Our partner, Neotropical Primate Conservation Colombia is running a crowdfunding campaign to fund the creation of a new protected area, Venado Verde, in Colombia which is home to the Black spider monkey. Venado Verde is part of the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Biodiversity Hotspot, the most biologically diverse region on earth with 11,000 plant, 1,728 bird, and 595 mammal species, and only approximately 2% of this hotspot’s forest cover is still intact. Preliminary surveys have confirmed the presence of a number of threatened species in the areas’ forests. 

 The site lies across a river from the Escalarete and San Cipriano Hydrographic National Protected Forest Reserve, and was chosen for protection by the local community and regional government environmental authorities, both of whom requested our help in the creation of the reserve. The impetus for this creation stem from the local community’s need to protect their water supply, which originates from springs in the area

Additional urgency for the protection of the area comes from a plan of the local municipality (Without the agreement of the community or regional government) to use part of the area as a garbage dump!!! The area is also listed as a potential mining area – Zona potencial integrales para recursos minerals – meaning that it could be concessioned at some point in the future, a possibility that the local community is against. If we are able to raise funds to get the area protected, mining and its use as a garbage dump will be prohibited. 

The campaign will run until the end of the year and all funds raised will be used for mapping, necessary surveys, paperwork, and fees for the official designation of the areas’ protected status. Conservation Allies have very generously offered to match all donations given up to a maximum of $5,000 dollars, which means your $$$ are doubled!