For more than 40 years, the African Wildlife Foundation has played a major role in ensuring the continued existence of some of Africas rare and endangered species, such as the elephant, the mountain gorilla, rhinoceros and cheetah. AWF has invested training and resources on African individuals and institutions that play a critical role in conservation. It has increased scientific understanding of Africas ecosystems through research and has pioneered the use of community conservation and conservation enterprise to demonstrate that wildlife can be conserved while peoples well being is also improved. AWF has also provided assistance to national parks and reserves and promoted international cooperation to protect important sites and populations that stretch across national boundaries. It provides the African heartlands program, education and African leadership program, critical species research and conservation program and conservation enterprise program. African Wildlife Foundation has an office in Washington, D.C.