ifaw's top ten successes from 2019

In 2019, we stayed true to our mission to protect animals and ensure they have a secured place to call home. Our work stretched around the world, as we rescued orphaned elephants in Zimbabwe, planted eucalyptus tree corridors in Australia, and deployed to the Bahamas to rescue animals post-Hurricane Dorian.

Scroll below to check out our top ten greatest success stories from 2019.

Local koala populations in Australia are on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and ongoing bushfires that are devastating the country. In 2019 we partnered with Bangalow Koalas to plant thousands of eucalypt trees and work towards the restoration of a vital corridor for koalas and other wildlife. The impact? A future home where koalas are safe and secure.

In October, IFAW's President and CEO Azzedine Downes joined Wild is Life for a unique rescue operation. An elephant calf was orphaned at Mara Pools, Zimbabwe and in need of immediate airlift to safety. Amira the elephant carries great potential as she embarks on her rehabilitation journey back to the wild, where she may one day contribute to the health of local Zimbabwe elephant populations.

In August, category 5 Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas and devastated the islands. IFAW’s Disaster Response & Risk Reduction team deployed to the hardest hit areas to rescue animals trapped in the wreckage. We reunited animals with their loving families and successfully distributed over 180,000 lbs of animal and humanitarian supplies to communities in need.

Nania was found wandering alone in a small village in Burkina Faso, West Africa. She needed a new home, one where she could develop the skills needed for life in the wild. In April 2019, IFAW’s Céline Sissler-Bienvenu and the IFAW-GRI staff made the 8.5-mile hike with Nania and Whisty to Deux-Balé National Park. Every day is a new adventure for Nania as she embarks on her journey back to the wild.

IFAW brought together a group of eight young Maasai women to create team Lioness: one of the first all-women ranger units combating wildlife crime in Kenya. Chosen based on their intelligence, drive, and integrity, team Lioness is building new opportunities for women in conservation and working to prevent wildlife crime in Amboseli.

IFAW is a member of High Seas Alliance, a coalition of 40+ NGOs and IUCN established in 2011 to protect our high seas and strengthen conservation. In 2019, HSA continued to participate at the UN Conferences and provide input for drafting a new convention and treaty that would save the High Seas. The creation of this iconic convention would protect two thirds of our oceans and all marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. The treaty negotiations will continue in 2020.

IFAW’s Dr. Sarah Sharp and a multi-agency team studied the causes of death of NARW between 2003 and 2018. Of the causes of death that could be definitively determined, the team concluded that right whale deaths are being overwhelmingly driven by entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes. Together, we are working to implement ropeless fishing gear solutions, a critical tool to save the right whale from extinction.  

Every year, India's monsoon season displaces thousands of animals as they search for higher ground. In July, our Wildlife Trust of India team rescued young rhinos caught in the flood water in Kaziranga National Park and brought them to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation. The team even helped a tiger safely escape from inside a house after she was found sleeping in a community member's bed.

Chamilandu made history by becoming the first successfully rehabilitated elephant in Zambia to give birth to a calf in the wild. When she was a year and half old, Chamilandu was orphaned and brought to IFAW-GRI’s Elephant Orphanage Project for expert care. In 2015, she returned to the wild and made history four years later with the birth of her son. 

On September 30th, IFAW and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) signed a historic conservation partnership for wildlife and people. Home to one of the world’s largest elephant populations in the wild, Zimbabwe is a key partner in global conservation efforts. Under the new MoU, IFAW and ZimParks will work together to advance wildlife conservation, rescue animals, rehabilitate wildlife, and support research.