About WWF
Known worldwide by its panda logo, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and wildlands. The largest privately supported international conservation organization in the world, WWF has more than 1 million members in the U.S. alone. Since its inception in 1961, WWF has invested in over 13,100 projects in 157 countries.
WWF directs its conservation efforts toward three global goals: protecting endangered spaces, saving endangered species, and addressing global threats. From working to save the giant panda, tiger, and rhino to helping establish and manage parks and reserves worldwide, WWF has been a conservation leader for 40 years.
Use the options on the left to learn more about WWF's work to preserve wild places, save endangered species, and address global threats.
History of WWF
In 1961, the entire natural world seemed to be under siege. A limited number of organizations around the world, such as IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) and The Conservation Foundation, were trying to meet conservation needs, but they were all desperately short of funds.
A small but influential group of Europeans-scientists, naturalists, and business and political leaders-rose to the occasion. In September of that year, they founded World Wildlife Fund.
Several leaders-Sir Julian Huxley, noted biologist and African wildlife enthusiast; Sir Peter Scott, a vice president of IUCN; and E. M. Nicholson, director-general of the British Nature Conservancy-arranged the key organizational meeting for the new venture. There, plans were made to establish it as an international fund-raising organization that would work in collaboration with existing conservation groups to bring substantial financial support to the conservation movement on a worldwide scale. The new organization would raise funds through national appeals and, using the best scientific advice available from IUCN and other sources, channel them to appropriate organizations. Its first call for broad support was the Morges Manifesto, signed in 1961 by 16 of the world's leading conservationists, including Edward Graham, distinguished ecologist and former head of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service. On September 11, 1961, World Wildlife Fund was legally formed and soon set up shop at IUCN's headquarters in Morges, Switzerland. H.R.H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands became its first president. H.R.H. Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, became president of the British National Appeal, the first national organization in the World Wildlife Fund family.
