World Pheasant Association

The World Pheasant Association (WPA) is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to the conservation of the Galliformes — the order of birds that includes true pheasants, guans, curassows, megapodes, brush-turkeys, peafowl, guineafowl, quails, partridges and francolins. Its work spans both in-situ conservation (in the wild) and ex-situ conservation (in protected environments such as breeding centres), and it describes itself as having a rich history with chapters represented in a number of countries across Europe and Asia. According to its Benelux chapter, the WPA has more than 5,000 members worldwide and is involved in conservation projects on all continents except the polar regions. The association is closely tied to the international conservation architecture. The IUCN has entrusted the conservation of all wild Galliformes species to the WPA, and the WPA itself acts as the executing body for a number of in-situ projects. It is the parent organisation of the European Conservation Breeding Group (ECBG) and, together with BirdLife International and the IUCN's Species Survival Committee, is a co-founder of the Galliformes Specialist Group. It has also founded numerous focus groups. The WPA operates through national chapters and sections. Its headquarters are in Newcastle, United Kingdom, and it has chapters in Austria, Benelux, China, France, Germany, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Thailand and the UK. The Benelux chapter (WPA-Benelux) maintains its own website covering conservation, taxonomy, protected environments, nature parks, projects, membership and a webshop. The need for the WPA's work is framed by the precarious state of many Galliformes. For most species the population trend is declining, and more than half of the roughly 300 species already appear on the IUCN Red List. Some species are already lost: the New Zealand quail (Coturnix novaezelandiae) and the Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa) are extinct. Others are in a very critical state and may also be too late to save, including the white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis) and the Trinidad blue-throated piping guan. As an NGO rather than a commercial enterprise, the WPA's public-facing activities include membership, newsletters, news updates, project reporting and a webshop, through which it engages supporters and raises funds for conservation. Its brand identity is built around species conservation, taxonomy, protected environments and nature parks, and it functions as an umbrella body coordinating chapters, specialist groups and breeding programmes.

The World Pheasant Association (WPA) is an international organisation for the conservation of the Galliformes. Its Benelux chapter describes the WPA as having a rich history and as being represented through chapters in various countries in both Europe and Asia. The association has grown into a global network with more than 5,000 members worldwide and involvement in conservation projects on all continents except the polar regions. A central element of the WPA's history is its relationship with international conservation bodies. The IUCN entrusted the conservation of all wild Galliformes species to the WPA, and the WPA itself became the executing body for a number of in-situ projects. The WPA founded the European Conservation Breeding Group (ECBG) and, together with BirdLife International and the IUCN's Species Survival Committee, is one of the parent organisations of the Galliformes Specialist Group. It has also founded numerous focus groups. The WPA's structure is based on national chapters and sections. Its headquarters are in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Chapters exist in Austria, Benelux, China, France, Germany, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Thailand and the UK. The Benelux chapter maintains its own website, which presents sections on conservation, taxonomy, protected environments, nature parks, projects, membership and a webshop, and which publishes newsletters and news. The association's conservation mission is set against the decline of Galliformes worldwide. For most species the population trend is generally declining, and more than half of the roughly 300 species already appear on the IUCN Red List. The New Zealand quail (Coturnix novaezelandiae) and the Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa) are already extinct, while species such as the white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis) and the Trinidad blue-throated piping guan are in a very critical state and may also be too late to save. The WPA addresses this through both in-situ work in the wild and ex-situ work in protected environments.

• WPA founded the European Conservation Breeding Group (ECBG).

• WPA co-founded the Galliformes Specialist Group together with BirdLife International and the IUCN's Species Survival Committee.

• IUCN entrusted the conservation of all wild Galliformes species to the WPA.

• WPA established chapters in Austria, Benelux, China, France, Germany, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Thailand and the UK.

International conservation NGO and umbrella body for Galliformes conservation, recognised by IUCN as entrusted with the conservation of all wild Galliformes species.

• Membership programmes

• Newsletters

• Conservation projects (in-situ and ex-situ)

• Webshop merchandise

1. 1World Pheasant Association Benelux - WPA-Beneluxwpa-benelux.info
2. 2World Pheasant Associationwikidata.org
3. 3World Pheasant Associationnl.wikipedia.org