The Animals We Protect
Explore the diverse range of species living in our sanctuaries and learn more about their conservation status and unique characteristics.
- 41SpeciesIn our care over the years
- 12On the Red ListNear threatened to endangered
- 500+AnimalsIn our care right now
- 2SanctuariesAmbue Ari and Jacj Cuisi
6 species in our care
Primates
Spider, howler, capuchin, squirrel and night monkeys — most of them victims of the pet trade, many rehabilitated in groups and released.
1 on the Red List
- Black-faced black spider monkey
5 species in our care
Felines
Jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays and Geoffroy’s cats. Felines are rarely releasable once habituated to people — they live out their lives in large forest enclosures.
2 on the Red List
- Jaguar
- Margay
15 species in our care
Birds
Macaws, amazons, parakeets, toucans and a greater rhea. Birds arrive with clipped wings and broken bones; the aviaries give them the sky back as far as possible.
3 on the Red List
- Greater rhea
- Mealy amazon
- White-throated toucan
3 species in our care
Tortoises
Chaco, red-footed and yellow-footed tortoises — two of the three are threatened. Slow to recover, easy to traffic.
3 on the Red List
- Chaco tortoise
- Red-footed tortoise
- Yellow-footed tortoise
12 species in our care
Other mammals & reptiles
Sloths, anteaters, coatis, peccaries, a tapir and a spectacled bear — the wide middle of the Amazon’s wildlife that ends up in markets and backyards.
3 on the Red List
- Giant anteater
- Lowland tapir
- Spectacled bear
IUCN Red List
On the Red List
Conservation status follows the IUCN Red List. These are the species in our care that the Red List considers at risk — the reason a sanctuary exists.
12of 41 species
in our care are at risk
Species in our care by IUCN category
- Least concern29
- Near threatened4
- Vulnerable6
- Endangered2
- Critically endangered0
Endangered2
- Black-faced black spider monkeyAteles chamek
- Red-footed tortoiseChelonoidis carbonaria
Vulnerable6
- Chaco tortoiseChelonoidis chilensis
- Giant anteaterMyrmecophaga tridactyla
- Lowland tapirTapirus terrestris
- Spectacled bearTremarctos ornatus
- White-throated toucanRamphastos tucanus
- Yellow-footed tortoiseChelonoidis denticulata
Near threatened4
- Greater rheaRhea americana
- JaguarPanthera onca
- MargayLeopardus wiedii
- Mealy amazonAmazona farinosa
Some of Them Have a Name
Behind the species are individual animals with their own story. Some of them are looking for a sponsor.
-
Jaguar
Yaguara
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Spider Monkey
Negra
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Mealy Amazon
Carolina
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Puma
Gaia
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
South American Coati
Beepers
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Pumas
Naoki, Nena & Frey
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Capuchin Monkey
Pepa
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Margay
Río
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Baby Spider Monkeys
Munay and Vida
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Ocelot
Lucinda
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Azara's night monkey
Cuñape
Sponsor from US$10 a month
-
Geoffroy's Cat
Mariano y los gatitos
Sponsor from US$10 a month
Species in Our Care
Over CIWY’s history, we’ve cared for more than X species, detailed below. Conservation status follows the IUCN Red List.
| Common name | Scientific name | Type | Conservation status |
|---|
| Azara’s night monkey | Aotus azarae | Primate | Least concern |
| Black-faced black spider monkey | Ateles chamek | Primate | Endangered |
| Bolivian red howler monkey | Alouatta sara | Primate | Least concern |
| Bolivian squirrel monkey | Saimiri boliviensis | Primate | Least concern |
| Capuchin monkey | Sapajus apella | Primate | Least concern |
| Humboldt’s white-fronted capuchin | Cebus albifrons | Primate | Least concern |
| Geoffroy’s cat | Leopardus geoffroyi | Feline | Least concern |
| Jaguar | Panthera onca | Feline | Near threatened |
| Margay | Leopardus wiedii | Feline | Near threatened |
| Ocelot | Leopardus pardalis | Feline | Least concern |
| Puma | Puma concolor | Feline | Least concern |
| Blue-and-yellow macaw | Ara ararauna | Bird | Least concern |
| Blue-crowned parakeet | Aratinga acuticaudata | Bird | Least concern |
| Blue-fronted amazon | Amazona aestiva | Bird | Least concern |
| Blue-headed parrot | Pionus menstruus | Bird | Least concern |
| Chestnut-fronted macaw | Ara severus | Bird | Least concern |
| Dusky-headed parakeet | Aratinga weddellii | Bird | Least concern |
| Dusky-legged guan | Penelope obscura | Bird | Least concern |
| Greater rhea | Rhea americana | Bird | Near threatened |
| Green-cheeked parakeet | Pyrrhura molinae | Bird | Least concern |
| Mealy amazon | Amazona farinosa | Bird | Near threatened |
| Mitred parakeet | Aratinga mitrata | Bird | Least concern |
| Orange-winged amazon | Amazona amazonica | Bird | Least concern |
| Red-and-green macaw | Ara chloropterus | Bird | Least concern |
| White-throated toucan | Ramphastos tucanus | Bird | Vulnerable |
| Yellow-crowned amazon | Amazona ochrocephala | Bird | Least concern |
| Chaco tortoise | Chelonoidis chilensis | Tortoise | Vulnerable |
| Red-footed tortoise | Chelonoidis carbonaria | Tortoise | Endangered |
| Yellow-footed tortoise | Chelonoidis denticulata | Tortoise | Vulnerable |
| Brown-throated sloth | Bradypus variegatus | Other | Least concern |
| Collared peccary | Pecari tajacu | Other | Least concern |
| Crab-eating fox | Cerdocyon thous | Other | Least concern |
| Crab-eating racoon | Procyon cancrivorus | Other | Least concern |
| Giant anteater | Myrmecophaga tridactyla | Other | Vulnerable |
| Greater grison | Galictis vittata | Other | Least concern |
| Kinkajou | Potos flavus | Other | Least concern |
| Lowland paca | Cuniculus paca | Other | Least concern |
| Lowland tapir | Tapirus terrestris | Other | Vulnerable |
| South American coati | Nasua nasua | Other | Least concern |
| Spectacled bear | Tremarctos ornatus | Other | Vulnerable |
| Tayra | Eira barbara | Other | Least concern |
How an animal gets from a market cage to the forest
