Asian Species Programme Supporting species at a critical time SYNCHRONICITY EARTH ASIAN SPECIES PROGRAMME | 1 Contents Asian species conservation in context Executive summary 2 Programme Goals 8 1 Providing direct support for species conservation, Asian Species conservation in context: in particular in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam 8 Biodiversity and ecological importance 3 2 Building species conservation capacity with Historic conservation action 3 selected partner organisations across Southeast Asia 10 Biodiversity and ecological Historic conservation action Drivers of decline 4 3 Increasing knowledge and research importance The most threatened species in Asia are for the Challenges 5 on the region’s species 12 The countries of South, Southeast and East Asia are most part receiving negligible, often no, conservation Synchronicity Earth’s Next Steps 14 home to some of the most remarkable species on Earth. attention. Much of the species conservation work A note on our approach 14 Asian Species Programme 7 This region once teemed with wildlife, to the extent in tropical Asia has focused on two wonderful and References 15 that it rivalled even tropical Africa. The peoples of Asia emblematic species: the Tiger Panthera tigris and the had a deep cultural connection to the wild animals with Asian Elephant Elephas maximus. The conservation which they lived. Sadly, much of this is now a distant work for these two species must of course continue, memory as the extreme pressures of economic and but it surprises many people when they learn that Executive summary population growth in the region have meant less space they are far from being the most threatened species for wildlife and ever-increasing pressure on natural in the region. Both are listed as Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and while their Mission: To catalyse conservation efforts for the most threatened and overlooked resources. Southeast Asia, in particular, is a region hosting not only a spectacular number of species, but populations remain fragile, there are thousands and species in Asia, mobilising resources and capacity to reverse their decline. also a high proportion of species that are restricted to tens of thousands respectively of animals left in the Southeast Asia is hugely rich in biodiversity and is home to a vast range of threatened and endemic species. a single country, or island, or even in just one national wild. For some of Asia’s most Critically Endangered There is a relatively short history of conservation across much of the region, and therefore a limited skills base. park. Nearly all of Southeast Asia falls within biodiversity species, there are literally only hundreds or even tens Much conservation is still of limited effectiveness, and there is a generally low level of public awareness of ‘hotspots’ (Myers et al. 2000) – areas where extremely of individuals remaining globally. species loss. Overall, the species in this region face higher levels of threat than in neighbouring parts of Asia or high levels of biodiversity and threat overlap. For the other parts of the tropics. reasons laid out in this section, this programme Southeast Asia includes many islands, and thus has very high levels of endemism (that is, species restricted to focuses primarily on Southeast Asia. a single place). Unfortunately, due primarily to overharvesting and habitat loss, numerous species have been brought to the brink of extinction. Despite this, extraordinary species diversity remains in this region and there Annam leaf turtle or are still opportunities to intervene before it is too late. There is also a small but growing conservation movement Vietnamese pond turtle in Southeast Asia, which recognises the urgency of the crisis and is starting to mobilise dynamic and dedicated (Mauremys annamensis), one of the world’s most people within the region to act. endangered turtles, At the same time, there is increasing recognition by the global community of the sheer scale of the issues and the endemic to Vietnam. need to provide assistance. This has resulted in the creation of a growing coalition of organisations under the Asian Species Action Partnership. However, the move toward species-focused action is still slow and lacking in size and tenacity. Synchronicity Earth is well placed to increase its engagement in the region due to our focus on the threatened and underfunded, our experience and track record in identifying excellent local organisations, and our model of supporting capacity development in tandem with project and core support. Synchronicity Earth has therefore developed its Asian species Programme with three Programme Goals: 1 Providing direct support for species conservation, in particular in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam 2 Building species conservation capacity with selected partner organisations across Southeast Asia 3 Increasing knowledge and research on species across Southeast Asia We are seeking philanthropists, foundations, and businesses to join us in accelerating conservation efforts for globally threatened species in Southeast Asia, and the habitats on which they depend – thus addressing one of the world’s most serious ongoing extinction crises. 2 | SYNCHRONICITY EARTH ASIAN SPECIES PROGRAMME SYNCHRONICITY EARTH ASIAN SPECIES PROGRAMME | 3 Drivers of decline Wetlands, grasslands and other flatland habitats have Challenges been particularly affected because they are preferentially A study by Duckworth et al. (2012) showed that an cleared for agriculture, particularly rice. Wet grasslands NATURAL DISASTERS extinction crisis of huge proportions is currently unfolding hold highly distinctive threatened animals, such as in Southeast Asia, especially among vertebrate species. Much of Southeast Asia is vulnerable to natural a Critically Endangered bird, the Bengal Florican There is an overriding priority to focus much more disasters and climate change is making the situation Houbaropsis bengalensis. Even those habitats that conservation attention on this crisis, but this has not worse – floods, droughts, typhoons, hurricanes, remain are not safe: over 45 per cent of Southeast happened so far. The context provided below is based tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and so on, all impact Asia’s ‘protected’ wetlands are considered threatened. on the review by Duckworth et al. (2012). the region. These natural disasters can have a severe impact on the environment directly, but perhaps more HUNTING AND WILDLIFE TRADE LEVELS OF THREAT ARE HIGHER IN significantly can be very disruptive to the organisations SOUTHEAST ASIA THAN ELSEWHERE Despite these habitat encroachment rates, overharvest and individuals attempting to protect them. is the main threat to many vertebrates in Southeast Asia, Data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species especially outside the Philippines. The marked and Fowlie’s Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum fowliei), a Critically POOR GOVERNANCE AND ENFORCEMENT (IUCN 2019) show that most groups of species so far Endangered orchid, endemic to the Philippines. widespread ‘empty forest’ syndrome (forests studied are more threatened in Southeast Asia than The economic growth in Southeast Asia has not been largely devoid of noticeable wildlife), stems from elsewhere. Compared with other parts of the tropics, For example, of the 73 Southeast Asian slipper-orchid matched by stronger enforcement of hunting and overhunting, fuelled by the strong trade demand Southeast Asia has a higher proportion of its plant, species (genus Paphiopedilum) a shocking 37 (51 per wildlife trading laws. Many protected areas in the region for wildlife within Southeast and East Asia. Many reptile, bird and mammal species categorised as globally cent) are Critically Endangered and 33 (45 per cent) are are underperforming and require improved enforcement wild species are in demand, particularly for consumption threatened (IUCN 2019). A fundamental reason for the Endangered, all through being collected for illegal trade and protection to become truly effective. A 2014 as ‘strengthening’ food, tonics and medicines. The luxury region’s elevated threat level is that 8.9 per cent of the (IUCN 2019). Similar patterns of severe threat are likely to report found that 61 per cent of Southeast consumption trade comprises mostly large mammals, world’s people live in Southeast Asia yet this exist among other groups that have not been adequately Asia’s protected areas have limited to non- turtles and tortoises, crocodiles, large snakes, and region comprises only 3 per cent of the Earth’s studied yet, such as invertebrates. existent structures in place for anti-poaching monitor lizards. enforcement (Juffe-Bignoli et al., 2014). Wildlife land area. Wildlife trade is problematic in much of the world, but trade follows routes resembling those for illegal trade Trade in Southeast Asia’s species for live captives and several factors make it especially so in Southeast Asia. HABITAT LOSS in drugs, armaments and people, and some of the body parts not for eating has also had severe impacts. These mostly reflect breakneck economic growth in same people and organisations are involved. Reducing Southeast Asia has a higher annual rate of Body parts, such as horns and other trophies, and the region and the commensurate expansion and consumer demand for wildlife, and the evolution of deforestation than Meso-America, South reptile, pangolin and otter skins, are usually sought for improvements to transport infrastructure that increases effective enforcement systems supported