The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) has announced this year's recipients of nearly US$1.5m (£996,402, €1.23m) in grants aimed at protecting vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems around the world.

The funding enables non-profit organisations to provide support for more than 45 species across the globe. Projects range from protecting the endangered Sumatran rhino in Indonesia, to studying the threat to the endangered green sea turtle in Hawaii. Over the past ten years, the DWCF has provided more than US$15m (£10m, €12.3m) in grants for the study of wildlife, protection of habitats, land management plans, community conservation and education. Along with a focus on support for species and habitat conservation science, the DWCF encourages programs that engage local residents and benefit both human and animal communities.

Amongst this year's grant winners are the Wildlife Trust's Black Lion Tamarin Conservation through Research and Community Involvement, created to protect the black lion tamarins living in Brazil's Atlantic Forest; and the Northern Jaguar Feline Photo Project, which works with local ranch owners in Mexico to monitor and protect the species. Also named are Save the Elephants: Elephants and Bees, a move to reduce crop-raiding by using beehives as a deterrent and thus providing local communities with a new source of income through honey production; and the International Rhino Foundation's (IRF) Sumatran Rhino Conservation project, where the IRF is protecting the species through research and outreach programs in local communities.

To date, the DWCF has awarded more than US$1m (£664,254, €819,769) to primate conservation efforts, over US$900,000 (£597,859, €737,833) to protect big cats worldwide, in excess of US$850,000 (£564,612, €696,777) to both elephant conservation and the study and saving of sea turtles, and approaching US$ 630,000 (£418,559, €516,435) to rhino conservation projects. The DWCF is funded by Disney and contributions from Disney Guests.