlight on the markets and urban bushmeat trade for emerging diseases and their potential Billboards pangolin trade. and Print for devastating impact. Social Media With global attention on the health risks of wildlife trade and calls to close Campaigns such markets, now is the time for WildAid to accelerate efforts to ensure permanent bushmeat bans are enacted and enforced and demand for such Short Films and TV and products is eradicated—for the future of both humans and wildlife. TV Episodes Radio Ads An Opportunity for Change China Myanmar Building on WildAid’s proven track record of success and unique model for driving change, we are accelerating massive anti-wildlife consumption and Nigeria Laos Vietnam anti-poaching campaigns tailored for key countries in Asia and Africa to Cameroon Thailand end wild animal trade and reduce demand.

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