Name a frog or an Orchid!

BIOPAT will use your donations...

• to promote the work of co-operating institutions on the scientific classification of newly discovered animal and plant species (taxonomy).
• to support the study and preservation of biodiversity in the countries of origin of the newly discovered species.
• to inform the public about the value and importance of biodiversity.

BIOPAT will seek to achieve these objectives by:

• offering donors the chance to sponsor newly discovered animal and plant species and to give these a name of their choice.
• agreeing sponsors' choice of names with the researchers responsible for researching and identifying new species.
• ensuring that the names suggested by donors are allocated in a scientifically sound and formally correct manner.
• providing sponsors with documentary proof of their personal choice of name for the new species in question.
• ensuring that the donated funds are used for taxonomical research and the protection of biodiversity, as stipulated in the association's statutes.
• ensuring that sponsors are regularly informed about the names allocated to new species and about BIOPAT projects which donations are helping to support in tropical habitats.

"You only see what you know..."

said Goethe, and when it comes to plants and animals, it is true that we can only appreciate their importance when they have been identified and named, and when their behaviour and habitat have been studied in detail. But public funds for this kind of scientific work (taxonomy) are scarce, and research in most tropical countries is hampered by lack of money.

With BIOPAT, donors have the certainty that part of the money they give will be invested in a prudent and informed way in promoting the identification of new animal and plant species at co-operating institutes in Germany, with the aim of extending knowledge about biodiversity.

New species of animals and plants are given their scientific names by the researchers who give the first detailed description of them. The name, which is generally in Latin or Greek, specifies both the genus and the species. The genus name is like the name of a make of car-Volkswagen, for instance-whereas the species name , an open choice, corresponds to a particular model, such as Polo or Golf.

Supposing, for instance, you have a daughter named Margaret, and you have made your donation to BIOPAT. You could, for example, ask for a newly discovered orchid of the Maxillaria genus to be named Maxillaria margaretae, thus linking your daughter's name permanently to this orchid.

BIOPAT thus offers you a little bit of eternity!    

Out of what is estimated to be some twenty million different species of plants and animals on the earth, only about 1.8 million have so far been identified and named. In the tropical regions in particular, the destruction of rainforests and coastal areas are causing countless species to die out each year before they have even been scientifically recorded. As a result, countless organisms that could be used to develop new medicines and biotechnological products are being irrevocably lost. Many as yet unknown species could serve as the basis for the development of high-yield crops that could help feed the world's growing population.

But the sheer beauty of the earth's panoply of species, and the miracle of their existence, are reason enough to preserve them for coming generations. With your help, BIOPAT can help ensure this happens.

BIOPAT uses approximately half the funds given to it to study animal and plant species in their natural habitats, working closely with local researchers. This involves supporting local specialists, helping them to protect endangered habitats and to preserve the beauty of our "blue planet".

Keeping you informed: A small proportion of the money you give us will be used to keep you informed of the progress of BIOPAT's work. By raising awareness, we hope to promote both the study and the protection of biodiversity.