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Conservation in Asia, the world’s largest continent, is across vast natural landscapes including the expanses of the Mongolian Steppes to the tropical jungles and islands of South East Asia. The continent includes some of the greatest river systems in the world, and its marine habitats stretch from the highly productive waters of the northern Pacific to the great biodiversity of the Coral Triangle. 

Wildlife protection in Asia

Asia is also a continent of immense change. Its human population has virtually quadrupled over the past 100 years and Asia is now home to more people than all the other continents combined. It includes the great economies of China and India, with Indonesia not far behind, and so the impacts on Asia’s natural heritage are rapidly evolving.

We are working across Asia, from the famous national parks of Nepal to marine protected areas in the Philippines, protecting top ‘umbrella’ species such as greater one-horned rhinos, tigers and sharks, and EDGE species like wild camels, Asian elephants, pangolins, the Chinese giant salamander and the Hainan gibbon. While our work in protected areas is more vital than ever, we also work with people from local communities to international corporations, ensuring that human impacts on surrounding habitats and wildlife are sustainable and that people and wildlife can live better together.
 

    Chinese giant salamander sitting on a rock beside a stream
    Creating a new future for an ancient species

    Chinese giant salamander conservation

    Together with our partners, we completed the largest ever wildlife survey in Chinese conservation history, and discovered just 24 giant salamanders, all of which were likely escapees from farms.

    Pangolin standing in a savannah habitat
    Turning the tide on the illegal wildlife trade

    Pangolin conservation

    Introducing new protections for the most illegally trafficked mammal in the world.

    Greater one horned rhino in lake in Nepal
    Achieving an 17% increase in population

    Greater one-horned rhino conservation

    Together with local communities and our partners, we have established anti-poaching patrols which are key to recovering numbers in Nepal.

    ZSL conservationist looking out with binoculars across Mongolian steppe plains
    Fighting illegal wildlife trade in Mongolia

    Illegal wildlife trade in Mongolia

    We have pioneered infrastructure to prevent the illegal wildlife trade across Mongolia, by establishing a new ecological police department and providing cutting-edge border control training.

    Asiatic lion male lying down in wild at a chickpea field
    Recovering from the brink of extinction

    Protecting Asiatic lions in the Gir Forest

    There are approximately 600 Asiatic lions left in the Gir Forest of Western India, their last remaining natural habitat.

    Female Hainan gibbon with infant
    The world’s rarest primate

    Hainan gibbon conservation

    The Hainan gibbon is the rarest primate and possibly the rarest mammal species. There's been a severe decline in numbers due to habitat loss and hunting.

    A Bengal tiger caught on a camera trap
    Nepal tiger numbers double

    Roaring success as tiger population rises in Nepal

    Our work has helped increase adult tiger numbers in Nepal from 121 to 355 since 2009.

    chagos reef
    Investigating complex marine ecosystems

    Indian Ocean Marine Science

    We're collborating to protect the Indian Ocean, with 121 peer-reviewed papers have been generated between 2017-2021 from the research in the region.

    An elephant and calf in the night walking in the forest
    Pangolin, tiger and Asian elephant conservation in Thailand

    Pangolin, tiger and Asian elephant conservation in Thailand

    Find out how we're working on the ground and behind-the-scenes to protect Asian elephants, tigers and pangolins.

    Birds flying mangrove forest island
    Restoring ecosystems

    Mangroves

    Our projects in the Philippines have restored and protected over 900 hectares of abandoned fishpond mangroves - around the size of 1,260 football pitches.

    Sumatran tiger in Sembilang National Park
    Sumatran tiger conservation

    Sumatran tiger conservation

    We’re working at the cutting-edge of conservation to protect Sumatran tigers and other endangered tigers in Asia.

    wild_camel_standing_in_desert_in_Mongolia
    One of the most endangered large mammals on the planet

    Conservation of Mongolia’s Wild Camels

    The critically endangered wild camel survives only in Mongolia and China.