Conservation Funding Tracker

Follow the money. Every dollar allocated to endangered species recovery — and the results they produce.

$115M
Total Annual Funding Tracked
6
Species Monitored
14
Primary Funders
2
Getting A/B Grade ROI

Annual Funding by Species (USD Millions)

Giant Panda
$50M
$50M/yr
Mountain Gorilla
$25M
$25M/yr
Black Rhino
$15M
$15M/yr
Sumatran Rhino
$8M
$8M/yr
Pangolin
$5M
$5M/yr
Vaquita
$2M
$2M/yr

Detailed Breakdown

Species Annual Funding Primary Funders Population Trend ROI Grade
Giant Panda
$50M/year China State Forestry, WWF, Zoological Associations, Global Panda Network ↑ Recovering A
Mountain Gorilla
$25M/year Dian Fossey Fund, WWF, ICCN (DRC), Rwanda Development Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority ↑ Slowly Rising A
Black Rhino
$15M/year African Wildlife Foundation, Save the Rhino, WWF-S Africa, Kenya Wildlife Service ↑ Modest Recovery B
Sumatran Rhino
$8M/year Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (Indonesia), WWF-ID, IUCN SSC Rhino Specialist Group ↓ Critical C
Pangolin
$5M/year TRAFFIC, WildAid, Save Pangolins, IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group, INTERPOL ↓ Declining D
Vaquita
$2M/year CIRVA (International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita), Sea Shepherd, WWF-Mexico ↓ Near Extinct F

Funding vs. Results: The Correlation

Does more money guarantee species recovery? The data tells a nuanced story. Giant pandas receive the most funding and show genuine recovery — but pangolins receive relatively little despite being the world's most trafficked mammal. The vaquita receives the least, and may be beyond rescue.

Key Insight

Money alone doesn't save species. Political will, enforcement capacity, and habitat integrity matter equally. The Vaquita receives ~$2M/year but faces an invincible threat: illegal gillnets set for totoaba. No funding level can compensate for a government unable to enforce its own waters.