Brazil is home to some of the most amazing, biologically richest ecosystems on the planet. Anyone who’s ever visited the Amazon Rainforest, the Pantanal, the Atlantic Rainforest, or the Cerrado knows the feeling of awe that these ecosystems inspire. Brazil’s biological resources are vulnerable though. They are threatened by the increasing demand for agricultural lands and housing development. Not only that, illegal logging, illegal wildlife trade, and forest burning also fuels the biodiversity crisis in Brazil.
In 2020, the Pantanal’s wildfire crisis has burnt millions of acres, and have threatened an unprecedented amount of animals. In total, 17 million vertebrates were harmed. Wildfires endanger species in the Pantanal, in the Amazon, and in the Cerrado each year.
With this in mind, WILD BRAZIL cares about nature conservation and would like to introduce you to a selection of NGOs that are commited to safeguard wildlife and habitats in Brazil:
Panthera is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) world-renowned for its work on wild cats research and conservation. In Brazil, Panthera owns the Fazenda Jofre Velho, a 24,700 acre cattle ranch dedicated to the conservation of the endangered Jaguar (Panthera onca) through research and education.
The Panthera Jaguar Research Center plays a leading role in the effort to protect the regional fauna and flora and the wildlife corridors. In addition, Panthera provides solutions to help with regard to the wildlife-human conflict, testing innovative strategies to prevent cattle depredation by Jaguar and Puma.
Apart from these conservation efforts, Panthera has launched a social project aimed at founding, organizing and financing the Jofre Velho School. The Jofre Velho School gives to riverbank households the opportunity to access the education and resources required by the Municipal Education Secretariat and the Ministry of Education. The Jofre Velho School also offers an innovative curriculum that incorporates information about environmental education and local culture. This school seeks to facilitate learning that will help protecting the Pantanal’s resources.
You can help the Panthera Jaguar Research Center to empower local comunities and save the Jaguar by becoming a donor.
If you are interested in wildlife photography and want to support the conservation efforts of the Panthera Jaguar Research Center, you can join one of our tours in the Pantanal.
The Golden Lion Tamarin Association (AMLD) has a scientific, social, and educational nature, and its mission is to promote the conservation of the Atlantic Forest in the coastal lowlands of the state of Rio de Janeiro, along with all its characteristic fauna, particularly the golden lion tamarin. In doing so, AMLD also contributes to ensuring the quality of life for the entire population of the region.
The Golden Lion Tamarin Association (AMLD) is a non-profit NGO that relies on the support of funders to carry out and expand the conservation program for the golden lion tamarin.
For those who enjoy photographing these remarkable primates and wish to contribute to conservation efforts, consider joining our Golden Lion Tamarin Safari.
The IHP, located in Corumbá, is a cutting-edge NGO that works to shield the Pantanal from the devastating effects of man-made wildfires. Its initiatives include managing nature reserves, developing research, facilitating dialogue between conservation actors, and providing the Environmental Police with technical training.
The IHP also aims to protect the local culture by promoting and supporting events that showcase the culture and the history of the Pantanal. One of this organization's major achievement is its project Cultural Mill Institute (Instituto Moinho Cultural) which helps children at risk through socio-cultural activities.
SAVE Brasil is protecting Brazilian birds and habitats by undertaking a multi-pronged strategy based on local communities, researchers, national organizations, universities, companies, and governments involvment. In Brazil, numerous bird species have been driven to the brink of extinction by illegal wildlife trade and deforestation, so habitat protection is a top priority for this NGO.
Besides operating in various Brazilian states, SAVE Brasil conducts a number of conservation projects. Over the past 15 years, SAVE Brasil has played a critical role in the managment of nearly 300,000 acres of grasslands.
Nearby São Paulo, the Manacá Institute focuses its efforts on conserving the Southeastern Atlantic Rainforest’s biodiversity through scientific research, local communities empowerment, environmental education, and ecotourism.
The Southeastern Atlantic Rainforest is a priority area for biodiversity conservation as it harbors many endangered species that are found nowhere else on Earth, including the Southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) and the Black Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus), amongst others.
The Manacá Institute also aims to protect large mammals such as Tapir and Jaguar in some of the last biodiversity strongholds of the South of São Paulo. The Institute actively promotes birdwatching outings and hiking in the region.
This project is a long term study devoted exclusively to the Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus), a species that occurs in the Pantanal and in the Cerrado. The Giant Armadillo is unique, as it plays a vital role for a smaller, diverse fauna. In the Pantanal, Giant Armadillo build large burrows that provide Coatis, Crab-eating Foxes, Red-footed Tortoises, and many more animals with a thermal refuge and a home.
After years of ecological studies, Giant Armadillo are considered indicator species for the creation of protected areas, which explains why conservation efforts are so important with regard to this species. The IUCN now classifies the Giant Armadillo as vulnerable.
The Hyacinth Macaw Institute, located in Campo Grande, is working to ensure that Hyacinth Macaws are surviving and thriving in the wild. The Institute monitors the long-lasting effects of the wildlife trade that dramatically affected the Hyacinth Macaw population in the 1980s. The species also suffered from habitat destruction.
With its team of biologists, field workers, and carers, the Hyacinth Macaw Institute aims to shield the species from the effects of deforestation and wildfires through habitat restoration, fire managment, and population monitoring.
The Anteater Institute, located in Parnaíba, has been operating Anteater conservation work in Brazil for over 15 years. The Institute is renowned for its cutting-edge studies in the academic field regarding Anteater biology and ecology throughout the Brazilian ecosystems.
The Anteater Institute makes use of research, education, and conservation policies to promote wildlife and environmental protection. With its worldwide network of members and its partnerships, the Institute conducts a number of wildlife programs that aim at preserving anteaters, armadillos, and even sloths.
A recent highlight from the Anteater Institute is the project on the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus), the smallest Anteater species on Earth, that can be found in the Northeastern portion of Brazil.
