The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is leading a three-day international workshop in Medellín, Colombia, focused on improving ex situ management of wildlife seized from illegal trafficking. Ex situ conservation, protecting species outside their natural habitats in facilities like rehabilitation centers or zoological institutions, is a key strategy to ensure the survival, welfare, and potential reintroduction of rescued animals.
Photo: Diego IM - WCS Bolivia
More than 70 professionals from Colombia’s environmental authorities, wildlife centers in Ecuador and Bolivia, WCS teams from the Andes, Amazon, and Orinoco region (specifically from Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia), and experts from Mexico and Argentina are participating. The event fosters technical training, knowledge exchange, and regional coordination.
The workshop is part of the project “Confiscation and management of live wildlife as evidence to promote conservation, health, welfare, and successful prosecutions,” led by WCS Colombia’s Environmental Crime Prevention team and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
Photo: Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (AMVA)
Supported by the Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (AMVA), the local government entity providing venues, logistical support, and technical expertise, the event highlights the strategic role of Medellín as a regional hub for wildlife recovery and biodiversity protection.
Key topics include neonatal care, nutrition, enclosure design, behavioral observation, and forensic sampling, crucial elements for wildlife professionals across Latin America. The workshop strengthens regional responses to a cross-border environmental crime and builds lasting networks to guide future action against wildlife trafficking.
Photo: Diego IM - WCS Bolivia
“This workshop brings together technical experts, professionals, and representatives from environmental authorities and wildlife care and rehabilitation centers. It offers a space for deep knowledge exchange, the strengthening of professional networks, and the development of shared standards to improve institutional responses to illegal wildlife trafficking,” said Yovana Murillo, Wildlife Trafficking Program Manager for the Andes, Amazon, and Orinoco region at WCS.