Training workshops offered by the Orinoquía Biodiversa Foundation in the context of the Project Wildlife (Vida Silvestre)

The communities of the middle and lower basin of the Bita river, in the villages of La Esmeralda and El Merey, municipality of Puerto Carreño (Vichada), were the beneficiaries of this activity. There, the practice of and theory on land management blended together.

The environment provided an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge between the locals and researchers of the Orinoquía Biodiversa Foundation, an institution that advances conservation actions towards the Tapir (Tapirus terrestris), in the eastern plains (Llanos Orientales) of the country.

About 60 people, including adults, teenagers and children learned about the different types of fertilizer they can use when working their land. They were taught about their characteristics, uses and form of preparation. Similarly, the relationship of these fertilizers with the care and conservation of tapirs was discussed. Everything within the framework of good agricultural practices.

Let us remind ourselves that the Tapir is a species that finds itself in a vulnerable condition. Habitat loss, deforestation, expansion of the agricultural frontier, among other reasons, have led to a drastic decline in the populations of this mammal.

Therefore, it is highly important for the different actors that share territory with these animals, to understand the benefits of using organic fertilizers for this species.

Furthermore, conservation agreements between the owners of various farms in the region and the Orinoquía Biodiversa Foundation have been signed. This was done with the aim to formalize commitments to protecting the Tapirus terretris and its habitat in the Bita river basin. So far, the estates that have embraced the initiative are: La Reina, el Desierto, la Tata, el Rincón del Anel, Las Margaritas and Manantiales.