Dora explores Latin America’s Biodiversity

 Argentina

The steppe, rapids, wetlands and peat bogs, lakes, ancient forests, coasts, mountains, glaciers, and forests are some of the habitats that make up this country, where Dora met the smallest wild feline in the Americas: The Kodkod or Güina. Measuring 17.7 inches in length and having a 7.8-inch tail, it is a solitary animal with nocturnal habits that spends most of its time on the treetops of temperate South American forests.

In Argentina, TNC works in the Gran Chaco and Patagonia, promoting initiatives that combine various nature-based solutions that improve production through innovation and technology. 

 Chile

Finding a species thought to be extinct was one of the great surprises that Dora and her friends experienced when they visited the Valdivian Coastal Reserve—one of the largest extensions of temperate and humid forests in Chile—where TNC works with local stakeholders to protect that ecosystem, ensuring Earth’s diversity for the next generations.

Darwin's fox is a unique mammal that lives in the native Valdivian Forest, grasslands, and open lands. It is a solitary animal, although it is also found in pairs. Its diet consists mainly of insects, small mammals, and, to a lesser extent, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. In addition, it eats fruits from Valdivian Forest trees, which gives it a seed-disperser role. That is an example of how preserving those ecosystems protects vital habitats for many species.

 Ecuador

There is nothing like coming across a gigantic sage to learn about the Galápagos Islands, the second largest marine reserve on the planet, where the Galápagos Tortoise lives. It is the largest species of land tortoise living today and can weigh as much as 880 lbs. and measure 6.5 feet. And that is not all; it is one of the longest-living animals known, with an average age above 150 years! Could it be a result of its strictly vegetarian diet?

For over 20 years, TNC has protected the Galápagos biodiversity in partnership with a local organization in the Pájaro Brujo Reserve to conserve vital cloud forest remnants in the upper part of Santa Cruz Island and thus contribute to conserving that ecosystem’s emblematic species. 

 Brazil

The Cerrado is a widespread savanna that extends through 772,204 square miles in the middle of Brazil. It is home to 935 bird species, over 10,000 plant species (of which 45 percent are only found in the Cerrado), and nearly 300 mammal species, including species under threat of extinction, such as the maned wolf (Aguara Guazu). It is a solitary Canidae that roams the plains and can raise its head above the undergrowth thanks to its long legs (it is the largest of its species in South America). Another interesting fact is that it does not howl but communicates from a distance through deep, hoarse barks. That was one of the critical factors that helped Dora and her friends recognize it when they crossed paths with it.

 Mexico

Did you know that the monarch butterfly migration is an extraordinary phenomenon that happens every year? After traveling thousands of miles from Canada and the United States, monarch butterflies arrive in the forests of central Mexico in the fall. There, they find the ideal conditions to spend the winter. Around five generations occur from the beginning of their migration to their establishment. The last generation hatches between September and the beginning of October, and those butterflies make up the new traveling generation that will repeat the extraordinary round-trip migration.

The forests that protect monarch butterflies are particularly important water catchment basins that contribute to reducing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Protecting their habitats is essential to preserving biodiversity, reducing threats to those incredible pollinators, and maintaining their astonishing migration. Like Dora, are you interested in doing something about that? Plant a garden dedicated to pollinators and learn about the work TNC leads to protect the monarchs in the United States and Mexico.