The History of the World Wildlife Fund

this organization turned the Panda into

this organization turned the Panda into a symbol of the conservation movement

a symbol of the conservation movement

a symbol of the conservation movement welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the history of the

taking a look at the history of the

taking a look at the history of the World Wildlife Fund the World Wildlife

World Wildlife Fund the World Wildlife

World Wildlife Fund the World Wildlife Fund is an international

Fund is an international

Fund is an international non-governmental organization founded

non-governmental organization founded

non-governmental organization founded April 26 1961 by Victor stollen Julian

April 26 1961 by Victor stollen Julian

April 26 1961 by Victor stollen Julian Huxley and Max Nicholson in an effort to

Huxley and Max Nicholson in an effort to

Huxley and Max Nicholson in an effort to protect endangered animals today it is

protect endangered animals today it is

protect endangered animals today it is known globally as the World Wide Fund

known globally as the World Wide Fund

known globally as the World Wide Fund for Nature and its goals have expanded

for Nature and its goals have expanded

for Nature and its goals have expanded significantly once the founding document

significantly once the founding document

significantly once the founding document known as the Mohr’s manifesto was

known as the Mohr’s manifesto was

known as the Mohr’s manifesto was produced the WWF opened its first office

produced the WWF opened its first office

produced the WWF opened its first office months later in more Switzerland on

months later in more Switzerland on

months later in more Switzerland on September 11th 1961 on that date the

September 11th 1961 on that date the

September 11th 1961 on that date the organization was registered as a charity

organization was registered as a charity

organization was registered as a charity and its mission to raise funds for

and its mission to raise funds for

and its mission to raise funds for wildlife conservation began the founders

wildlife conservation began the founders

wildlife conservation began the founders started by supplying grants to

started by supplying grants to

started by supplying grants to nongovernmental organizations based on

nongovernmental organizations based on

nongovernmental organizations based on the best scientific wisdom accessible at

the best scientific wisdom accessible at

the best scientific wisdom accessible at the time one notable early project

the time one notable early project

the time one notable early project involved assisting the Indian government

involved assisting the Indian government

involved assisting the Indian government and creating reserves for project tiger

and creating reserves for project tiger

and creating reserves for project tiger the WWF also helped set up national

the WWF also helped set up national

the WWF also helped set up national parks or reserves in Africa Asia and

parks or reserves in Africa Asia and

parks or reserves in Africa Asia and Latin America as part of the tropical

Latin America as part of the tropical

Latin America as part of the tropical rainforest campaign this developed into

rainforest campaign this developed into

rainforest campaign this developed into the WWF’s forest program which work to

the WWF’s forest program which work to

the WWF’s forest program which work to conserve both tropical rainforests and

conserve both tropical rainforests and

conserve both tropical rainforests and temperate wooded areas in the 1970s the

temperate wooded areas in the 1970s the

temperate wooded areas in the 1970s the organization set up a number of

organization set up a number of

organization set up a number of sanctuaries for marine life in a large

sanctuaries for marine life in a large

sanctuaries for marine life in a large scale campaign called the Seas must live

scale campaign called the Seas must live

scale campaign called the Seas must live soon the focus of the WWF shifted from

soon the focus of the WWF shifted from

soon the focus of the WWF shifted from endangered species and habitat

endangered species and habitat

endangered species and habitat destruction to tackle other conservation

destruction to tackle other conservation

destruction to tackle other conservation related issues as well the group set up

related issues as well the group set up

related issues as well the group set up offices in different countries to

offices in different countries to

offices in different countries to promote its numerous far-reaching

promote its numerous far-reaching

promote its numerous far-reaching projects the mission and strategy was

projects the mission and strategy was

projects the mission and strategy was further adjusted when the WWF merged

further adjusted when the WWF merged

further adjusted when the WWF merged with the Conservation Foundation along

with the Conservation Foundation along

with the Conservation Foundation along with the preservation of nature the

with the preservation of nature the

with the preservation of nature the group now also aim to maintain

group now also aim to maintain

group now also aim to maintain biological diversity encourage the usage

biological diversity encourage the usage

biological diversity encourage the usage of sustainable resource

of sustainable resource

of sustainable resource decrease pollution and develop

decrease pollution and develop

decrease pollution and develop communication and collaboration with

communication and collaboration with

communication and collaboration with locals even more new goals were set in

locals even more new goals were set in

locals even more new goals were set in the 1990s while conserving forests was

the 1990s while conserving forests was

the 1990s while conserving forests was still deemed important the WWF added

still deemed important the WWF added

still deemed important the WWF added fresh water ecosystems oceans and coasts

fresh water ecosystems oceans and coasts

fresh water ecosystems oceans and coasts to its roster of causes today the WWF

to its roster of causes today the WWF

to its roster of causes today the WWF continues working to reduce our

continues working to reduce our

continues working to reduce our ecological footprint but also

ecological footprint but also

ecological footprint but also concentrates on the conservation of over

concentrates on the conservation of over

concentrates on the conservation of over 30 species and ecoregions considered to

30 species and ecoregions considered to

30 species and ecoregions considered to have the most exceptional and

have the most exceptional and

have the most exceptional and biologically diverse habitats in

biologically diverse habitats in

biologically diverse habitats in addition the global program framework

addition the global program framework

addition the global program framework includes global initiatives concerning

includes global initiatives concerning

includes global initiatives concerning the Amazon the Arctic smart energy smart

the Amazon the Arctic smart energy smart

the Amazon the Arctic smart energy smart fishing and more throughout its history

fishing and more throughout its history

fishing and more throughout its history the WWF has attempted to bring about

the WWF has attempted to bring about

the WWF has attempted to bring about policy changes by both collaborating

policy changes by both collaborating

policy changes by both collaborating with and lobbying world governments for

with and lobbying world governments for

with and lobbying world governments for instance international moratoriums on

instance international moratoriums on

instance international moratoriums on whaling in the ivory trade are partly

whaling in the ivory trade are partly

whaling in the ivory trade are partly the result of the group’s efforts debt

the result of the group’s efforts debt

the result of the group’s efforts debt for nature swaps are another example

for nature swaps are another example

for nature swaps are another example where developing countries can both

where developing countries can both

where developing countries can both lower their foreign debt and yield funds

lower their foreign debt and yield funds

lower their foreign debt and yield funds for conservation efforts the

for conservation efforts the

for conservation efforts the organization was also instrumental in

organization was also instrumental in

organization was also instrumental in convincing governments to endorse

convincing governments to endorse

convincing governments to endorse climate change conventions during the

climate change conventions during the

climate change conventions during the 1992 United Nations conference on

1992 United Nations conference on

1992 United Nations conference on Environment and development the WWF now

Environment and development the WWF now

Environment and development the WWF now works with businesses banks scientists

works with businesses banks scientists

works with businesses banks scientists and other groups on their campaigns as

and other groups on their campaigns as

and other groups on their campaigns as well as climate change becomes an

well as climate change becomes an

well as climate change becomes an increasingly significant issue Earth

increasingly significant issue Earth

increasingly significant issue Earth Hour is one example of an annual event

Hour is one example of an annual event

Hour is one example of an annual event organised by the WWF that raises global

organised by the WWF that raises global

organised by the WWF that raises global awareness by working with locals and

awareness by working with locals and

awareness by working with locals and nongovernmental organizations to learn

nongovernmental organizations to learn

nongovernmental organizations to learn about how cultures affect the

about how cultures affect the

about how cultures affect the environment the group also encourages

environment the group also encourages

environment the group also encourages countries to invent their own

countries to invent their own

countries to invent their own conservation strategies since the WWF is

conservation strategies since the WWF is

conservation strategies since the WWF is a charitable foundation it receives

a charitable foundation it receives

a charitable foundation it receives financing from outside sources gifts and

financing from outside sources gifts and

financing from outside sources gifts and individual donations make up the

individual donations make up the

individual donations make up the majority of funding though government

majority of funding though government

majority of funding though government agencies institutions and corporations

agencies institutions and corporations

agencies institutions and corporations contribute as well however this has led

contribute as well however this has led

contribute as well however this has led to criticism some have accused the WWF

to criticism some have accused the WWF

to criticism some have accused the WWF of biased campaigning due to its

of biased campaigning due to its

of biased campaigning due to its relationships with certain big

relationships with certain big

relationships with certain big businesses despite the group’s

businesses despite the group’s

businesses despite the group’s contributions the underperformance of

contributions the underperformance of

contributions the underperformance of some of

some of

some of programs plus the alleged

programs plus the alleged

programs plus the alleged misrepresentation of certain risks in

misrepresentation of certain risks in

misrepresentation of certain risks in order to attract more funding have also

order to attract more funding have also

order to attract more funding have also drawn criticism since its creation the

drawn criticism since its creation the

drawn criticism since its creation the WWF’s approach to conservation and the

WWF’s approach to conservation and the

WWF’s approach to conservation and the environment has evolved from a

environment has evolved from a

environment has evolved from a preservationist plan to one that

preservationist plan to one that

preservationist plan to one that examines development issues now the

examines development issues now the

examines development issues now the World Wildlife Fund seeks solutions for

World Wildlife Fund seeks solutions for

World Wildlife Fund seeks solutions for global environmental security and hopes

global environmental security and hopes

global environmental security and hopes that humanity will one day live in

that humanity will one day live in

that humanity will one day live in harmony with nature