How this NFT Project is aiding in the Extinction of a Species and Save Endangered Species

Spix's Macaw NFT takes flight in the wild for the first time in 22 years, according to wildlife photographer Tim Flach. Spix's Macaw became the first species to go "extinct" on June 11, 2022, when a group of birds was released in Bahia state, Brazil. Flach collaborated with Atlas Labs and the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP) to create Project Unextinct NFT, a collection of images of Spix's Macaw, to commemorate the watershed moment in animal conservation.

A continuing historical event

The reintroduction of this first group into the wild is the first time in recorded history that a species has recovered from being declared extinct. This is a seminal once-in-a-lifetime event, the unprecedented release of the Spix's macaw back into the wild, from which it has been extinct for a generation. This umbrella species is encouraging the regeneration of its native habitat and the region's biodiversity.

Because fully reintroducing the Spix's Macaw back into its natural habitat is likely to take years, Project Unextinct NFT is expected to provide holders with a variety of long-term benefits. This will include, most notably, access to the Unextinct; collectors community, where members will receive bi-weekly updates on the status of the eight freed Macaws. Holders will also be given priority access to an event later this year in which the second group of Spix will be released into the wild.

Environment-friendly NFTs

While NFT has previously been used to help fund conservation efforts for endangered animal species, this project distinguishes itself by allowing holders to actively participate in the conservation efforts. The Unextinct team will plant a tree in Caatinga for every NFT sold, assisting in the restoration of the Spix's natural habitat and making the NFT space more environmentally sustainable as a whole.

The Unextinct team has pledged to offset twice the amount of carbon produced by the NFT sale through direct air capture. The sale of Project Unextinct NFT has been billed as a completely carbon-negative transaction by its team. Atlas Labs CEO Sam Dhesi hopes that this is not the last event of its kind in the NFT space. Unextinct is the epitome of a world-first endeavor that will pave the way for countless "unextinction" events shortly. We're extremely proud to be a part of the incredible team driving this global effort.