There is new and critical protection for wildlife and indigenous communities in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The government of Peru designated three new Amazon protected areas—encompassing nearly 1.5 million acres—securing a tri-national conservation corridor.
A national park and two communal reserves were established side by side in the northern Amazon territory of Loreto. The Huimeki and Airo Pai Communal Reserves will provide a safe haven to indigenous peoples with a deep and age-old connection to the land and support sustainable resource use that benefits communities while maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
The adjacent Gueppi Sekime National Park will be afforded the strictest level of protection possible in Peru—creating a critical sanctuary for unique Amazon species like the giant river otter, pink river dolphin, and the elusive jaguar.
Situated on the border with Ecuador and Colombia, the newly protected lands complete a tri-national wildlife corridor in the Putumayo River Basin, linking to Colombia's La Paya National Park and Ecuador's Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.
"Peru has taken another key step toward preserving a living Amazon," says Meg Symington, managing director of WWF's Amazon Program. "Amazon conservation cannot occur entirely within national borders and our mission becomes easier as countries embrace the Amazon as a shared natural treasure."
The designation is a major achievement for Amazon conservation and reflects the joint efforts of Peru's Ministry of the Environment with parks authorities and indigenous communities. WWF worked with these partners to promote official protected status, support capacity-building efforts, and help prepare for and reduce threats such as illegal logging and poaching.
“Amazon conservation cannot occur entirely within national borders and our mission becomes easier as countries embrace the Amazon as a shared natural treasure.”
Meg Symington
Managing Director, Amazon Program
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