Meet the Amazon Tapir: The Rainforest’s Gentle Giant

Every April 27, we celebrate World Tapir Day—a chance to shine a spotlight on one of the Amazon’s most unique and underappreciated animals: the tapir.  Often described as a cross between a pig and an anteater, the Amazon tapir (also known as the South American tapir or lowland tapir) is neither. In fact, its closest…

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Finding Climate Optimism in the Amazon this Earth Day 

Earth Day, celebrated this Tuesday, is a global reminder to reflect on the health of our planet. And right now, there’s no sugarcoating it—the biosphere’s vital signs are concerning. The past decade has been the hottest on record. Droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes are growing more intense. The climate crisis feels more real than ever.  But…

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Colombia Makes History: Legal Protection for Indigenous Peoples in Isolation

Isolated indigenous peoples long house aerial view in the Colombian Amazon

Colombia Makes History: Legal Protection for Isolated Indigenous peoples in Colombia In a groundbreaking move, the Colombian government has taken an unprecedented step to protect Indigenous Peoples Living in Isolation by defining their territory—with Indigenous allies, the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), and a coalition of partner organizations playing central roles in fostering this historic resolution.  Indigenous…

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Conservation victory in Colombia’s deforestation hotspot 

On the shores of the Caquetá River, among tall Amazonian palms and fast flowing waters brown with silt, are three indigenous reserves– Huitorá, Coropoyá and Jericó Consaya. These reserves are home to 138 families of the Murui Muina and Korebajʉ people, who have long assumed responsibility for caring for the life within their biodiverse territory.  

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Going at Nature’s Pace: The Story of ASOMI

With the occasion of ACT’s 25th anniversary, Maria del Rosario Chicunque—Charito, the formidable leader that some of you have met—and I want to share the wonderful, glorious, painful, and ultimately extraordinary path that led to the creation of ASOMI, the Association of Indigenous Women, and their private reserve in Colombia. ASOMI’s headquarters is aptly called La Chagra de la Vida, or the Garden of Life. As with all gardens, it nourishes us with blessings of food, beauty, and joy, but it needs proactive tending and weeding in return—never-ending tasks that can give us scrapes, blisters, and scars.

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