There’s a new protected area in Bolivia! It spans over 12,000 square kilometres – that’s 4,650 square miles.  And it includes well-conserved forests – it’s home to 300 species of birds and 100 species of jaguars, pumas and night monkeys.  It’s home too to the Ayoreo indigenous community which is voluntarily isolated.

 “Ñembi Guasu” means “the great hideout” or “the great refuge.”  The creation of the protected area is expected to help to offset deforestation in Bolivia’s Gran Chaco region.

The Ñembi Guasu Area of Conservation and Ecological Importance is the second-largest protected area in the Gran Chaco.   The jaguar, puma, the southern night monkey, the southern tamandua live here.

The area is one of the few places in Bolivia where long-term plans can be made for jaguars and other large animals there.

The territory is home to more than 100 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, and at least 80 species of reptiles and amphibians.   The area is described as “a large area where animals can hide”.

Some threats put the territory at risk – the extraction of oil is one.  The Bolivian government approved an order that allows the extraction of oil in natural areas.  Land invasions are another problem.