Following its purpose of conserving and reintroducing endangered species, the park, which values the wellbeing of both animals and visitors, reopens after eight years, with improvements and tours guided by specialists 
 
 

Paraná, December 5, 2022 - The Klabin Ecological Park, a space for biodiversity conservation and wildlife rehabilitation and care located in Telêmaco Borba, Paraná, has reopened with improvements and in a new format in order to provide environmental education through monitored tours with specialized guides. Starting from December 19, schools, universities, research institutions and the community can schedule in advance their visit, on Tuesdays or Thursdays, on the website (Link). To ensure animal welfare, the number of daily visits will be restricted and, starting January, the final week of each month will be reserved for visits by the public.
 

After a period closed for visits, Klabin Ecological Park underwent diverse changes, both to improve the quality of care for animals and the preservation of fauna, and to offer guided and better structured tours for groups interested in exploring the place. The Park trained its technical team of biologists, veterinarians, caregivers, assistants and zootechnicians. This new team helped enrich the wildlife environment through a dynamic process aimed at stimulating the natural behaviors of all species and avoiding repetitive and abnormal behaviors in order to reintroduce them to the nature in the future. 

                                                                             Photo: Zig Koch   

 
However, the Park’s objectives are not limited to preserving the physical and mental health of animals. It also plans to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation. For that, the Park is reopening to go beyond rehabilitation and dedicate its efforts to the conservation and reproduction of native species, release and reintroduction of endangered species, as well as scientific research and environmental education.
 
To achieve these objectives, a visiting circuit consisting of a 800-meter trail was designed to give visitors an experience of the local biodiversity, and a structure that provides people with disabilities with a comfortable experience.  Visits are conducted at a safe distance between animals and visitors to ensure the welfare of all. 

                                                                               Photo: Zig Koch

"The Klabin Ecological Park reopens in line with the Company’s commitment to responsibility and care for the environment. With this purpose, a new way of visits was defined: greater awareness of the importance of environmental preservation, more conservation and better animal welfare,” said Julio Nogueira, Sustainability Manager.
 
The new form of visits underlines the unique role played by the Klabin Ecological Park in leveraging the positive impact from the reintroduction of native species and from Klabin’s Sustainable Development Goals (KODS) aligned with the UN 2030 agenda that are part of the short-, medium- and long-term commitments that organize and guide the company’s priority ESG milestones.
 
The Park, whose goal is to reintroduce at least two species that are provenly extinct locally and to stimulate the population growth of four other endangered species by 2030, needs a controlled environment where animals can lead a stress-free life for their rehabilitation, conservation and reproduction. And the proof that the Park’s initiatives are on the right track is that, in partnership with Airom Ambiental, the place launched a project to reintroduce guans, an extinct bird species, in the Brazilian ecosystem. As a result, in March 2022, 10 guans were released in their native environment – in this case, Telêmaco Borba, a large part of which is in the Atlantic Forest.
 
“The Klabin Ecological Park cares for endangered species in a controlled setting and then reintroduces them into the environment, when possible. All our efforts at the Part are devoted to the conservation and release of endangered species and to serve as a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The Park’s new structure is designed to ensure animal welfare, as well as raise awareness and provide environmental education to visitors,” said Paulo Henrique Schmidlin, coordinator of the Klabin Ecological Park.
 
Established in the 1980s, Klabin Ecological Park is located in the Monte Alegre Farm in Telêmaco Borba, Paraná. It is spread on an area of almost 10,000 hectares, with 91% covered by native forests. It is currently home to around 180 animals of 50 different species.      

                                                                            Photo: Zig Koch

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