We are proud to commemorate the 15th anniversary of our ProAves Fuertesi’s Parrot Reserve, a unique refuge in the Colombian Andes that, since 2010, has become a stronghold for the conservation of the country’s most threatened parrot species.
Located on the eastern slope of Colombia’s Central Andes, in the village of Potosí Alto in the municipality of Cajamarca, Tolima, the Reserve spans altitudes ranging from 2,750 to 3,600 meters above sea level. It safeguards Andean forest, high Andean forest, and páramo ecosystems, preserving a rich diversity of fauna and flora.
The ProAves Fuertesi’s Parrot Reserve is home to five threatened parrot species: the Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis), Fuertes’s Parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi), Rusty-faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca amazonina), Rufous-fronted Parakeet (Bolborhynchus ferrugineifrons), and the Andean Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii). The first three are endemic to Colombia, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth.
The importance of our Reserve goes beyond parrot conservation. It also shelters populations of emblematic Andean mammals that find refuge in these cloud forests, such as the Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), and White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
This protected area is part of the Central Andes Threatened Parrot Conservation Corridor, an initiative that connects critical ecosystems to ensure the long-term survival of these unique species.
These fifteen years of continuous work reaffirm our commitment to the conservation of Colombia’s birdlife. At ProAves, we will continue protecting Andean ecosystems and the species that depend on them, with the purpose of showcasing to future generations the extraordinary natural wealth of our country’s Andes.
