Endangered Wildlife Trust

Wildlife Conservation Servicesewt.org.za

Endangered Wildlife Trust is a South African non-profit founded in 1974 that conserves threatened species and ecosystems across nine Strategic Conservation Landscapes in East and southern Africa, serving IPLCs, governments, and corporate partners through field programmes, decision-support tools, and a 2024 bluebuck de-extinction partnership with Colossal Biosciences.

Company typePrivate
Founded1974
HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What Endangered Wildlife Trust does

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is a South African non-profit conservation organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Midrand, Gauteng. It operates across nine Strategic Conservation Landscapes spanning East and southern Africa — covering South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi — and delivers field conservation through species-specific programmes (Cranes, Birds of Prey, Carnivores, Amphibians), cross-cutting initiatives (Biodiversity and Business, Wildlife and Infrastructure, Wildlife in Trade, People in Conservation), and specialized units including a Conservation Canine Unit and a Conservation Planning and Science Unit. The organization also maintains a 501(c)(3) US affiliate, Endangered Wildlife Trust USA.

EWT's underlying technology base is built around proprietary conservation datasets (Mammal Red List, Key Biodiversity Areas, Strategic Water Source Areas, species distribution layers) operationalized through decision-support tools such as the Threatened Species No-Go Map Tool and the Land Use Decision Support Tool for Species of Conservation Concern (LUD-SCC). Field operations use drone technologies, environmental DNA sampling, and wildlife monitoring systems. In 2024, EWT entered a flagship partnership with Colossal Biosciences and Advanced Conservation Strategies for bluebuck de-extinction, contributing ecological planning, stakeholder engagement, and feasibility studies; the project has produced a 40-fold high-coverage paleogenome and the first induced pluripotent stem cells from roan antelope.

EWT's revenue model is non-commercial: it operates on donations, grants, and bilateral/multilateral aid (notably a previously material USAID grant of approximately $1.2M suspended in January 2025), supplemented by emerging corporate biodiversity advisory and sustainable finance activities via the BBN Programme and Sustainable Finance Unit. Its customers, in a funder sense, are individual donors, foundations, government agencies, and a small number of corporate partners; the constituencies served operationally are threatened species and ecosystems, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in conservation landscapes, and government/landowner/corporate stakeholders needing biodiversity integration. EWT is led by CEO Yolan Friedmann and operates with 101–250 staff.

Endangered Wildlife Trust firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Endangered Wildlife Trust
Legal name: Endangered Wildlife Trust
Website: https://ewt.org.za
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1974
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: Endangered Wildlife Trust is a South African non-profit founded in 1974 that conserves threatened species and ecosystems across nine Strategic Conservation Landscapes in East and southern Africa, serving IPLCs, governments, and corporate partners through field programmes, decision-support tools, and a 2024 bluebuck de-extinction partnership with Colossal Biosciences.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Endangered Wildlife Trust industry classification

Industry

Product category: Wildlife Conservation Services
NAICS: Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
akta.pro primary industry: Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

Wildlife conservation
Biodiversity protection
Habitat preservation
Species conservation
Ecosystem restoration

Where Endangered Wildlife Trust is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Johannesburg
HQ country: South Africa
HQ region: Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

Endangered Wildlife Trust business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Endangered Wildlife Trust product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Endangered Wildlife Trust conserves threatened species and ecosystems across East and southern Africa through nine Strategic Conservation Landscapes, species-specific programs (cranes, birds of prey, carnivores, amphibians), and cross-cutting initiatives addressing human-wildlife conflict, illegal wildlife trade, sustainable finance, and biodiversity-business integration. It delivers this work via in-field conservation programs, decision-support tools, scientific research, and strategic partnerships with governments, landowners, indigenous communities, and corporations.

Product overview

The Endangered Wildlife Trust operates as a conservation organization offering a portfolio of specialized programs, tools, and resources focused on conserving threatened species and ecosystems across East and southern Africa. The offerings include species-specific programs (Cranes, Birds of Prey, Carnivores, Amphibians), cross-cutting conservation approaches (Biodiversity and Business, Wildlife and Infrastructure, Wildlife in Trade, People in Conservation, Conservation Canine Unit, Sustainable Finance Unit), decision-support tools (No-Go Map Tool, LUD-SCC Tool, Mammal Red List), and nine Strategic Conservation Landscapes. The organization partners with external entities like Colossal Biosciences for de-extinction initiatives. The programs are integrated through shared conservation principles and data resources rather than a unified technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Threatened Species No-Go Map Tool A mapping tool that identifies areas where development should be avoided to protect threatened species and sensitive ecosystems; intended for planners, developers, and conservation practitioners.
Land Use Decision Support Tool for Species of Conservation Concern (LUD-SCC) A decision support tool that integrates land use planning with species conservation considerations for use by land-use planners and environmental managers.
Mammal Red List A comprehensive database documenting the conservation status of mammal species, available as a research resource.
Cranes Programme A specialized program dedicated to the conservation of crane species across Africa, including field research, habitat protection, and population monitoring.
Birds of Prey Programme A program focused on the conservation of birds of prey including vultures and other raptors across Africa.
Carnivores Programme A program focused on the conservation of carnivore species and addressing human-wildlife conflict across African landscapes.
Threatened Endemic Species (Amphibians) Programme A program focused on the conservation of threatened endemic amphibian species across Africa.
Biodiversity and Business (BBN) Programme A program that helps businesses integrate biodiversity considerations into their strategies, operations, and supply chains.
Wildlife and Infrastructure Programme A program addressing the impacts of infrastructure development on wildlife and implementing mitigation measures for developers and infrastructure operators.
Wildlife in Trade Programme A program focused on addressing illegal wildlife trade and promoting sustainable, legal wildlife commerce.
People in Conservation Programme A program enabling Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) to participate in and benefit from conservation efforts.
Conservation Canine Unit A specialized unit employing trained dogs for wildlife detection, anti-poaching operations, and conservation tasks.
Sustainable Finance Unit

Quantifiable outcome

De-extinction project has produced 40-fold high-coverage paleogenome, first induced pluripotent stem cells from roan antelope, and first successful ovum pick-up procedures in two antelope species
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use Endangered Wildlife Trust

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Endangered Wildlife Trust technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Endangered Wildlife Trust partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.

Colossal BiosciencesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for bluebuck de-extinction project. The bluebuck is an antelope species extinct since around 1800 and is the sixth species in Colossal's de-extinction portfolio. EWT is providing ecological planning, stakeholder engagement, and feasibility studies for potential reintroduction. The project has already produced world-first scientific breakthroughs including a 40-fold high-coverage paleogenome and induced pluripotent stem cells from roan antelope.
Advanced Conservation StrategiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for bluebuck de-extinction and de-extinction portfolio. ACS collaborates on ecological planning, stakeholder engagement, and rewilding planning for the reintroduction of extinct species including the bluebuck.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Endangered Wildlife Trust competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Panthera: Global wild cat conservation nonprofit with significant African field operations and human-wildlife conflict programs. Comparable as a species-specialist (carnivore) conservation NGO working in similar African landscapes.
Wildlife Conservation Society: Global wildlife conservation NGO with significant African field operations focused on landscapes and threatened species. Comparable as a similarly science-driven, multi-country conservation operator with donor and corporate funding channels.
Fauna & Flora International: UK-headquartered conservation NGO with active programs across Africa focused on threatened species. Comparable as a similarly mature, science-driven conservation nonprofit working on landscape-level species protection.
African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation nonprofit operating across East and southern Africa with similar landscape-level conservation strategy. Directly comparable geographic footprint and species focus (carnivores, great apes, elephants).
BirdLife South Africa: South African bird conservation NGO with overlapping species programs (Birds of Prey, cranes, threatened endemic birds) and shared landscape focus. Directly comparable as a domestic South African species-specialist peer.
International Crane Foundation: Global crane conservation NGO and explicit EWT partner through the East Africa Landscape partnership. Comparable as a species-focused conservation nonprofit collaborating with EWT on the Cranes Programme and East African landscapes.
Peace Parks Foundation: South Africa-based nonprofit facilitating transfrontier conservation areas across southern Africa. Directly comparable as both operate multi-country landscape conservation programs in the Kavango-Zambezi TFCA and surrounding regions.
WWF South Africa: South African affiliate of the World Wildlife Fund, focused on species and habitat conservation in southern Africa. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized African conservation NGO with overlapping species programs, corporate partnerships, and donor-base structure.

Broad incumbents

SANParks: South African National Parks agency managing protected areas across South Africa. Comparable as the broader public-sector incumbent managing many of the same ecosystems and landscapes EWT operates in.

Regional players

Conservation South Luangwa: Zambia-based conservation nonprofit focused on the South Luangwa ecosystem. Comparable as a regional African conservation NGO with anti-poaching and community programs in similar ecosystems to EWT's Zambezi landscapes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Endangered Wildlife Trust financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Endangered Wildlife Trust leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Endangered Wildlife Trust funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Endangered Wildlife Trust M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Endangered Wildlife Trust

What does Endangered Wildlife Trust do?

Is Endangered Wildlife Trust a public or private company?

Endangered Wildlife Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Endangered Wildlife Trust founded?

Endangered Wildlife Trust was founded in 1974. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is Endangered Wildlife Trust based?

Endangered Wildlife Trust is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.

Who are Endangered Wildlife Trust's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Panthera, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fauna & Flora International, African Wildlife Foundation, BirdLife South Africa, International Crane Foundation, Peace Parks Foundation and WWF South Africa. SANParks is listed as a broad incumbent. Conservation South Luangwa is listed as a regional player.

Does Endangered Wildlife Trust have an API?

No public API is recorded for Endangered Wildlife Trust.

What industry is Endangered Wildlife Trust in?

Endangered Wildlife Trust's product category is Wildlife Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection. Its NAICS code is 813312.