Parque do Mico, in Silva Jardim, is recognized as the first terrestrial Wildlife Heritage Area in the world

The announcement was led by Rodrigo Gerhardt, Wildlife Manager at World Animal Protection, and by Luís Paulo Ferraz, executive secretary of the Mico-Leão-Dourado Association (AMLD), responsible for managing the park. A seal for responsible tourism At the Mico-Leão-Dourado Ecological Park, the public can get to know this species up close, native to the state of Rio de Janeiro Luiz Thiago de Jesus/AMLD The Wildlife Heritage Areas initiative was developed by World Animal Protection and the World Cetacean Alliance, with the aim of recognizing destinations that practice wildlife observation tourism in a responsible way, without exploiting or putting animals at risk. “This program is a way of bringing alternatives, of promoting tourism that has a rich, important experience, with a certain species, but free from cruelty, free from animal exploitation,” says Gerhardt. According to him, the program already recognizes territories around the world where the protection of wildlife, animal welfare and responsible tourism go hand in hand, currently contributing to the conservation of more than 40 species — around 14 of them classified as threatened by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). "Most of the areas that have received the designation have been marine. But for terrestrial areas, this is the first designation that Wildlife Heritage Areas has provided," says Gerhart. For him, the first recognition of a terrestrial region in the world demonstrates that this model can also strengthen the conservation of entire biomes and ecosystems, and not just isolated species. Another 12 locations are currently in the evaluation process to receive the designation. A work that has been growing since 2019 Created in 2019, the Mico-Leão-Dourado Ecological Park was born with the proposal to combine ecological tourism and conservation, allowing the public to get to know this symbolic species, native to the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the lowland Atlantic Forest region where it lives. Over the years, this mission has strengthened with the growth of the park's activities — from spontaneous visitors received throughout the week to themed events such as the recently created Olhares da Mata. For Luís Paulo Ferraz, the new title is a recognition of the fauna observation work with an educational and social engagement bias carried out by the park, always with the necessary care to guarantee animal welfare and avoid any risk to local biodiversity. "Mico Park is a leisure space associated with a history of conservation, which allows the public to learn about and experience a little of the Atlantic Forest environment and the life of the fauna that inhabits our forests", highlights Ferraz. The designation also honors the history of conservation of the golden lion tamarin — a species whose survival has been put at risk by habitat loss and wildlife trafficking — and comes at an important time for Parque do Mico. It has the potential to increase the interest of the Brazilian and international public in getting to know the area and, consequently, to help preserve one of the most iconic and endangered primates in Brazil.