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Protecting wildlife and its habitat

Working to protect the rainforest habitat not only benefits iconic wildlife such as gorillas in the Congo Basin, orangutans in Indonesia and jaguars in Brazil, but also countless lesser-known species.

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Biodiversity in the tropics is simply breathtaking – half of all animal and plant species on the planet can be found there. Researchers are documenting previously-unknown species on an almost daily basis. Sometimes there are true sensations: Recently, scientists determined that the Tapanuli orangutan is a distinct species. Only 800 individuals remain, hidden deep in the forests of Sumatra. This discovery shows us just how little we know about our closest relatives, and how incomplete our understanding of rainforests remains. Every species of animal, from tiny insects to mighty big cats, plays an important role in the web of life – and each is irreplaceable.

But never before has the list of endangered species been as long as it is today. The causes for the decline in biodiversity are numerous: Plantations and cattle grazing encroach on wildlife habitat, poachers and trophy hunters target individual species, while mines, dams and rampant development devour entire ecosystems.

The good news is that we can preserve gorillas, Sumatran tigers, pangolins, birds of paradise and countless other species by protecting their habitat. Sometimes this also means rescuing individual animals in distress.

And that’s exactly what we do with our partners on the ground.

Your donation to our wildlife conservation work supports these projects and others:

Liberia's guardians of the jungle

West Africa’s chimpanzees are our closest relatives – but that has not stopped humans from pushing them to the brink of extinction. To save them, we work to preserve their habitat together with the conservationists of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation and local community activists.

Supporting environmentalists on Borneo

Orangutans stand like no other species for the natural treasures being destroyed for palm oil plantations. Their last remaining habitat on Sumatra and Borneo is disappearing. Together with our partners on the ground, we are working to put an end to deforestation and the often illegal activities of palm oil companies.

Giving freedom to trafficked birds

An estimated one million wild birds are stolen from Sumatra’s forests alone each year. Tradition and greed are causing nature to fall silent. The Indonesian organization FLIGHT is successfully combating wildlife trafficking, releasing recovered birds in protected areas.

Your donation for the rainforest

Donation receipts We issue receipts for the previous year in February/March. With regard to the deductibility of your donation, please contact your local tax authorities.

Non-profit status Rainforest Rescue (Rettet den Regenwald e.V.) is registered as a non-profit organization in Hamburg, Germany.

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