As part of our commitment to conservation, The National Reptile Zoo currently supports many projects which directly contribute to the conservation of species and habitats in the wild.
The Central American country of Guatemala is home to an incredibly diverse range of reptile and amphibian species. Indigo Expeditions runs ’s expeditions to El Petén survey the remote rainforest surrounding the Estación Biológica las Guacamayas. The Station is situated in the Laguna del Tigre National Park, (the largest Core Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve and the largest National Park in Guatemala).
The project is now expanding to include surveys on the Central American River Turtle and the Morelet’s Crocodile. In order to prepare for this, Rowland Griffin, director of Indigo Expeditions, visited us here in the zoo in April 2015. This was so that he and James could lay down the groundwork for the project. For any undertaking like this, a lot of details must be ironed out before hand such as capture and survey protocols.
The project itself is at Las Guacamayas. James and Rowland will be working with the likes of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, and CONAP to monitor the populations of Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) and Central American river turtle (Dermatemys mawii) in the San Pedro and Sacluc rivers, in Laguna del Tigre National Park.
Indigo is also working on a prjoect on the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle as well. Check out the awesome video below for some information on these amazing creatures!
The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (A.R.R.S.) is situated in the Western Ghat mountains of India. As part of this stations work, it’s researchers document and conserve This beautiful but deadly creature, which is possible a different species to that found in the rest of South-east Asia, is an important component of the rain forest in which it lives.
You can help continue the work at A.R.R.S. and ensure the continuing survival of this elusive animal. Remember, every little helps. Thank you.
Green Anacondas are widespread throughout the Llanos of Venezuela. It is here that Jesus Rivas started his Anaconda Project in 1992, with the aim to learn the basic aspects of the anaconda’s biology in order to create guidelines for its protection and possible management. The research carried out also reaches to captive anacondas, including those here at Reptile Village. You can help continue this research, both in captivity and in the field by donating. Again, no amount is too small or unappreciated. Visit www.anacondas.org for more information.