Wildlife management model

Regulatory framework

Fundación Loros handles wildlife under registration and supervision of the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Canal del Dique (CARDIQUE), the competent environmental authority in its jurisdiction.

The registration was granted through Resolution N°1972 of December 28, 2022, which enrolls the Foundation in the Red de Amigos de la Fauna Silvestre under Law 99 of 1993, Law 1333 of 2009, Decree 1076 of 2015, and Resolution 2064 of 2010 of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

The administrative act is supported by Technical Opinion N°481 of November 21, 2022, issued by the Subdirección de Gestión Ambiental following a technical visit to the El Paraíso property.

Animal destination hierarchy

Article 7 of the bylaws defines a four-level hierarchy for determining the outcome of each individual received. This is the Foundation's guiding principle, always subject to the final decision of the competent environmental authority.

1. Full reintegration into the wild through soft or gradual release methods, in accordance with authority protocols and following habitat assessment (food availability, presence of conspecifics, threat levels). Preferably in groups.
2. Semi-freedom or intermittent freedom with continuous support while conditions for full reintegration are established.
3. Temporary rehabilitative custody in preparation for freedom: physical rehabilitation, formation of social groups in aviaries, flight and foraging training.
4. Indefinite care under the Foundation, only when reintegration is not viable due to individual factors. Must serve an ecological, educational, or scientific function in accordance with Article 15 §3.

As Article 7 states: indefinite captivity without an ecological, educational, or scientific function is not an acceptable outcome.

Minimum handling principle

Reintegration doesn't end when the cage opens. The protocol includes post-release monitoring, site fidelization through feeding stations and artificial nests, nucleus group formation, reforestation of receiving areas, and threat management. The measurable goal is to increase the survival rate of released individuals.

When an individual cannot be reintegrated — due to physical, behavioral, or health reasons — it may join nucleus reference groups for future releases, participate as a subject of non-invasive research, or take on a voluntary educational role while respecting its autonomy.

Territorial coordination

Reintegrated wildlife disperses, explores, and establishes territory beyond the Foundation's land. The operation runs as a network:

• Agreements with environmental authorities (CARDIQUE, EPA Cartagena, and other regional agencies) to coordinate seizures, voluntary surrenders, and release operations.
• Loan-use contracts with neighboring farmers on land where the Foundation operates under verifiable commitments to protect wildlife and ecosystems (article 9).
• Territorial stewardship agreements with local communities for biological corridors, riparian buffers, and environmental protection zones as receiving habitat.
• Agreements with national and international universities and research centers to validate protocols, conduct molecular monitoring, and publish scientific findings.

Educational experience, not exhibition

Article 15 §3 draws a key distinction: the animals in the Foundation's care are not on permanent display. Educational visits prioritize contact with the ecosystem, observation of natural behavior, and learning about conservation.

When animals are temporarily visible during an educational day, it happens as part of a regulated pedagogical experience designed to ensure animal welfare and the principle of minimal handling. No commercial activities are carried out with the received wildlife (Resolución CARDIQUE 1972/2022, Article 5.1).