Wildlife crises don't conveniently occur during annual grant-making cycles. Some happen in the blink of an eye. Others we see coming, yet with too little time to prevent. Dramatic weather events like hurricanes, tornados and floods affect all us – humans, wildlife and natural habitats. Oil spills and other human-caused disasters, however, are often more challenging and tormenting. Perhaps because we know that prevention of such events is within our control.
In 2007, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund launched the Animal Crisis Grants, which provide rapid, much-needed funding to aid wildlife and habitats in peril due to either natural or human-caused events. The Fund reserves up to $100,000 each year for such grants. Considerations and parameters placed on such grants include:
- Crisis situations may be chronic (long-term and ongoing) or acute (caused by extreme event, human or natural). Most chronic situations will be directed towards the regular annual grant-making cycle.
- The grantee must either be a known/trusted partner or pass sufficient background checks and research.
- Local support/infrastructure to continue conservation efforts should exist.
- Whether the species affected is endangered or numerous, the severity of the event/crisis will be considered.
- Applicants are encouraged to identify opportunities above and beyond financial support, including animal care/veterinary expertise and education/awareness support.
Animal Crisis Grants: 2007-2008
International Gorilla Conservation Programme - $25,000
After the tragic and much-publicized killings of four mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, this grant allowed the International Gorilla Conservation Programme to increase ranger patrols in the Mikeno sector of DRC's Virunga National Park to help ensure effective surveillance and protection of the remaining 380 mountain gorillas. Funds were also used to facilitate community meetings intended to improve working relations between the local residents and park management and to support their shared goal of conserving the forest and the mountain gorillas.
Asian Conservation Pangolin Program - $7,000
This grant helped to further protect pangolins, which are facing rapid population declines due to the wildlife trade for their meat. The funding provided the space, keepers and "ant collector" positions necessary to care for additional pangolins, as well as training and research for long-term solutions for their care and recovery.
Gallman African Conservancy - $5,000
This animal crisis grant provided emergency support for anti-poaching efforts of The Gallmann Memorial Foundation in Laikipia Nature Conservancy, the largest private conservancy and wildlife refuge in western Laikipia.
Uganda Conservation Foundation - $3,000
This Fund grant was used to combat the illegal African elephant ivory trade in Uganda by using DNA forensics. The illegal trade of African elephant ivory has risen dramatically in recent years, marked by a tripling in the volume of ivory seized by law enforcement and a quadrupling in the price of high quality ivory.
Prairie Wildlife Research - $2,500
This crisis grant responded to the urgent request for funds to help vaccinate black-footed ferrets against an outbreak of sylvatic plague in Conata Basin, South Dakota, home to the largest known population of endangered black-footed ferrets.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding - $10,000
This grant assisted in the rescue and treatment of injured wild pandas in the Minshan mountains after the May 2008 earthquake in China. It also helped provide care of captive giant pandas of the Chengdu Panda Base and the Wolong Panda Center, which was heavily damaged by the earthquake.
Instituto ORCA - $5,000
This Animal Crisis Grant provided support to two facilities caring for rescued Magellanic penguins that washed up along the coast of Brazil. By covering costs for fish, vitamins, swimming pen and transportation expenses, the Fund grant helped a dedicated group of local veterinarians, college students and volunteers care for, feed, rehabilitate and ultimately prepare the rescued birds for release.
