The Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University was founded in 2008 and aims to promote scientific
research on endangered large animals that are facing the threat of extinction. Large animals can be
particularly vulnerable to such threats given their long lifespan and slow development. These
’slow life histories‘ also make collecting reliable scientific information
problematic, so many endangered large animals remain poorly understood despite their importance in
biodiversity conservation as ’umbrella species‘.
For example, to study the natural history of long-lived, large mammals such as elephants and
orangutans, which live upwards of seventy and fifty years, respectively, we need to maintain field
research stations and long-term research projects in their natural habitats for decades. Government
research grants are aimed at much shorter projects with immediate expected impacts, and thus cannot
completely cover this necessary long-term work. At the same time, financial shortcomings due to
recent government budget cuts are even threatening the maintenance and development of our domestic
research facilities, although we at Kyoto University and the Wildlife Research Center are trying our
best to secure adequate funds for this purpose.
In order to overcome such difficulties, we have now opened the Wildlife Research Center Fund, and we
would like to ask for the financial support of everyone concerned with the study of wildlife for
biodiversity conservation. We understand that current economic conditions are very limiting, but we
humbly put forth our request for aid and sincerely thank you for your understanding and for your
generous donations to this fund.
Usage of the finances
within the Wildlife Research Center Fund
- Improvement and maintenance of educational and research facilities and equipment
- Support and education of young researchers
- Promotion of industry-government-academia collaborations such as in the development of new technologies for wildlife conservation
- Investing in collaboration with society, such as promoting collaborations with local communities, providing informative lectures for the public, etc.
Contact information
Mailing address Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University,2-24, Tanaka-Sekiden-Cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8203, JAPAN
Phone +81-75-771-4393
FAX +81-75-771-4394
E-mail donationļ¼ wrc.kyoto-u.ac.jp