‘Vanishing Treasures’ – protecting endangered mountain species

‘Vanishing Treasures’ – protecting endangered mountain species

Geographical scope: Virunga mountains (Uganda, Rwanda), Central Asian mountains (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), Hindu-Kush Himalayas (Bhutan), New: Andes (Ecuador, Colombia)
Time frame: 2018-2027.
Priority area:Nature Action, Climate Change.
Partners: In Bhutan, we partner with the Bhutan Tiger Center, and the Honorable Dasho Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests of the Royal Government of Bhutan. In Central Asia, we work with the Tajikistan Nature Foundation in Tajikistan and partner with the Ilbirs Foundation in the Kyrgyz Republic, in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Trust and the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Programme Secretariat. In the Virungas, we partner with the Great Apes Survival Partnership, in collaboration with the range state governments, the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Secretariat and technical partners, including the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and the Liverpool Moores University. In the Andes we aim to inter alia partner with El Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN) and Society for the Protection of Endangered Carnivores and their International Ecological Study (SPECIES).
Donors: Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Contribution to SDGs: : Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 15 (Life on Land).

Environmental challenge

In the Himalayas, global warming is happening 75% faster than the global average. This is expected to reduce snow leopard habitats globally by two thirds by 2070, and by more than 80% specifically in Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal.

Royal Bengal tigers found in the Himalayas are threatened by shrinking and fragmented habitats. Local communities are increasingly faced with climate-related impacts, such as dried water ponds. This is likely to lead to an intensification of human-wildlife conflict.

Meanwhile, just over 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gorilla has a small population, highly restricted geographic range and low reproductive rate. It will struggle to change habitat, leading to an increased risk of conflict and spread of disease between the great ape and people. Although jaguars have historically been most threatened by rapid land use conversion and habitat fragmentation coupled with retaliation arising as a consequence of livestock depredation, the latter often an inevitable result of these changes, illegal trafficking in their parts, and the pressure that global climate change is increasingly placing on suitable habitat, are increasingly putting pressure on local populations.

Programme

The UN Environment Programme is working with partners to ensure that climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation work hand-in-hand. The work is coordinated by a project management team located in the Vienna Office for Ecosystems Division and addresses threats to key mountain species across the globe. The overall aim is to better understand the species’ vulnerability to climate change and the ecosystem services being affected.

For example, countries are developing national plans to take ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change into account. Actions being considered include movement corridors for species, the rehabilitation of swamps and water catchment areas and the restoration of fauna. An inquiry has also been launched to better understand the links between climate change and mountain species, and how to address this.

In the long-term, by working with local communities, the programme aims to promote alternative land-use practices that can contribute to climate mitigation and reduce pressure on species living close to the communities.

News

Publications

Multimedia

ENGAGI – a mountain gorilla virtual reality experience
Step into an immersive journey to encounter the mountain gorillas of Bwindi’s Impenetrable Forest with UNEP's Vanishing Treasures exhibition and virtual reality experience!

Narrated by Ian Redmond OBE, “Engagi” takes you on a breathtaking expedition through the lush green mountains into the heart of gorilla territory. Welcomed by spirited local dancers and led by expert trackers, witness the splendour of a gorilla family, including two-year-old Rafiki Jr, whose curiosity often gets the better of him.

But this experience is more than just a visual feast—it sheds light on the challenges faced by local communities and mountain gorillas in the face of climate change and habitat loss. Discover how the vital efforts of UNEP, UN GRASP, and local partners in Uganda and Rwanda are safeguarding Endangered mountain gorillas. The Vanishing Treasures project is leading the way in helping communities adapt to environmental shifts and fostering harmony between humans and gorillas. Don't miss this unforgettable adventure!

Dive into the Vanishing Treasures virtual reality experience on the lower concourse at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi during UNEA6, and embark on a journey that promises both inspiration and enlightenment.

Any questions?

For more information, please contact matthias.jurek@un.org

To find out about more about the United Nations Environment Programme’s work on mountains, visit the Carpathian Convention website: www.carpathianconvention.org