Mabuwaya Foundation

Since 2000, the Mabuwaya Foundation has fought to preserve the Philippine crocodile, the most endangered crocodile species in the world. It is estimated that there will be fewer than 250 adults left in the wild by 2024.

The Philippine crocodile is endangered for two reasons. One is poaching because people want to get their hands on the skin. The other reason is that many of the breeding sites have disappeared with the spread of rice paddies and
agriculture, which means that the survival rate of the chicks is low.

The Mabuwaya Foundation has built facilities where newly hatched baby crocodiles are captured and given the opportunity to grow large enough to survive the harsh conditions of nature. This increases
the survival rate of the species' young, thereby contributing to its conservation.

As part of this process, the local population contributes greatly. They help to mark nests, capture the chicks and publicise the project. As the chicks grow up, they are attached to
School classes that contribute to research.