Groupe d’Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP)
DONATE TO GERP Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Groupe d’Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP) Location Madagascar, Africa Category Ecotourism Reforestation Scientific Research Urgent Appeals Lemurs! Our Treasure Needs Your Help Date Founded 1994 Website www.association-gerp.org Partner Qualifications Verified Partner Legally Constituted Effective Impact Conservation Action Heroes About GERP Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar (GERP) was formed by a group of 10 Malagasy primatologists highly dedicated to wildlife conservation. GERP has grown to now have over 111 members, comprised of researchers, teachers, students, founding members, donors, and consultants. The main goal of GERP is to share knowledge and skills in order to preserve biodiversity for future generations. GERP’s project framework is divided into four sectors: Research and Conservation, Community Health, Livelihood Development, and Education. Their Challenges GERP carries out its mission in the face of several significant challenges. Habitat destruction, driven by deforestation, mining, and agriculture, poses a constant threat. Additionally, lemurs face risks from illegal wildlife trade and poaching. Engaging with local communities and addressing economic and social factors, such as poverty, is crucial but challenging, as it involves building sustainable relationships and providing alternative livelihoods. Securing funding for research, projects, and community initiatives, all of which can be resource-intensive, is another hurdle. Furthermore, climate change’s impact on lemur habitats is a growing concern that GERP’s research and initiatives are working to address. Their Approach GERP takes a multi-faceted approach to their conservation work, with focuses on the following areas: Research and Monitoring: GERP conducts extensive research on lemur behavior, ecology, and population dynamics. This research helps us understand the specific needs of different lemur species and their habitats. Habitat Protection: The organization is actively involved in protecting and preserving the natural habitats of lemurs. This includes collaborating with local communities and advocating for conservation areas and protected reserves. GERP also actively conducts patrols and reforestation projects to conserve and rewild Madagascar’s natural habitats. Community Engagement: GERP works closely with local communities, understanding their needs and involving them in conservation efforts. This includes identifying the need for and providing alternative livelihoods and sustainable income-generating projects that reduce reliance on activities harmful to lemur habitats. Education and Outreach: GERP runs education and awareness campaigns to inform the public, both locally and internationally, about the importance of lemurs and biodiversity in Madagascar. Advocacy and Policy: GERP actively engages with policymakers and stakeholders to influence and implement conservation-friendly policies and regulations. Climate Resilience: GERP addresses climate change impacts by promoting sustainable land management practices and helping communities adapt to changing environmental conditions. Scientific Capacity Building: The organization trains and supports local researchers and conservationists, contributing to the scientific knowledge of Madagascar’s biodiversity. Why They Need Your Help For 25 years, GERP has worked for the protection of lemurs. They believe that the preservation of these endemic species is the responsibility of everyone and that people protect only what they know. For this reason, education and sensitization are essential parts of GERP’s conservation program. As there is still much to discover and learn about lemurs, GERP carries out continuous research, inventories, and participates in national and international conferences to share findings. They do extensive conservation and sustainable community development work. All of GERP’s projects depend upon donations to continue long into the future.
Fundación ProAves
DONATE TO FUNDACIÓN PROAVES Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Fundación ProAves Location Colombia, Latin America Category Endangered Species Land Purchases Wildlife Conservation Urgent Appeals Save Colombia’s Chocó Rainforest Urgent Land Purchase to Save Endangered Species Date Founded 1998 Website www.proaves.org Partner Qualifications IUCN Member Verified Partner Legally Constituted Top Accountability Effective Impact Conservation Action Heroes About Fundación ProAves The Fundación ProAves was hatched 25 years ago by a group of Colombian conservationists desperate to save the Yellow-eared parrot from the brink of extinction. They succeeded in what is widely considered one of the greatest species revivals ever documented. Inspired by this new hope, ProAves expanded its efforts to save other globally threatened species, especially birds and amphibians throughout Colombia, by means of research, innovative conservation actions, and community outreach. ProAves is the leading national conservation non-profit in Colombia, which is one of the most biologically diverse countries on earth. ProAves is active across all major biomes and regions of Colombia and manages 28 Nature Reserves in critical biodiversity hotspots, permanently protecting the homes of countless endangered species and unique habitats. The passion and commitment to conservation shown by the ProAves family is nurtured by alliances and collaboration with local and indigenous communities, with whom they work to save biodiversity. The mission of Fundación ProAves is to protect birds and biodiversity in Colombia through research, specific conservation actions, and outreach with the community. Their Challenges Colombia is home to an astounding diversity of landscapes, included a vast area of the Amazon, the glacier-capped mountains of the Andes, mangroves along the Pacific Coast, vast stretches of the Caribbean Sea, and the open savanna of the Orinoco River basin—combined, these habitats hold some of the greatest biological diversity on the planet. In fact, Colombia is second only to Brazil as the most “megadiverse” country on earth, hosting over 10% of the planet’s biodiversity. Worldwide, it ranks first in bird and orchid species diversity and second in plants, butterflies, freshwater fishes, and amphibians. Tragically, Colombia currently faces multiple major threats to its once-vast forest landscapes. The instability from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis allowed unscrupulous persons to invade protected areas and exploit natural resources as government entities struggled to respond. Combining this with the 2016 peace process that sparked a tsunami of natural resource exploitation and colonization, deforestation rates are skyrocketing to some of the highest worldwide. The unprecedented exploitation of Colombia’s natural treasures has decimated vital habitats necessary for the survival of many unique and range-restricted species. ProAves has scaled up their actions to stop deforestation. They continue to face mounting challenges but will continue to fight to save precious wildlife and habitats across Colombia. Their Approach ProAves conservation approach is built on 25 years of effective science-based, laser-focused biodiversity conservation action. Their tried and tested field experience has led to some of the most successful conservation impacts and outcomes in Latin America. Their objectives include: Targeted Research in Search of Conservation Solutions: Locating priority areas for endangered species, increasing knowledge of threats to those species, designing conservation actions that address those threats, and establishing conservation strategies for Colombia. Direct Conservation Action: Implementing science-based action plans and strategies to save endangered species and sites. This includes establishing new Protected Areas, improving and strengthening reserve management plans, and promoting policies for the protection and conservation of biodiversity and their habitats. Community Outreach: Working with local people is key to ensuring conservation actions survive in the long term. ProAves prioritizes environmental education for youth and helps provide communities with knowledge and skills to sustainably benefit from nature, such as ecotourism training and maintaining traditional knowledge and practices. ProAves Reserves are not islands of biodiversity, but are instead interactive nodes of conservation within the larger landscape. ProAves makes a concerted effort to work with and educate the community through campaigns, workshops, and capacity building. A clear example of these actions is at the El Paujíl ProAves Reserve, where direct conservation and environmental education carried out to save the Critically Endangered Blue-billed curassow resulted in a ban on hunting this turkey-sized bird. Consequently, the population density of the curassow has increased from 3.1 individuals per km2 in 2004 to over 8.4 individuals per km2 in 2020. This significant population increase shows the importance of the protected areas and working with the community. Why They Need Your Help Your donation to ProAves will help them to: Save more than 12% of all bird species on the planet (1,337 bird species in ProAves reserves) Protect in perpetuity more than 160,600 acres of crucial wildlife habitat across Colombia that contains an estimated 10% of all flora and fauna species on Earth Support over 70 conservationists dedicated to protecting Colombia’s wonderful wildlife