The Threatened Species Conservation Alliance (THRESCOAL) is a fast-rising Ghanaian conservation NGO dedicated to biodiversity and environmental protection. THRESCOAL’s mission is to undertake demand-driven research, empower local communities, raise awareness, build the capacity of young conservation scientists, and push for the development of environmentally-oriented policies for the conservation of all wild species, especially those threatened with extinction. THRESCOAL takes a grassroots-based approach to conserve wildlife and critical ecosystems and engages a network of researchers stretching across West Africa, from Cote d’Ivoire to Cameroon.

In West Africa, crocodiles, pangolins, and tortoises are some of the most endangered and data-deficient species. Technical capacity and initiatives to study and protect these species are often nonexistent or nascent throughout the region – a gap this project aims to tackle.  By reinforcing the capacity of the next generation of species conservation scientists whose time has come to spearhead conservation of underrepresented biodiversity in their home countries.

To achieve this, JRS support will provide formal training and on-going mentoring for scientific research and project management, directly supporting field data collection and analysis, while promoting collaboration for species conservation action plans. The project is poised to increase regional capacity to tackle conservation challenges for endangered biodiversity, to collect significant data to reduce knowledge gaps for key species of critical conservation concern, and initiate direct local conservation activities. We will provide regular updates on the work of this exciting new JRS partner!