Neotropical Primate Conservation
DONATE TO NPC Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Neotropical Primate Conservation Location Peru, Latin America Category Community Support and Development Protected Area Management Wildlife Conservation Urgent Appeals Helping Communities Preserve Primates Date Founded 2007 Website www.neoprimate.org Partner Qualifications IUCN Member Verified Partner Legally Constituted Top Accountability Effective Impact Conservation Action Heroes About Neotropical Primate Conservation Neotropical Primate Conservation (NPC) is a non-profit organization that use primates as flagship species to spearhead conservation efforts, but their work doesn’t only benefit primates. In order for primates to survive in the wild, they need a thriving ecosystem, which means NPC’s efforts also go towards protecting all the other species that live alongside primates and call the rainforest their home. NPC works with local communities as they believe conservation starts with people. Their projects ensure sustainable access to natural resources for local communities. NPC was founded by a group of friends who shared the same passion for conservation, beginning as a non-profit organization in the UK. Since then, NPC has expanded and now has branches in Peru, Colombia, and Argentina. Monkeys are crucial to ecosystem health and also play a significant role in traditions of many local peoples. Their Challenges Many of the primates that NPC helps to protect are among the least known and most threatened species in the world. This means that they face a very real danger of extinction in the near future. The main threats to primates are the loss of habitat through deforestation as well as hunting for the illegal wildlife trade and bushmeat. These threats are caused by unsustainable practices both locally and globally and will only worsen without action to safeguard their future. Their Approach NPC was set up in order to promote the conservation of forest habitats and wildlife through land protection, research, improvement of degraded habitat for wildlife, creation of public awareness programs, and sustainable development. They work to create private and community-run reserves to ensure long term habitat protection for wildlife. Through this work, they help local communities strengthen their stewardship of nature as well as protect their traditional and cultural identities, benefiting both humans and the environment. NPC runs many successful, low-cost projects, and they use their experiences to promote efficient conservation globally. NPC’s community-based conservation approach means that the reserves are protected by those who actually live in and around the forest, leading to real, on-the-ground protection by those with the most to gain from continued access to a healthy environment. This also leads to wider, ecosystem level conservation in areas between the reserves. At their main project site, the elimination of hunting of the Yellow-tailed woolly monkey led to a documented ~20% increase in the population since 2007, and local level bans on clear-cutting of forests led to deforestation rates dropping below those of surrounding areas. Their research into the Peruvian night monkey provided proof that the species is much more at-risk than previously thought, resulting in the IUCN raising its category from Vulnerable to Endangered, and so focusing more attention on its protection. In Colombia, Neotropical Primate Conservation is leading the National Conservation Plan for the Critically Endangered Colombian spider monkey, a species that only survives in some of the most troubled parts of the country. The action plan has become a legal document that guides government policy at the national and regional levels. Why They Need Your Help Neotropical Primate Conservation is reliant upon generous donations to continue their highly effective work in primate conservation and sustainable community development throughout Latin America.
Kawsay Biological Station
DONATE TO KAWSAY Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Kawsay Biological Station Location Peru, Latin America Category Capacity Building and Training Scientific Research Wildlife Conservation Urgent Appeals Forest Management Through Monitoring Primates Date Founded 2018 Website www.kawsaycenterperu.org Partner Qualifications Verified Partner Legally Constituted Effective Impact About Kawsay Biological Station The Kawsay Biological Station is a wildlife research non-profit located in Madre de Dios, Peru — one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. Kawsay is a Quechua word that means life. Just one hour by boat from the city, the research station works in the buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve. This buffer zone is heavily impacted by illegal gold mining, selecting logging, and hunting. Kawsay is committed to monitoring, providing education, and managing research programs, which are available to everyone, whether they are a conservation professional or not. One of Kawsay’s major current projects is the reintroduction of a population of Endangered Black-faced spider monkeys to the area. Since 2018, there have been 15 births in the reintroduced spider monkey population. Kawsay’s efforts, therefore, have allowed the species to re-establish in an area where it was previously extinct. Their Challenges The lower part of the Madre de Dios River has suffered greatly from illegal gold mining, logging, and hunting. However, since the construction of Kawsay Biological Station, no further illegal activities have been registered in the area. Kawsay’s monitoring of the forest is essential in continuing to prevent illegal activities in Madre de Dios. Their Approach Kawsay’s approach to the conservation of the natural wonders of Peru is multi-faceted, with a focus on research. Their practices include: Management of the forest through patrolling and surveillance Training local and international student, providing them with the opportunity to learn about the forest and do their own research under the guidance of our experienced biologists Promoting research, with a current focus on the Black-faced spider monkey. In the last year, 9 new species were discovered at the Kawsay Biological Station. Why They Need Your Help Kawsay’s research and forest monitoring work is reliant upon donations to continue. Every year, 12-24 local students are selected to be trained at Kawsay. Your donation directly contributes to the preservation of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest and all the species that call it home.
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
Fundação Ecológica Cristalino
DONATE TO FUNDACÃO ECOLÓGICA CRISTALINO Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Fundação Ecológica Cristalino Location Brazil, Latin America Category Ecotourism Protected Area Management Endangered Species Urgent Appeals None currently Date Founded 1999 Website www.fundacaocristalino.org.br Partner Qualifications Verified Partner Legally Constituted About Fundação Ecológica Cristalino Fundação Ecológica Cristalino is a non-profit organization that leads biodiversity conservation activities and projects in the region of Alta Floresta in the State of Mato Grosso, Amazon, Brazil. They manage the Private Natural Heritage Reserves, which covers a total area of 17,297 acres, help in the management and conservation of other areas in Brazil, covering an additional 10,081 acres. Fundação Ecológica Cristalino has three main areas of focus: scientific research, conservation of rainforests and protected areas, and environmental education projects. Their Challenges The project is located in the southern Brazilian Amazon, in the municipalities of Alta Floresta, Carlinda, Novo Mundo and Paranaíta. It is a region that was colonized 45 years ago, and during this process it suffered many environmental impacts, from gold prospecting to deforestation for cattle ranching. Currently, soy plantations are increasing, leading to increased deforestation and habitat fragmentation. The region still has rich biodiversity, but it is threatened by the advancing agricultural frontier the deforestation arc. There are over 600 registered species of birds (25 endangered), 100 species of reptiles and amphibians (2 endangered), 1,400 plant species (3 endangered), 1,500 butterfly species, 900 fungus species and 50 species of mammals (14 endangered), including the Groves’ titi monkey, which is critically endangered. Their Approach Fundação Ecológica Cristalino leads several biodiversity conservation projects, which include: Looking for Jaguar: Estimating and monitoring the size of the jaguar population and of other terrestrial mammals, in order to learn about their habits and protect this group, which is threatened by hunters Monitoring Biodiversity: Contributing to the conservation of the Southern Amazon, through the monitoring of birds, large mammals, butterflies and woody plants A Day in the Forest: An environmental education project that has been running since 2008, involving school children aged 8 to 10 in activities such as hiking, observation of fauna and flora, and wildlife-inspired art, all in the midst of the Amazon Forest. Groves’ titi monkey: Developing a conservation plan for the Groves’ titi monkey, a recently discovered species of Critically Endangered primate that is one of the 25 most endangered monkey species in the world. Why They Need Your Help With help from donors, Fundação Ecológica Cristalino can increase their impact in the region of Alta Floresta and invest in new projects which are fundamental to the conservation of the Southern Amazon region. Your support is critical for the conservation of several highly endangered species, including the Groves’ titi monkey.
Adopt a Panama Rainforest Association (ADOPTA)
DONATE TO ADOPTA Verified for authenticity Learn More IMPACT PROMISE Our Partners are carefully selected due to their high conservation impact Partner Snapshot Partner Adopt a Panama Rainforest Association (ADOPTA) Location Panama, Latin America Category Reforestation Protected Area Management Wildlife Conservation Urgent Appeals Support Panama’s Ecosystem Date Founded 2004 Website www.adoptabosque.org Partner Qualifications Verified Partner Legally Constituted Effective Impact Conservation Action Heroes About ADOPTA ADOPTA is a non-profit organization in Panama that works to identify areas with exceptional biodiversity that lack any legal conservation status. They then work to guarantee the protection of these areas. Its primary project is the Cerro Chucanti Private Nature Reserve, where Cerro Chucantí is the tallest peak in the Majé mountain range, rising some 5,000 ft above the surrounding isolated temperate cloud forest. This isolation has allowed endemism to flourish, resulting in over a hundred endemic taxa, many of which are not found anywhere else on Earth. The San Bartolo Private Nature Reserve, bordering Costa Rica in Western Panama, is a rainforest located in the upper watershed of the San Bartolo River that constitutes some of the last remnants of lowland Pacific rainforest of western Panama. It presents high similarities with wildlife otherwise restricted to extreme southeastern Costa Rica, including the biodiverse Osa Peninsula. Their Challenges Panama faces several environmental challenges, including ongoing deforestation and degradation. Many species are losing habitat at an unsustainable rate. The illegal wildlife trafficking trade is another major threat faced by Panama’s wildlife. Their Approach ADOPTA has expanded the Cerro Chucantí Private Nature Reserve, discovered new species, and safeguarded critical habitats. The recently acquired San Bartolo Private Nature Reserve preserves the last remnants of lowland Pacific rainforest and fosters biodiversity akin to the biodiverse Osa Peninsula. Why They Need Your Help ADOPTA seeks support to be able to continue land purchases, monitor wildlife, support local indigenous interns, and cover operational costs of education programs. Support is especially needed to cover the maintenance costs of the field stations within the nature reserves, salaries for the reserve staff, travel costs to the remote areas where they work, and vehicle maintenance. By donating, you play a vital role in preserving the unique ecosystems of Panama and the remarkable species that inhabit them.