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Reverse the Red movement encourages conservation change

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WAZA Reverse the Red Memphis Zoo

Reverse the Red, a global movement that ignites strategic cooperation and action to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems, will celebrate Reverse the Red Day next week.

The initiative is helping mobilise national networks, enhancing capacities to set and meet biodiversity targets and amplifying successful conservation across levels, geographies, and taxa, aiding conservation around the world as it begins what is anticipated to be a “Year of Action” in 2023.

The movement’s mission is to stop putting the environment in danger and lessen the number of species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species through systemic change. The Reverse the Red movement pulls together a diverse coalition of partners to collaborate, scale up goals and impact, and engage people from all walks of life to take action for biodiversity. 

WAZA Reverse the Red Edinburgh Zoo

“This decade is key: we must make important decisions for nature conservation and take action to Reverse the Red and help species and ecosystems thrive,” says IUCN Species Survival Commission chair and Reverse the Red Executive Committee co-chair Prof Jon Paul Rodríguez.

“Ambitious targets, like those set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, are necessary to shock us into action. The Reverse the Red movement taps into that need for coordinated action, as opposed to random acts of kindness for the planet.”

An international effort

Reverse the Red, a global movement co-chaired by IUCN SSC and WAZA that is empowering communities to take action and affect change for biodiversity this year.

Almost 200 states worldwide endorsed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which has four goals and 23 targets for 2030, last year in Montreal, Canada. The four pillars of Reverse the Red match many elements of the framework, and the movement intends to support some of the structure required by governments to accomplish these objectives.

To accomplish Target 4, for instance, which aims to ensure action for the recovery and conservation of species through in situ and ex-situ practises, supported by an Assess-Plan-Act cycle. As part of Target 16, Reverse the Red’s social movement and behaviour change initiatives advance education and access to timely, accurate information and alternatives. 

WAZA Reverse the Red group

Reverse the Red, which works with a network of organisations, institutions, governments, coalitions, and communities, is well-positioned to help increase national capacity for target-based biodiversity assessments, planning, and action, where Target 20 seeks to strengthen capacity building and development. Ten Centers for Species Survival and three IUCN SSC National Species Specialist Groups are already signed on to aid Reverse the Red efforts.

Making positive moves

Prof Theo Pagel, former WAZA president and Reverse the Red executive committee co-chair says: “The role of zoos, aquariums, and botanic gardens play in bridging the gap between in situ and ex-situ is critical for recovering species. Successful population discoveries, research, breeding and releases, and veterinary care are vital contributions to species that have made positive moves on the Red List. 

“These institutions also play an important role in connecting people to nature and nature to people. We have a chance to be the first generation to reverse species decline if we all act together.”

WAZA Reverse the Red rescue centre

On the IUCN Red List, Reverse the Red has successfully gotten over 200 species one step or more away from extinction, working with partners including zoos, aquariums, botanic gardens, research centres, scientific networks, governments, tribal and indigenous governments, and residents.

Dr Jenny Gray, WAZA past president and RtR Executive Committee member, adds: “Saving species is possible. What we need is rational hope, motivated by a clear vision, strong partnerships, and the desire to make strategic, successful conservation a global movement.”

The achievement of goals and the recovery of species depend on contributions to breeding, husbandry, rescue and release, pathology, veterinary care, genetic management, education, fundraising, community involvement, and more.

WAZA recently celebrated sustainability and conservation at the 77th WAZA Annual Conference, including the WAZA Conservation Award which honours a remarkable and thorough conservation programme.

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Adam Whittaker

Adam studied Marketing and Advertising Management at Leeds Beckett University. Originally from Lancashire and now based in Norfolk, UK, you can usually find him appreciating art deco design or on a roller coaster.

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