Could NFTs Help with Wildlife Conservation?

The endangered Seychelles magpie robin is now available to purchase in digital form in a series of collectible NFTs, sales of which will help fund the rare bird’s conservation efforts.

The magpie robin NFT set is the first in a series of Digital Species Collectibles. There are a total of 59 unique bird NFTs that each represent one of the 59 protected Seychelles magpie robins living on Cousin Island Special Reserve. There are only about 460 of these birds left in the wild, inhabiting the Seychelles islands of Fregate, Cousin, Cousine, Denis and Aride.

A variety of different industries are now incorporating the sale of NFTs to boost their fundraising efforts and raise awareness about important issues. With the help of NFTs, wildlife conservation efforts such as the magpie robin project will benefit from the additional revenue raised outside traditional funding methods.

As traditional sources of funding have dried up, we need innovative ways to support long-term programs that are the backbone of successful conservation. This is just the beginning of experiments to find new income streams.

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Dr Nirmal Shah, CEO, Nature Seychelles

Environmental organisation Nature Seychelles has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (a marketplace where nature conservation meets fintech) and Swiss charity Porini Foundation (which helps environment and nature-focused organisations utilise blockchain technology) to launch the world’s first Non-Fungible Token for Conservation (NFTC) for the magpie robin NFT project.

All proceeds from the initial sale of magpie robin NFTs will go directly to Nature Seychelles to fund the care and survival of the threatened bird. As magpie robin NFTs are bought and sold, additional income will be generated for this and other nature and wildlife conservation projects.

To support the #NatureCollectibles project and own one of the world’s first Digital Nature Collectibles, visit the Porni Foundation shop on Shopify.