--- title: "Environmentalists Sell NFTs of Endangered Animals, Because We’re Condemned to Suffer" description: "A bunch of animals are going extinct, but don't worry, you can buy NFTs of them!" date: "2022-02-03" modified: "2022-02-03" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/wwf-endangered-nfts" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Environment" - "Future Society" - "NFTs" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "animal rights" - "blockchain" - "environmental conservation" - "the digest" --- # Environmentalists Sell NFTs of Endangered Animals, Because We’re Condemned to Suffer ![A bunch of animals are going extinct, but don't worry, you can buy NFTs of them!]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## We're NFTired A bunch of animals are going extinct — but don't worry, you can buy NFTs of them! The World Wildlife Foundation UK is rolling out a "[non-fungible animals]()" project to sell NFTs of endangered species and raises funds for the conservationist group. Critics were quick to point out the hypocrisy of purported conservationists using technology as environmentally destructive as cryptocurrencies, the [*Climate Home News* blog reports](). Ruining the environment, after all, will presumably only make things worse for endangered animals. To be fair, though, the "NFA" project is built on the eco-friendly Polygon blockchain. The [WWF-UK claims]() the platform's carbon footprint is equivalent to the emissions from a pint of tap water. Not everyone's convinced, though. "Polygon registers transactions on Ethereum, a PoW (proof of work) blockchain which has a carbon footprint the size of Sweden’s," Pete Howson, a senior lecturer at the University of Northumbria, [told *Euronews Green*](). https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU/status/1488912297527582727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488912297527582727%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.climatechangenews.com%2F2022%2F02%2F02%2Fwwf-uk-faces-backlash-plan-sell-nfts-fund-conservation-work%2F ## Going, Going, Gone Worse yet, the organization is trying to draw a parallel between how few animals are left of a given endangered species with the rarity of its NFAs. On the project's site, the WWF-UK notes that "just like NFTs, NFAs are limited because their species only exist in limited numbers." As such, the number of animal NFTs being sold corresponds to the number of animals left in the wild for each given species highlighted in the project. ![]() *Images via the WWF-UK/screenshot.* There might, however, be a silver lining to the WWF-UK's "NFA" project: a portion of the funds, even when resold, will go back to the charity. But then again, is the WWF-UK really to be trusted with the funds? In 2019, [*BuzzFeed News* revealed]() that the WWF was funding anti-poaching paramilitary forces, which have had a less than stellar track record when it comes to human rights abuses. At the end of the day, anyone who buys a WWF "NFA" thinking they're saving the planet should think twice — or, perhaps, they're just looking to find another way to [buy a rare Ape](). **READ MORE:** [You Can Now Buy 'Non-Fungible Animals,' And I Hate It]() \[*Gizmodo*\] **More "charity NFTs":** *[Macy's Is Hawking Its Thanksgiving Parade Balloons as NFTs Because Nothing Matters Anymore]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()