Individuals Poached Every Week

Tigers

Action is needed now

Throughout the planet’s life, there have been 5 mass extinction events (1) where the majority of life on earth was destroyed. One of the better-known mass extinction events is the extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. Today, it is widely agreed that we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction. Unlike the past 5 mass extinction events, however, this extinction event is predominantly caused by a single species: us. 

This massive species decline is due to many factors, from climate destruction to over-consumption. While the causes are many, our response has been limited. We collectively lack a necessary understanding of ecosystem complexities and the varied effects a loss of species variety can have on these environments and the planet as a whole. 

.

As a result, environmental issues have dropped in importance to American voters, sinking to the bottom of 20 issues of concern to voters in the U.S. (2) These will likely remain the case until civilization is confronted with collapse credibly linked to the destruction of biodiversity (3).

It'll take time to educate the public and cause a social and behavioral change, time that many of these species just don't have. To combat this, SPN! has from its inception worked together with grassroots organizations to protect and conserve these species right now, to buy them time for a long-term solution to take effect.

How our projects work

Since our founding in 2015, we have sponsored and supported grassroots organizations on the ground in Africa. Their work is vital to stemming the rate of poaching and helping the species affected get back on a path to long-term survival. By protecting them now, we buy them time for the demand to stop.

But the rate and intensity of poaching have only increased in recent years, and these species are running out of time. After our rhino preservation tour in the summer of 2017, we decided enough is enough! As of 2018, we will be stepping up our on-the-ground efforts in the form of large-scale, multi-national, animal specific conservation projects in an attempt to counter the increased threats these animals face. 

Over the last few decades, smaller, established, grassroots organizations have been the bedrock on the ground, species conservation. However, due to larger international non-profits, many of them are underfunded and have to compete for support. Each of our species-specific projects pull together these incredible, passionate organizations to form one collaborative project. By combining our efforts, we can unite the conservation of these species together and better direct our efforts. 

The projects are driven by 4 main principles: rehabilitation, reproduction, reintroduction, and protection. While they all include these 4 principles, each project is specially created for the needs of the species it protects. Within each project is the goal of saving animals affected by poaching, protecting stronghold areas, and expanding the species' range.

References

1) Barnosky, A.D., Matzke, N., Tomiya, S., Wogan, G.O., Swartz, B., Quental, T.B., Marshall, C., McGuire, J.L., Lindsey, E.L., Maguire, K.C. and Mersey, B., 2011. Has the Earth/'s sixth mass extinction already arrived?. Nature, 471(7336), pp.51-57.

​

2) Kohut, A., Keeter, S., Doherty, C., Dimock, M. and Remez, M., 2009. Economy, Jobs Trump All Other Policy Priorities. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Washington.

​

3) Sinclair, A.R.E., Metzger, K., Brashares, J.S., Nkwabi, A., Sharam, G. and Fryxell, J.M., 2010. Trophic cascades in African savanna: Serengeti as a case study. Trophic Cascades: Predators, Prey and the Changing Dynamics of Nature, pp.255-274.