Giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 1025955

Mission: Fundacion BioDiversa Colombia (FBC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is the conservation of Colombian biodiversity through participative scientific research, through community-based conservation programs and through productive sustainable projects that aim towards conservation, social development and self-sufficiency of local communities. Objectives: - To carry out participative basic and applied research projects that respond to conservation of Colombian biodiversity and sustainable development needs. - To undertake conservation programs of focus endangered species, groups and ecosystems through involvement and appropriation by local communities, awareness-raising and education, generation of conservation-based sustainable alternatives for local people and dialogue facilitation among stakeholders. - To develop sustainable development programs that aim towards conservation, social development and self-sufficiency of local communities. - To promote informal education programs and cultural activities that respond to the Colombian population needs concerning conservation and appropriation of biological and cultural diversity. - To use audiovisual, multimedia and other tools for the educational and cultural activities, aiming to raise awareness for conservation of Colombian biological and cultural diversity, and for promotion of the Foundation and its projects and programs. - To acquire and sell actives and to build infrastructure when required. Date of creation: April 8 2005 Geographical area: FBC’s action range is the entire Colombian country and its neighbor countries along their borderlines. This particular project is located in the Amazon River between the border of Colombia and Peru. Target species / habitats: In general lines, FBC focuses on threatened species and ecosystems of Colombia. Hitherto, FBC has focused on endangered primate (Saguinus leucopus and Ateles spp.) and turtle species (Podocnemis spp.), to the rainforests and wetlands of the Middle Magdalena Valley and to the Colombian Amazonia. However, we aim to undertake programs to conserve as many threatened species, groups and ecosystems as possible.