Aim

Save Welsh Bugs from extinction by collecting and deep freezing their DNA and cells.

WILL YOU DONATE TO SAVE WELSH BUGS?

Do you remember a time when a car journey meant lots of squashed insects on the windscreen? Not anymore, as the number of Welsh insects has plummeted since the 1960s 

Animals like this shrill carder bee were once common but now are endangered. 

The Frozen Ark collects and cryopreserves DNA and cell samples of endangered animals. DNA and cells can guide the reintroduction of missing genetic diversity in wildlife populations, prevent inbreeding, and identify, introduce, or preserve characteristics that can help a species adapt to ongoing climate change. 

WHY NOW?

We have seen long periods of rain and flooding and dry, hot summers. Climate change is helping to reduce the number of Welsh bugs, including spiders, bees, snails and spiders. The number of butterflies has plummeted to a record low. Thirteen bee species have gone extinct in the UK, with more threatened with extinction. The fall in the number of bugs has led to a reduction in birds.  Grey partridges, for example, depend on sawflies for food, and many chicks have died as there are not enough sawflies.

And yet, this destruction receives little public attention. We all need to reverse this catastrophic decline and help protect our Welsh bugs. 

We need your help to secure the future of Welsh wildlife.

Donate today, and you could help save biodiversity and our ecosystem.

HOW YOUR DONATION WILL SAVE OUR WILDLIFE

Your donation could support our critical work to save Welsh bugs. We will -

• Collect and cryopreserve DNA and cell samples of bugs in Wales. 
• Provide samples to conservationists and scientists working to protect UK bugs.
• Advise others on how best to use our samples to protect bugs.

Your donation will help pay volunteers' expenses and training costs and help fund staff salaries. 

EVERY DONATION MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE 

We are a small charity reliant on volunteers, so £3 really does make a difference to us. 

WHO WE ARE

The Frozen Ark supports and undertakes the collection and preservation of genetic material from endangered species to protect and manage the genetic diversity of native species, which is under severe threat from environmental change.  Information from genetic samples can guide the reintroduction of missing genetic diversity in wildlife populations, prevent inbreeding, and identify, introduce, or preserve traits that might help a species adapt to ongoing climate change.  

TEAM

We rely on volunteers who help cryopreserve animal samples, assist with our public outreach education programme, and support our communications. For example, one volunteer helps coordinate our education and outreach programme in Cardiff, and other volunteers help deliver workshops at events. Our director is internationally renowned in conservation genetics and is the co-founder of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature Conservation Specialists Genetic Group and a volunteer. We have two part-time staff who recruit, support and organise training for volunteers and administration and run an education and outreach programme for children and adults.

This project successfully funded on 20th September 2022