To protect an endangered species, first you have to know where its habitat is. If you think that’s an easy job, Leeanne Alonso, head of CI’s groundbreaking Rapid Assessment Program (RAP), can tell you otherwise. RAP expeditions take place in some of the world’s most remote locations to survey and document biodiversity. On one recent RAP in the Mountains of Southwest China and Himalaya Hotspots, Leeanne’s team not only had to negotiate with Maoist guerillas to work in among Nepal's peaks, her team also encountered hornets whose deadly sting is reputedly strong enough to slay a yak!

While RAP expeditions may not be picnics, the program has come up with some incredibly rewarding scientific findings. Over the course of more than fifty RAP surveys, over 500 new species have been discovered. Based on RAP surveys, over four million hectares have been designated for protection, and 300 local scientists have been trained in assessment and conservation techniques.