Chocó and other Rainforest, Colombia
Chocó habitat extends from Panama, through north-western Colombia and down into northern Ecuador. It is one of the World's wettest and most biodiverse habitats and holds many species at risk of extinction.
Find out what the WLT is doing to help the Chocó.
How WLT is helping
In 2009 the WLT helped to support the purchase of an extension to the El Pangan reserve. In 2011 ProAves became one of the partners to benefit from the Buy an Acre fund. Donations through this appeal now help purchase and protect reserves in some in the most threatened and most biodiverse areas of the Chocó. The purchase of strategic, pristine areas will ensure protection against further deforestation and habitat fragmentation, and so far through the Buy an Acre appeal, the WLT has funded the purchase of the Zamarritos de Pinche reserve.
Urgent funding needed
This project is funded by the Buy an Acre fund. Funds are needed to continue to purchase and protect threatened habitats identified by ProAves.
Biodiversity of the Chocó
The Chocó is known to be the wettest environment on the planet and contains one of the highest concentrations of endemic species. The forests are also known to hold an extremely high number of species unknown to science.
Particular species in the area include:
Mammals:
Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus),and Jaguar (Panthera onca).
Birds:
The Endangered Baudo Guan (Penelope ortoni), Chocó Vireo (Vireo masteri), Banded Ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus radiolosus) and Vulnerable Long-wattled Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger).
The reserves
El Pangan Reserve
Acres saved: over 500 acres (200 ha)
El Pangan Reserve protects sub-tropical forest in the Chocó rainforests of southern Colombia . The reserve also protects the Spectacled Bear, Jaguar and the Blue Pangan Poison Arrow Frog, which is restricted to the area.
Zamarritos de Pinche
Acres saved: 1853 acres (750 ha)
The reserve contains habitats ranging from lowland tropical forests to paramó habitat at higher elevations and lies within the heart of the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot creating an important biological corridor. The reserve protects the Critically Endangered Gorgeted Puffleg (Eriocnemis isabellae) which was discovered and described in the area in 2007.
Sir David Attenborough, WLT Patron
