Natural history
We back nature’s underdogs — the unseen, the unheard, the lesser-spotted and long-overlooked.
For them to thrive, they need attention from those who know them best. That’s why we fund in-country conservationists and scientists to protect EDGE species worldwide, and help storytellers to create content that reconnects us with these natural superstars.
Why EDGE*?
Amazingly diverse & threatened species
Some of the oldest, most unique, and endangered species on the planet. Welcome to the world of Evolutionarily Distinct Globally Endangered (EDGE) species. They're icons and there's nothing like them.
4,000 overlooked species
EDGE species are the ultimate survivors but only one in ten of them is getting the conservation attention it needs.
Evolutionary history
Helping these species starts in EDGE Zones. By helping conservationists in all 25 of these special areas and beyond, we're doing our bit to protect nature’s rich history.
What does it mean for a species to become EDGE?
EDGE, explained
Meet some EDGE species
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![Round frog with pointy snout in the middle of the frame]()
Purple Frog
Talk about shy! The purple frog lives entirely underground and emerges one day a year to party – oh, and find their boo.
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Temminck's Pangolin
Spoiler alert: it's not a reptile! These extraordinary creatures are the world's only scaly mammals. They're also the most illegally trafficked wild mammal on earth.
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![Great hornbill bird with bright orange beak, perched on a branch and looking in the sun]()
Great Hornbill
These "farmers of the forest" help disperse seeds far and wide; they're important for the health of tropical forests.
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![Aye-aye image]()
Aye-aye
This elusive primate has enough jaw-power to bite through concrete! It uses a bony middle finger to find grubs in trees in its native Madagascar.
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![Image of kakapo in the underbrush]()
Kākāpō
Kãkãpõ are the world's heaviest and only flightless parrot. They live in New Zealand where there are fewer than 250 of them.
On the Edge Fund
We fund in country conservationists and local storytellers — and uniquely, we pair them together to amplify each other’s impact.
On the Edge Fund Grantee spotlights
Conservation
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Dr Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
Ever been up to your ears in bees? Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza has, and for good reason.
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Dr Luis Marin da Fonte
Name someone who goes wild for amphibians like Dr Luis Marin da Fonte... we'll wait.
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Long Vu
Long’s story short: this is one snub nose that desperately needs our attention.
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Marina Kameni
An amphibious guardian with an appetite for protecting Cameroon’s croakers – Marina is in the building.
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Project SIARC
Did you know there’s an angel in the UK’s waters? There’s also a heavenly bunch of people trying to save it.
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Rafid Shidqi
A real-life Ray-Man out there saving some of nature’s superstars.
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EDGE of Existence Programme
One supergroup is on the scene to save some seriously threatened species.
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Nadia Paola Rodriguez Mendoza
A tree rat is literally being loved to extinction – one psychologist is ready to save it.
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![Ennia Bosshard & Harrison Carter in front of a large rock formation]()
Ennia Bosshard & Harrison Carter
Rainforests? In the UK? Being brought back from the brink of extinction?!
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Groupe d’étude et de recherche sur les primates de Madagascar (GERP)
The legend of the lemur must be protected at all costs – especially on GERP’s watch.
Storytelling
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Juan Maria Raggio & Mariano Fernández
Juan and Mariano are two Argentinian filmmaking veterans with several decades of experience between them.
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Gustavo Carrasco
A powerful story of how traditional knowledge alongside science can protect a delicate ecosystem.
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Sofia Lopez Mañan & Juan Martin Ortiz
Lights, camera, action – there’s a special toad out there about to get a serious glow up.
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Antonia Pérez Wagner
What do you get when you cross the plight of the Jambato toad with a talented artist, illustrator and animator?
Want to get into the nitty gritty of our impact?
Read our 2024 Impact report below, or download it here.
