Conservation Christmas gifts

A polar bear and her cubs. As Arctic summer ice rapidly disappears, young polar bears are exposed to the elements and their mothers deprived of the sea ice platforms from which they hunt. You can adopt a Svalbard polar bear through WWF and help to prevent their predicted extinction Photograph: Jenny E Ross/Corbis

Elephants were found to have a head for figures – or apples to be more precise Photograph: Timothy G Laman/National Geographic/Getty

An orang-utan with infant. Orang-utans face extinction in the next 30 years if they continue to lose their home to deforestation. Over the last 20 years much of the rainforest they inhabit in Sumatra and the Borneo has been destroyed. By adopting an orang-utan you can support WWF’s work with local people and government to protect the remaining orang-utans and their natural habitats Photograph: Tom Brakefield/Getty

Monarch penguins prepare to dive into the ocean. The Penguin Rescue Fund is selling knitting patterns as Christmas gifts. The woolen jumpers help to keep the birds warm as they recover from being caught in an oil slick. Cleaning the birds robs them of the natural oils that keep them warm, so the jumpers are needed to protect the penguins from the cold while they re-oil their feathers Photograph: Daniel Garcia/AFP

A giant panda sleeps at the Wolong giant panda bear research centre. Pandas are elusive and shy. By adopting one, you will help WWF’s efforts to save the last 1,600 wild pandas and their habitats in China Photograph: China Photos/Getty

Black-browed albatross in flight. Every year, 100,000 albatrosses are drowned when they get caught on deep-sea fishing lines. By buying an RSPB albatross protection kit as a gift, complete with specially designed colourful streamers, you can help these regal seabirds avoid getting caught. Photograph: Arthur Morris/Corbis

An oak tree, Sherwood forest, Nottinghamshire. Buying a cluster of native British trees, such as oak, ash, or beech, for your family, through International Tree Foundation, will help to perpetuate our woodland heritage Photograph: David Sillitoe/Guardian

A flooded mango plantation in India. Poor villagers in India are encouraged to plant mango orchards to enrich the soil and help conserve water. A gift of 30 mango trees via the Tzedakah Trust not only produces delicious, drought-resistant fruit, but is good for the environment and will provide income for generations Photograph: Gideon Mendel for Action Aid/Corbis

A hedgerow in Dorset. The traditional English hedgerow, home to plants, birds, mammals and more than 1,500 insects, is vanishing. Stop its disappearance by funding the planting of 10, 25 or 100m of hedgerow via the Woodland Trust this Christmas Photograph: Jason Hawkes/Getty

Greenbelt countryside between Hitchin and Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The greenbelt is being lost to urban sprawl. By buying chunks of greenbelt as it comes up for sale and placing it in the ownership of the Charities Advisory Trust, it will be preserved Photograph: David Levene/freelance

Rainforests in Sumatra, Indonesia. Sumatra was once blanketed by more than 60,000sq miles of lush lowland rainforest. Now as a result of logging and palm oil plantations less than 5% remains. By buying a gift of 40 trees in the Harapan rainforest you can help RSPB to restore the forest to prime wildlife habitat Photograph: Mauri Rautkari/Rex Features

Dandelions and buttercups in a meadow in Cornwall. Meadows of wildflowers are essential for the survival of bees and butterflies. They are under threat from increased agriculture and building development, but you can help to preserve them with a gift through the Tree Council Photograph: Peter Cade/Getty

Tecolutla, Mexico: A family at their house which was destroyed by Hurricane Dean. Developing countries are being increasingly struck by hurricanes as they suffer worsening climate instability. A gift of a hurricane survival kit, which includes life-saving equipment such as an emergency first aid kit, fire blankets, a rescue harness, torches and safety helmets, could help hurricane survivors Photograph: Luis Acosta/AFP