REWILD OUR WORLD

The conversion of once pristine habitat for human use is one of the leading drivers of the widescale decline in biodiversity. Working with local communities is an essential part of our Rewild Our World strategy as the needs of people, as well as wildlife, must be taken into account to ensure the long-term survival of these ecosystems.

In this issue, we focus on our work to rewild wetlands and dry forests in Madagascar, and the Terai grasslands in India.

The encroachment by human settlements, and in particular the conversion of land to agriculture, has heaviliy impacted the wildlife that inhabit these increasingly rare and fragile environments.

Working alongside local communities, we aim to restore these habitats and the unique biodiversity they contain, and also provide a powerful example of how communities can manage an ecosystem to benefit both people and wildlife.

REWILDING SITES

INDIA TERAI GRASSLANDS

Pygmy hog

The Terai grasslands once ran the length of the Himalayas in northern India. But many of these rich habitats have been lost or converted. They remain home to iconic species such as tiger and Indian rhino. Our goal is to restore whole grasslands, enable the expansion of herbivore populations and important species such as pygmy hog in the Assamese terai.

GOAL Rebuild rich and diverse grasslands in India for native wildlife

KEY ISSUES Conversion of grasslands, change in ecological processes maintaining grasslands, extensive cattle grazing

KEY PARTNERS Aaranyak, Ecosystems India, Government of Assam, Government of India, IUCN Wild Pig Specialist Group.

SPECIES Pygmy hog, Bengal florican, Hog deer, Asiatic water buffalo

Hog deer

Asiatic water buffalo

Bengal florican

MADAGASCAR DRY FOREST

Dry forests in Madagascar are being converted to agriculture at an unprecedented rate. With local communities we must find ways to stem this pressure and develop positive models for the protection and future restoration of the dry forest and its native wildlife.

GOAL Protect and restore the most threatened forests and their species

KEY ISSUES Widespread deforestation for conversion to agriculture, grazing lands and charcoal production

KEY PARTNERS Madagascar National Parks, Government of Madagascar, Association Fanamby, CNFEREF, WWF

SPECIES Giant jumping rat, fossa, narrow-striped mongoose, flat-tailed tortoise, Madagascar teal, lemurs

Fossa

Narrow-striped mongoose

Madagascar teal

MADAGASCAR WETLANDS

Alaotran gentle lemur

Wetlands are the most degraded ecosystem in Madagascar. They are the lifeblood for millions of Malagasy people and home to many species found nowhere else. Our goal is to rebuild a series of healthy, functioning wetlands for wildlife and the people who rely on them.

GOAL Restore healthy wetlands for people and wildlife

KEY ISSUES Habitat loss due to unsustainable agriculture, overfishing, invasive species, degraded ecosystem function and biodiversity

KEY PARTNERS Government of Madagascar, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Madagascar Wildlife Conservation, Asity Madagascar, OSDRM

SPECIES Alaotran gentle lemur, Madagascar pochard, Madagascar pond heron, rere turtle

Madagascar pochard

Rere turtle

Madagascar pond heron