We're celebrating Endangered Species Day with a special focus on the incredible species that live amongst the rainforest where your yerba mate comes from. Detrimental human actions such as deforestation for agriculture and urbanization, poaching and timber exploitation, and climate change have impacted ecosystems and species all around the world, including the southern Atlantic Rainforest.
 

 
Many of the endangered species of the present play a fundamental ecological role in their environment. Local or global extinction of species has an immediate effect to all systems of life. Guayakí is partnering with local yerba mate producers and communities to encourage shaded yerba mate production systems that allow for regeneration of endangered fauna and flora. On top of this, we run programs for environmental education, native species nurseries, and fauna monitoring at our Fundación Agroecológica Iguazú and other locations, along with partner ENGOs.
 

 
This Puma was registered by Guyra Paraguay in the Kanguery Station, their base of operations within the San Rafael Reserve. This Puma was registered for the first time during the same month that Guayakí was harvesting yerba mate with local families in alliance with Guyra Paraguay. We are so fortunate to have such a great welcoming committee!
 

 
The biggest threats to the Puma, Tapir, and many species for that matter, are the loss and fragmentation of their habitat as well as illegal poaching. These hidden wildlife tracking cameras are thanks to work that is being done in biodiversity monitoring, which demonstrates the importance of the ecosystem preserved in the area to ensure the survival native species.

Please visit International Union for Conservation of Nature to learn more about the conservation of endangered species. They have a global database breaking down the conservation status of different fauna and flora species, called Red List. It is quite fascinating!