The launch of the Digital Nature Collectible project in July 2021 saw the digital version of the island’s Magpie-robin, a non-fungible token, being put up for sale as a limited edition in an effort from concerned parties to raise funds that will be used towards the protection of Seychelles’ wildlife. All proceeds from the initial sale and part of the follow-on proceeds collected by the owner on resale will go to Nature Seychelles and its partners. The Magpie-robin token is the first of a series of 59 collectibles, each of which will be a “digital twin" of an endangered species.

This innovative funding mechanism was in fact a collaborative endeavour between Nature Seychelles, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) of which Nature Seychelles is a long-standing and active member, and the Porini Foundation. Although this venture remains experimental, it is well on its way to set a precedent for how organisations can generate income stream to support nature conservation in a postpandemic future.