Megantoni, seats on the eastern slopes between: Parque Nacional Manu (1.7 million hectares) and the conservation complex in Cordillera Vilcabamba (Reserva Comunal Machiguenga, Parque Nacional Otishi, Reserva Comunal Ashaninka: total 709,347 hectares).

 

Critical for conservation in southeastern Peru, Megantoni 216.005 hectares might seem small, but the elevation range—500-4,000 meters—the area harbors an astonishing diversity of life. An estimated of 3000-4500 species of plants, being almost a quarter of Peru’s total, and around 20% of the frog and fish species are endemic.  The Indigenous groups, Machiguenga, Ashaninka, Nanti, and Yine Yami have a deep connection to the forest, and hold Tasorinshi Maeni, the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) as the protector.

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Megantoni offers the unique opportunity to link two biodiversity giants, protection for the diverse biological and cultural communities, and create a continuity totaling more than 2.6 million hectares. Planned colonization from the south, gas exploration and deforestation in the north threaten the corridor. This one-time chance to preserve intact one of the richest portions of the world depends on the fast action and long-term vision of Megantoni’s local inhabitants, its supporting organizations, and the Peruvian government.