From 19 to 22 November 2024, the city of Loja (Ecuador) hosted the first participatory workshop of the project Ecosystem Services in Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) under Climate Change Scenarios. This global effort, funded by the Global Climate Biodiversity Hub (GCBC) and led by BirdLife International, is developed in collaboration with UNEP-WCMC, Durham University and the Jocotoco Foundation.
Leovigildo Cabrera, the head ranger and administrator of our Buenaventura Reserve, embodies the spirit of conservation. His unwavering dedication earned him the prestigious Hero of Conservation award at Jocotoco's annual gathering in Ecuador last month. This honor opened the door for him to attend the World Ranger Congress in Hyères, France, where he connected with 450 rangers from 88 countries, exchanging invaluable experiences and insights on protecting our precious natural heritage. Through this opportunity, Leovigildo not only represents Jocotoco but also carries the hopes and dreams of our conservation efforts to a global stage.
Deep in the Chocó lowlands, the jaguar paces cautiously. Its imposing form glides through the dense undergrowth. As one of the largest predators in the Americas, jaguars maintain balance in the ecosystem. Today, the last healthy population of jaguars in western Ecuador is struggling to survive because of habitat loss and fragmentation. Our Canandé Reserve is one of the jaguar's last refuges in western Ecuador.
Floreana is the sixth largest island in the Galapagos. Unfortunately, its unique wildlife was decimated by pirates and whalers more than a century ago, and later by introduced animals. Together, we can change this trajectory. We will bring back 12 species of endemic wildlife that disappeared from the island generations ago, like the Floreana Giant Tortoise, four of Darwin's finches, and the Floreana Mockingbird, among others. This is the most ambitious rewilding effort ever in the Galapagos, and the largest rewilding effort on a populated tropical island anywhere in the world.
