How American Humane Society Protects Wildlife Across Six Continents
American Humane Society advances wildlife conservation through science-based programs that protect endangered species, restore ecosystems and support communities around the globe.
Up to one million species are at risk of extinction. We are taking action to protect wildlife and restore the balance of nature. Our programs rewild endangered animals, restore critical habitats and build connected conservation landscapes where species can recover and thrive. We support leading scientists, reintroduce native species to their former ranges and strengthen biodiversity across six continents.
American Humane Society’s 2025 Wildlife Conservation Efforts by the Numbers
- 5 million acres of conservation landscapes supported
- 87 Humane Certified™ zoological facilities across 19 countries, protecting nearly 1.1 million animals
- 1 million+ acres of land and 1,200 square miles of water safeguarded by certified ecotourism partners
- 42 elephants and 16 rhinos translocated to protected habitats
- 5 cheetahs rewilded through the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative
- 131 animals rescued from poaching snares and other threats with the Wildlife Rescue Unit
- 682 acres of new protected habitat at the Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve, South Africa
- $80,000 annual grant awarded through the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation
Global Humane Society Takes Our Conservation Work to 95 Nations
Global Humane Society is the international arm of American Humane Society. It advances animal welfare and conservation standards across six continents and is active in 95 nations to protect animals wherever they are vulnerable.
The life-changing programs guide the humane treatment of animals in the wild and in human care, on farms, in zoos and aquariums, in film and television production, in working animal environments and in times of crisis and rescue.
A milestone in this expansion is the opening of our European Union representative office in Brussels, Belgium. This office serves as a strategic hub for collaboration with EU institutions, policymakers, scientists and NGO partners.
Pictured: Gorillas at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay; Loggerhead Sea Turtle at the Florida Aquarium; Lesser Flamingos at the Fort Worth Zoo; Dolphins at Dolphin Quest; Red Pandas at the Opel Zoo in Germany; Young Elephant at Vantara in India.
Our Wildlife Conservation Programs
Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa
The Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa (GH-CFA) operates from Gqeberha, South Africa and supports rewilding, anti-poaching and habitat restoration. The fund operates across five African countries and has conducted 423 direct interventions to date, protecting more than 160,000 animals.
The fund’s 2025 work included:
- Elephant and rhino translocations with African Parks and the Dinokeng Game Reserve
- Cheetah rewilding at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve
- Wildlife rescues by the Elephant and Wildlife Rescue Unit in Uganda and anti-poaching canine units at Akagera National Park in Rwanda through the K-9s for Conservation Program
- Supporting endangered African penguins through SANCCOB Cape Town’s Chick Rearing Unit
- Water for Wildlife, upgrading 14 waterholes in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe) and Nyosi Wildlife Reserve, pumping 2 million liters of water daily and supporting an estimated 15,000 elephants
In April 2025, the fund opened the Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve within the Bushman’s River Biodiversity Corridor, adjacent to the Tanglewood Conservation Area, which is owned by Wilderness Foundation Africa. Partners are connecting the properties into a single Protected Environment for elephants, black rhinos and white rhinos. As soon as GH-CFA acquired the land, the team removed 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) of internal fences and began restoring the preserve into a sanctuary for animals.
Key partners: Wilderness Foundation Africa, Conservation Landscape Institute, WeWild Africa, the Metapopulation Initiative, SANCCOB and African Parks.
Humane Certified™ Zoos, Aquariums and Conservation Centers
American Humane Society is the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare at zoological facilities. Certified zoos run breeding programs, fund habitat research and reintroduce species into the wild. Today, our certification program helps safeguard the well-being of nearly 1.1 million animals across 87 leading facilities worldwide.
In 2025, six new facilities earned certification: Vantara in India (the first in that country); Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna; Dublin Zoo in Ireland; SANCCOB Cape Town Centre in Cape Town, South Africa; Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison, Georgia; and Forest Preserves of Cook County in Cook County, Illinois.
We also re-certified several facilities, including some of the first to be certified when the program launched in 2016: Georgia Aquarium, Vancouver Aquarium, Brookfield Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium and Dolphin Quest.
Ecotourism certification
The Humane Certified Ecotourism Program certifies safari lodges, wildlife reserves, marine eco-tour operators and conservation-focused hotels. Certified operations undergo independent, on-site audits against welfare criteria developed by a Scientific Advisory Committee.
“Escape from Extinction” Documentary Series
American Humane Society’s award-winning documentary series brings the global fight to save endangered species to a wide audience.
The first film, “Escape from Extinction,” narrated by Helen Mirren, examines the extinction crisis and the leading zoological facilities working to save species from disappearing. The sequel, “Escape from Extinction Rewilding,” narrated by Meryl Streep, follows conservation organizations implementing rewilding practices across a diverse range of species and environments around the world. A third film is in production.
Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation
Global Humane Society awards the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation each year to a conservation scientist whose work has produced measurable impact on species and biodiversity. The prize is named for Wolfgang F. Kiessling, a visionary conservationist.
Past recipients include Dr. Jon Paul Rodríguez, who served as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (2022); Professor Theo B. Pagel, CEO of the Cologne Zoo (2023); Dr. Arnaud Desbiez, founder of the Wild Animal Conservation Institute in Brazil (2024); Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, marine mammal scientist with a focus on dolphin communication, behavior and acoustics (2025).
Pictured: Rewilded cheetah Nkanyiso; cheetah cubs; translocated rhinoceros; penguins at SANCCOB Gqeberha; Elephant at Murchison Falls.
Endangered Species We Protect
Cheetahs
The Conservation Fund of Africa rewilded a cheetah named Nkanyiso (aka Nikki) at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve as part of the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative. Nkanyiso arrived at Nyosi in April 2023 and became self-sufficient within three months.
In April 2024, the reserve team rescued her four cubs — Zuko, Khukhula, Zola and Amira —after she sustained a broken leg. In May 2025, Nkanyiso and all four cubs were released into the wild at Nyosi. The cubs are being monitored by experts as they prepare for future rehoming to help contribute to the African cheetah population.
GH-CFA also invests in the next generation of conservation leaders through its Cheetah Champions program, which trains and certifies young people from local communities as safari guides.
Elephants
The Conservation Fund of Africa supported the translocation of 42 elephants from Addo Elephant National Park to a secure habitat in South Africa. The team relocated entire family groups, preserving the bonds essential to their survival and well-being. Without a new home, these elephants would have faced significant challenges and been vulnerable to disease and other threats.
Through the Water for Wildlife program, GH-CFA upgraded waterholes at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and Nyosi Wildlife Reserve, pumping 2 million liters of water daily and supporting an estimated 15,000 elephants.
The Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve is being prepared as a new elephant stronghold in the Bushman’s River Biodiversity Corridor.
Rhinos
The Conservation Fund of Africa has safely rewilded 16 southern white rhinos, with plans for additional rewilding in 2026. Translocations move rhinos from one protected area to another, creating opportunities for healthier, more genetically robust herds that can withstand disease and other long-term pressures.
To help protect rhinos from poaching, GH-CFA piloted AI-enabled collars at Founders Lodge by Mantis, a carefully managed reserve of 400 hectares (988 acres) in the Eastern Cape. The collars enable real-time alerts and rapid response to threats.
The Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve, opened in the Eastern Cape within the Bushman’s River Biodiversity Corridor, includes protected habitat for black and white rhinos. GH-CFA also supports six Rhino Champions through its Greening Young Futures youth program.
African Penguins
The African penguin is now classified as critically endangered and could disappear from the wild within the next decade without sustained intervention. Population collapse driven by food scarcity and environmental change has made rescue, rehabilitation and chick-rearing programs essential to the species’ survival.
The Conservation Fund of Africa supports South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) Cape Town’s Chick Rearing Unit. In 2025, SANCCOB admitted 319 seabirds from 16 species, including 202 African penguins, and successfully rehabilitated 174 seabirds.
GH-CFA is also helping fund the completion of expanded facilities designed to increase chick-rearing and rehabilitation capacity. A new Global Humane Society Seabird ICU and Nursery in Gqeberha will allow SANCCOB to rescue abandoned penguin eggs, hatch them in the nursery and provide intensive care for the most vulnerable birds.
Georgia Aquarium, an American Humane Certified facility, also supports African penguin conservation through a collaborative breeding effort with SANCCOB.
How to Support Wildlife Conservation
Your gift supports global habitat protection efforts, science-based certification programs and critical rescue operations that save lives and create lasting change.
American Humane is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by applicable law.
Common Questions About American Humane Society and Wildlife Conservation
American Humane Society funds and operates wildlife conservation programs across six continents. We rewild endangered species, restore habitats, run anti-poaching programs and certify the humane treatment of animals at zoos, aquariums and conservation centers worldwide.
Global Humane Society is the international arm of American Humane Society. It advances animal welfare and conservation standards across six continents through direct conservation programs, certification initiatives and advocacy.
Global Humane Society operates the Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa, the Humane Certified Ecotourism Program, Humane Certified Zoos & Aquariums Program, the Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation and the “Escape from Extinction” documentary series.
American Humane Society protects endangered species through direct conservation programs and through the zoological facilities and ecotourism operations we certify.
Direct programs include cheetah rewilding in South Africa, African penguin conservation with SANCCOB, elephant and rhino translocations with African Parks and anti-poaching canine units at Akagera National Park in Rwanda. Certified zoos run breeding programs for species like the Mexican gray wolf and the Texas horned lizard.
The Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation is an annual award presented by Global Humane Society, the international arm of American Humane Society.
The prize recognizes a conservation scientist whose work has produced measurable, lasting impact on species and biodiversity. It carries an $80,000 grant and is named for Wolfgang F. Kiessling, a visionary conservationist.
Donations directly fund global habitat protection efforts, science-based certification programs and critical rescue operations that save lives and create lasting change.
Protect Wildlife Where It Matters Most
Your gift supports science-based conservation, rescue and certification programs that create lasting protection for animals and ecosystems worldwide.