Wildlife

We Are All Interconnected

What's at Stake

An alarming number of Earth's magnificent animal and plant species are headed for extinction. We're losing thousands upon thousands of species every year, with up to 50 percent of all species at risk of disappearing completely by 2050. Whether and how we protect biodiversity has profound implications for the complex web of life on Earth.

The Sixth Mass Extinction

Our planet is in the midst of what scientists call the sixth mass extinction. Since 1900, approximately 69 mammal species and 400 other types of vertebrates, including the Yangtze river dolphin and the passenger pigeon, have disappeared from our planet. Of 12,914 evaluated plant species, 68 percent are in danger of becoming extinct. The loss of a species can impact ecosystems in ways we are just beginning to understand.

Earth's Complex Web of Interdependence

The loss of a single species can have profound effects on other species, including humans. Case in point: bees, the sole pollinator for a wide variety of plants and a critical catalyst in global food production. Bees are suffering massive population losses due to the use of deadly pesticides. If bees were to become extinct, many popular foods would also disappear—among them apples, tomatoes, and almonds.

Our Work

Our Work in Wildlife

The Rainforest Alliance protects biodiversity through landscape management that helps conserve standing forests, rejuvenate degraded land, and protect rivers and streams. We've trained more than 1 million farmers in methods that boost the productivity of the land, thereby preventing agricultural expansion and the destruction of vital forest habitat.

Jaguar resting in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala

Sustainable Forestry and Viable Habitats

A recent study conducted in the Bolivian Amazon demonstrates how our sustainable forestry practices help support a healthy population of jaguars, an indicator species threatened by deforestation.

Cocoa Farmers Protect the Sulawesi Cuscus

In South Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Rainforest Alliance trained farmers to cultivate cocoa without harming the forest—or killing the endangered Sulawesi bear cuscus.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (archilochus colubris) in flight

Conserving Habitat for Migratory Birds

We teach coffee farmers around the world how to plant and maintain shade trees on their farms, providing important habitat for resident wildlife species, as well as migratory birds like the ruby-throated hummingbird and the cerulean warbler.

Community Forestry and Wildlife Conservation

Rich in biodiversity, the Congo Basin is home to thousands of different wildlife species. In Cameroon’s southern region, near the Campo-Ma’an National Park and the Dja Biosphere Reserve, the Rainforest Alliance is working with local communities so they can earn livelihoods while conserving the neighboring forest—home to several endangered species such as lowland gorillas, forest elephants, and bonobos.

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Learn more about how we are working to achieve our mission.

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Our Impact

The Rainforest Alliance works with forest communities, farmers, companies, and governments worldwide to support thriving, biodiversity-rich ecosystems. Various studies conducted in our partner communities around the world demonstrate that our unique approach to forest conservation improves wildlife habitat.

50% More Tree Species on Certified Coffee Farms

A study of 86 coffee farms in Santander, Colombia, found that Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms had 50 percent more tree species than their noncertified counterparts. Greater tree diversity creates robust biodiversity corridors that provide habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

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Orangutans in Deramakot Forest Reserve

Approximately 900 orangutans, a strong and stable population that is gradually growing, live in the 136,000-acre (55,000-hectare) Deramakot Forest Reserve in Malaysia, the first national tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia to become FSC-certified.

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Learn more ways we are achieving real results.

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Get Involved

Join us to help rebalance the earth.

Help Save the Gorillas of Gabon

Many rainforest species are critically endangered. For gorillas and other threatened primates, responsible forestry can mean the difference between life and death.