Wildlife management model
Regulatory framework, animal placement hierarchy, and territorial coordination — grounded in CARDIQUE Resolution 1972/2022 and the amended bylaws.
Regulatory framework
Fundación Loros manages 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 Environmental Management Sub-directorate following a technical visit to the El Paraíso property.
The registration imposes fourteen specific obligations, including: not using the wildlife for commercial activities, following the protocols in Annexes 15 and 16 of Resolution 2064/2010, reporting any death, escape, or illness immediately, and acknowledging that ownership of the animals received remains with the Nation.
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.
- 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.
- Semi-freedom or intermittent freedom with continuous support while conditions for full reintegration are established.
- Temporary rehabilitative custody in preparation for freedom: physical rehabilitation, formation of social groups in aviaries, flight and foraging training.
- 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 intervention principle
Reintegration doesn't end when the cage opens. The protocol includes post-release monitoring, site fidelity through feeding stations and artificial nests, formation of core groups, 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 core reference groups for future releases, participate as a subject of non-invasive research, or take on a voluntary educational role while respecting its autonomy.
Lean model
Article 14 prioritizes the management of third-party land through loan agreements and territorial custody, avoiding the accumulation of owned property and the associated costs (property taxes, security, fencing, fire prevention). The operational core at El Paraíso occupies between 2 and 5 hectares within the 60 total on the property (article 15), and the payroll is kept to the minimum required.
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).
Technical FAQs
Whose animals do you receive?+
Ownership of specimens received through seizure or voluntary surrender remains with the Nation (Article 5.6 of CARDIQUE Resolution 1972/2022). The Foundation receives them in custody for rehabilitation, management in semi-captivity, and disposition in accordance with the guidelines of the environmental authority.
What happens if an animal dies or escapes?+
Under article 5.5 of the CARDIQUE registry, any death, escape, or illness that threatens the life of an individual must be reported immediately to the Corporation. That obligation is structural to the environmental governance model.
Do you run commercial activities with the animals?+
No. Wildlife received cannot be used for commercial activities or any other activity not expressly authorized by CARDIQUE (article 5.1 of the administrative act). The Foundation's financial model is sustained by the nine sources described in article 11 of the bylaws.
Do you receive periodic oversight from the environmental authority?+
Yes. CARDIQUE conducts follow-up visits and environmental oversight of the Foundation's activities, with a technical assessment and potential service fee (article 11 of the resolution). The first technical assessment (N°481/2022) recorded adequate infrastructure, a nursery of native species, water bodies, and an advanced process to register El Paraíso as a Reserva Natural de la Sociedad Civil.
What kind of release do you carry out?+
Soft or gradual release in accordance with article 4 of the CARDIQUE registration. This involves a continuous process: physical rehabilitation, formation of social groups, assessment of the receiving habitat, supervised release, and post-release monitoring with support from feeding stations and artificial nests.
Did you find an injured parrot or suspect a case of illegal trade?
Report it to the relevant environmental authority in your jurisdiction. In the Canal del Dique area, you can write to CARDIQUE or contact us directly to coordinate.