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Photo: Pato-mergulhão (Mergus-pctpsetaceus), archive FUNBIO

Brazil boasts a vast catalogue of species of fauna and flora. There are over 100 thousand species of invertebrate, nine thousand species of vertebrate, and 46 thousand species of flora. As a consequence of human activities, which are becoming increasingly burdensome on conservation, 3,286 species are currently listed as critically endangered, of which 2113 are plants and 1173, animals.

In a bid to minimize the impact upon endangered Brazilian species, especially the 290 critically endangered species not found in protected areas or covered by National Action Plans, the Ministry for the Environment created its “National Strategy for the Conservation of Endangered Species” (Pro-Species), which has Funbio as implementing agency, WWF as the executing agency, and the Global Environment Facility as donor. The initiative has three specific goals:

1. Integration of endangered species conservation under Sectorial Policies;
2. Combat of the illegal hunting, fishing and extraction of wild species;
3. Early warning and detection of exotic invasive species.

The project spans 13 Brazilian states (Maranhão, Bahia, Pará, Amazonas, Tocantins, Goiás, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo), covering a combined total of 9 million hectares. As a knock-on effect, the actions focused on these 290 critically endangered species will also benefit hundreds of other species threatened with extinction, such as the Brazilian merganser (Mergus-octosetaceus) — photo.

Funbio’s support for PAs and its conservation projects has already benefitted some 1,041 species, of which 968 feature on the IUCN’s Red List. This total includes 466 species of fauna and 575 species of flora, most of them found in National Parks, Environmental Protection Areas (EPAs) and State Parks. The total for 2018 is 7% higher than in 2017.

For more on the project, see:

The Project approved by the GEF

Website (in Portuguese)

Project Operations Manual (POM) – in Portuguese

Technical-Financial Progress Report 2018 (in Portuguese)

Technical-Financial Progress Report 2019 (in Portuguese) 

Technical-Financial Progress Report Year 2 (in Portuguese)

 

Status In Progress

Starting year 2018

Biome Marine and Coastal, Pampa, Amazon, Cerrado, Pantanal, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga