« Purús LandscapeBahuaja Sonene and Tambopata »

The Yaguas-Putumayo Landscape at the lower Putumayo River is a biological corridor between southern Colombia and northern Peru, with virtually uninterrupted forest cover and healthy aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial and aquatic animals can still move freely through the region and maintain connectivity between populations.

More than 3,000 species of plants and over 700 species of vertebrates were recorded in 2019, making it one of the most diverse places in the Peruvian Amazon. The Yaguas and Lower Putumayo landscape is also home to many endangered species, such as the pink river dolphin, South American manatee, giant otter, giant anteater, and woolly monkey.

Data from ichthyology studies indicate that the Yaguas River Basin hosts the most diverse fish fauna within Peru, with more than 65% of Peruvian fish species, including species of economic value such as the Arapaima gigas, Vulture catfish, and the ornamental fish Arowana.

In addition, there exists significant cultural connectivity between the many different indigenous ethnic groups that live in this landscape, with communities from both Peru and Colombia belonging to the same linguistic groups and sharing resources in times of need, under traditional informal agreements.

The Yaguas -Putumayo Landscape encompasses the recently created Yaguas National Park and neighboring protected areas, covering a total of 14,146 km² of high-biodiversity areas in this northwestern part of Peru.

Quick Facts
  • Project name: Protection of the Yaguas National Park
  • Size of the National Park: 8,689 km²
  • Project area size: 14,146 km²
  • Project leader: Claus Garcia
  • Project start: 2015
The pristine Yaguas ecosystem contains record numbers of butterfly species, this is one of them, the Morpho butterfly. © Daniel Rosengren
This male Dwarf Gecko (Gonatodes sp.) is one of 700 recorded species of vertebrates were recorded in Yaguas. © Daniel Rosengren
The Yaguas River Basin hosts the most fish fauna diversity in Peru. © Daniel Rosengren
These two butterflies are extracting minerals from fish remains. This shows the importance that each species plays in an ecosystem. © Daniel Rosengren
In order to provide effective protection of an area, it is important to know what species and habitats exist in the protected area. Here, an FZS staff member is examining a giant cricket that he found in Yaguas. © Daniel Rosengren
This Hoffmann’s Two-toed sloth needs mature and lush trees to thrive, making Yaguas, with its virtually uninterrupted forest cover, a great home for this species. © Daniel Rosengren
Pink river dolphins are one of the many endangered species that live within the Yaguas and Lower Putumayo landscape. © Daniel Rosengren
FZS partner SERNANP’s park rangers work to protect the National Park from illegal activities, in the buffer and core zones of the protected areas. © Daniel Rosengren
There are more than 3,000 species of plants in Yaguas. © Daniel Rosengren
FZS and SERNANP working together to sketch out the construction of the ranger post in Yaguas. © Daniel Rosengren
In 2019, twenty camera traps distributed over 2,500 hectares in Yaguas National Park have documented more than 4,000 images of tapirs, jaguars, white-lipped peccaries, a giant armadillo, and also short-eared dog. © Daniel Rosengren
South American manatee is an endangered species that inhabits Yaguas. FZS and Park rangers use sonar to detect the animals under water. So far, four population counts have been conducted. ©️ Guillermo Abadie

How we support Yaguas-Putumayo Landscape

Protected area management

  • Support the active participation of government authorities and civil society in the management of the protected areas by establishing a management plan and a management committee

Control and surveillance

  • Remote surveillance through high-resolution satellite images, overflights, and the use of drones to detect illegal activities
  • Support SERNANP in their law enforcement operations against illegal activities in the buffer and core zones of the protected areas

Ecological monitoring

  • Annual monitoring of the giant otter and Amazonian manatees that serve as indicators of ecosystem health
  • Annual review of tree cover and amount of deforestation
  • Support biological research, e.g. about fish

Designation of new protected areas

  • Support the creation of the Lower Putumayo Communal Reserve, adjacent to Yaguas National Park, which will protect the territory of 13 communities of Lower Putumayo. The communal reserve category will allow the co-management of the area together with the adjacent local communities and will allow them the sustainable use of the natural resources

Environmental education

  • Raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the benefits of protected areas for the well-being of local people
  • Establish a participatory community surveillance system to benefit the protection of Amazonian manatee habitat in the Yaguas River basin
  • Reduce pollution alongside communal water bodies in the lower Putumayo basin
  • Promote the participation of authorities, the local population in events, which strengthen the protection and conservation of the landscape

Sustainable production systems

  • Support local communities in Lower Putumayo and Ampiyacu Rivers, to make sure their use of natural resources is sustainable, and to improve their income and food security
  • Support sustainable fishing practices in local communities in the Lower Putumayo River basin

Bi-national coordination with Colombia

  • Development of a binational strategy of control and surveillance activities together with the protected area authority of Colombia
  • Promote the participation of authorities and local populations in bi-national events with conservation stakeholders in Colombia

By playing the video you accept the privacy policy of YouTube.

Learn more

Partners

Successful conservation is always the result of great teamwork. We collaborate with local communities, national authorities, and conservation organizations. Our partners make our conservation work possible.

  • Peruvian authority of natural protected areas (SERNANP)
  • Ministerio del Ambiente (MINAM)
  • Fondation Segré
  • Instituto del Bien Común (IBC)
  • Chicago Field Museum
  • Federación de Comunidades Indígenas del Bajo Putumayo (FECOIBAP)
  • Federación de Comunidades Nativas Fronterizas del Putumayo (FECONAFROPU)
  • Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Ampiyacu (FECONA)
Our partners

Contact

Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt von 1858 e.V.
Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1
60316 Frankfurt

Telephone: +49 (0)69 - 94 34 46 0
Fax: +49 (0)69 - 43 93 48
E-Mail

You will find our office in the Zoogesellschaftshaus (1st floor).
Directions