Rapid Action Fund for the Conservation of Critically Endangered Land and Freshwater Vertebrate Species in Southeast Asia

Timeframe: 2020-2022 // 2023-2025
Country/Region: Southeast Asia
Partner: IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP)

Southeast Asia, which encompasses four biodiversity hotspots (Indo-Burma, Sundaland, the Philippines, and Wallacea), is a region extremely rich in biodiversity. The region has a high human population density and among the world’s fastest recent rates of habitat loss; land-use change for agricultural expansion has been significant. Overharvest is a major threat for many species driven by a growing demand for wildlife and their products for the international wildlife trade, as well as local consumption. Together, these are major drivers of population declines and species extirpations in Southeast Asia.

This project is for the conservation of land and freshwater vertebrate species found regularly in Southeast Asia and listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. These are known as ASAP species. There are currently 283 ASAP species, 207 of these species are single-country endemics and 244 are endemic to Southeast Asia. This means that the vast majority of ASAP species will be globally extinct if they are not conserved successfully in this region.

The IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) is a coalition of organisations brought together to address the urgent need for action, realising that if these trends continue, many Southeast Asian species will become extinct in the near future.

Fondation Segré partnered with IUCN SSC ASAP to support the implementation of the Rapid Action Fund to address immediate needs requiring urgent funding that are critical for the continuation of current conservation actions or to address unexpected conservation emergencies. The Fund will allow rapid disbursement of funds up to a maximum of EUR 5’000.- The first ASAP Species Rapid Action Fund, funded by Fondation Segré in 2020, supported 14 projects targeting the conservation of 23 ASAP species. In 2023, we renewed our contribution to IUCN SSC ASAP to further support the role of the Rapid Action Fund for the next two years and thereby contribute towards the long-term conservation and recovery of ASAP species.