Project
Community-led conservation of mountain tapirs in Colombia
Initiative
Duration
2024 - 2025
Location
Colombia
Species protected
Mountain Tapir
Tapirus pinchaque
Project description
This project aims to establish a Mountain Tapir Community Management Area (MTCMA) in the southern Andes of Colombia, bridging biodiversity conservation with local development. By engaging grassroots organizations and rural communities, it promotes participatory tapir monitoring and ecosystem restoration. Through training, community-based research, and the development of rural lodging, the initiative will generate tangible socio-economic benefits, foster stewardship of mountain tapir habitats, and build a replicable model for community-led conservation.
Threats
Habitat loss & degradation
Human-wildlife conflict
Over-exploitation of natural resources & prey depletion
Project objectives
- Create a community-based mountain tapir management strategy by enhancing local participation.
- Strengthen grassroots monitoring capacity through standardised research protocols and equipment.
- Foster sustainable livelihoods linked to tapir presence, such as rural tourism and habitat stewardship.
Project activities
- Install two monitoring stations in key mountain tapir habitats.
- Conduct workshops on camera traps, GPS use, and occupancy methodologies.
- Train local leaders in habitat mapping and anti-poaching surveillance.
- Support eight families in developing rural lodges for researchers and volunteers.
- Promote the MTCMA as a research destination through university partnerships and outreach.
This project is implemented by Sacha Huagra Foundation, Colombia
