Last Autumn we asked for your help to save vital forests and wetlands as part of our ‘Expand Colombia’s El Silencio Reserve’ appeal. And today, we’re delighted to announce that we have reached our full £2,188,483 fundraising target – the largest amount we’ve ever raised for an appeal!...
Shy, wide-eyed, and active only under the cover of darkness, the Grey-handed Night Monkey (Aotus griseimembra) is one of Colombia’s most enchanting primates. Found in forest canopies across Colombia and Venezuela, including those of Fundación Biodiversa Colombia’s (FBC’s) El Silencio Reserve.
Community lies at the heart of our conservation partner Fundación Biodiversa Colombia’s (FBC) conservation work and nowhere is this clearer than in the Middle Magdalena Valley. Here, dialogue and listening are essential tools for protecting wildlife and supporting the people who live alongside it.
“I came here because I’m better off than down there in the wetland,” says José Cruz, who once earned his living as a fisherman. He smiles wryly. “Down there, even my mattress got wet. But here, “I don’t get wet. I’m better, fresher, and I want to stay here all my life.”
Earlier this year, WLT Carbon Manager Mary McEvoy joined Fundación Biodiversa Colombia’s (FBC) General Director Fernando Arbeláez and his team at the El Silencio Reserve ahead of our autumn appeal. Here, Mary experienced some incredible encounters that even those who have been with FBC since the beginning 20 years ago had never seen before.
In Colombia’s Middle Magdalena valley, the El Silencio reserve is a place of safety for the amazing species that make their homes among the trees and by the banks of the Magdalena River.
Let’s journey through El Silencio’s tropical forests and wetlands and see what wildlife you could spot along the way.
The Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), gliding peacefully through the waters and streams of the Magdalena River, is one of Colombia’s gentle giants. A subspecies of the West Indian Manatee found in the shallow lagoons of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean down to the riverine areas of South America, with its calm, meandering presence comes acute risk. Facing habitat loss and being caught up in human activities, these manatees are now classed as Endangered by IUCN.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet a manatee? It’s not as easy as you might think. Fundación Biodiversa Colombia (FBC) Board Member and manatee expert Natalia Góngora tells us about her experiences with the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).
Found only in Colombia, the White-footed Tamarin (Saguinus leucopus) is a fascinating and little-known inhabitant of Colombia’s Middle Magdalena Valley.
When we were researching species to highlight for this year’s World Land Trust (WLT) autumn appeal, one name kept coming up: the Blue-billed Curassow (Crax alberti). And the more we heard, the more intrigued we became.
This year marks the 20-year anniversary of Fundación Biodiversa Colombia’s (FBC’s) founding. What began in 2005 as a passionate team of friends with a shared vision for Colombia’s landscapes and wildlife has now become one of Colombia’s most respected conservation organisations – and now you can be part of their mission.
In Colombia’s Middle Magdalena Valley, life follows the rhythm of the water. Each year, during the subienda – the annual fishing season – families from nearby towns and even Barrancabermeja and Puerto Berrío, two cities more than an hour away, set out in their boats towards the wetlands.
