Cotuhé: Peru’s Largest Conservation Concession Protects Nearly Half a Million Acres in Yaguas National Park Buffer Zone

Andes Amazon Fund celebrates the creation of Cotuhé, Peru’s largest conservation concession. Spanning 491,104 acres (198,743 ha) of Amazon rainforest in Peru’s northern Loreto region, this conservation concession provides critical biodiversity protections for endangered species, safeguards the buffer zone of the 2.1 million acre (nearly 900,000 ha) Yaguas National Park, and secures a bio-cultural corridor, benefitting local Indigenous communities.

What is a Conservation Concession?

Conservation concessions are a unique concept in Peru where the government grants public lands to an organization, individual, or community association to manage and safeguard landscapes deemed important for biodiversity conservation. The Frankfurt Zoological Society of Peru (FZS), an organization committed to the long-term preservation of Peru’s natural landscapes, will manage the Cotuhé Conservation Concession. They also help manage the adjacent Yaguas National Park and work with the surrounding indigenous communities. 

The principal objective of Cotuhé is to conserve the biodiversity and cultural traditions of the Putumayo-Içá biocultural corridor, as well as the buffer zone of Yaguas National Park. This will support neighboring indigenous communities and future generations who rely on these landscapes for cultural practices and basic needs. 

Where the Manatees Swim and the Jaguars Roam

Cotuhé and the neighboring Yaguas National Park host astonishing biodiversity. Yaguas has registered the largest number of normal and black jaguars (Panthera onca) of any protected area in the country. It is also home to some of the last populations of Amazonian river manatees. Moreover, park rangers in Yaguas have rescued at least 4 manatees from fishing nets in the last two years. The granting of Cotuhé extends an important corridor for the migration of these species and increases monitoring potential. 
Other species found in the new conservation concession include the endangered giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), the vulnerable South American tapir (Tapirus terrestres), the critically endangered harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), pink and gray river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatilis, respectively) among many others.

Fostering Alliances to Fight Fragmentation

Collaboration is undoubtedly a key factor in the success of conservation concessions. FZS, Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA), and other organizations are forming alliances with local governments and community members to promote the area’s conservation, prevent illegal activities, and support sustainable resource use. This combination of actors will build inclusive and effective long-term conservation strategies for Cotuhé’s forests and waterways, preserving these invaluable ecosystems for generations.

Acknowledgments

The granting of the Cotuhé Conservation Concession was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Gerencia Regional de Desarrollo Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre Loreto (GERFOR), Organismo de Supervisión de los Recursos Forestales y de Fauna Silvestre (OSINFOR), and Frankfurt Zoological Society Peru (FZS), with technical support from Andes Amazon Fund partner Amazónicos por la Amazonía (AMPA).