PACIFIC ECOREGION COLOMBIA

The cotton-top tamarin, a small primate which weighs less than a pound, is named for the cotton ball-esque fluff of white hair on its head. Cotton-top tamarins are among the most endangered primates in the world, with only about 6,000 remaining in the wild. This species is endemic to northwestern Colombia, and their tropical forest habitat is being destroyed for cattle ranching, agriculture, and urban development. Cotton-tops are also captured and illegally sold as pets.

Jaguars are the largest cat species in South America, and have great ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance. It is estimated that around 15,000 jaguars remain in Colombia, and about 170,000 jaguars persist in the Americas as a whole. The species once stretched from the southern United States to northern Argentina, but its range has since been halved and the species is extinct in several countries, due to the primary threats of habitat loss, illegal trade, hunting, and climate change.

With its bright shades of green, the Great Green Macaw is unlikely to be confused with any other bird. The Great Green Macaw is the third heaviest parrot on our planet, and can live up to 70 years. A social bird, Great Green Macaws live in family groups of around five or six individuals, which patrol small home ranges for fruiting trees where they can feed. Due to habitat loss and the illegal pet trade, this species is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

The Baird’s tapir is a large, herbivorous mammal, similar in shape to a pig with a prehensile nose. Baird’s tapirs play a key role in their ecosystems by dispersing seeds, holding symbiotic relationships with cleaner birds (such as the yellow-headed caracara) and providing a key prey source for carnivores such as jaguars. Due to threats of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss, this species is considered Endangered by the IUCN.