Raúl Bello: A Story of Conservation in Madre de Dios That Now Contributes to the 30x30 Goal
From childhood, Raúl Bello had a strong connection to nature. He enjoyed watching Alejandro Guerrero’s documentaries about Tambopata, visiting zoos, and exploring the mountains when he visited his grandparents in the highlands. That curiosity led him to study biology and embark on a long journey that made him one of the guardians of the biological corridor in the buffer zone of the Tambopata National Reserve.
During his early years in conservation, he learned about wildlife management at zoos in Peru and Brazil, and in 2008, he arrived in Madre de Dios to stay. Early in his career, his leadership at the rescue center of the Taricaya Eco Reserve ecotourism concession stood out; this area is also recognized as a contributor to the 30x30 goal.
© Vico Mendez / WWF-Peru
“I remember they wanted to reintroduce maquisapa monkeys into the forest. These animals had not been sighted in the Río Bajo sector of Madre de Dios for a long time; it was undoubtedly a major challenge that I was willing to take on”, says Raúl.
As part of the species’ reintroduction process, he conducted scientific research to determine whether the monkeys were adapting to the habitat and how they moved through the forest. During that monitoring, he discovered an area of the forest threatened by logging and illegal mining, located between the Taricaya Eco Reserve concession and the Tambopata National Reserve. This area had no owner and was key to wildlife connectivity.
As Raúl notes, “the monkeys allowed me to reach this place and apply for it as a conservation concession to protect wildlife in the Tambopata biological corridor”.
© Vico Mendez / WWF-Peru
Three years later, in 2017, Raúl left Taricaya after securing ownership of the concession and named it the Kawsay Biological Station. The first activities were surveying the area’s boundaries and marking trails to ensure the safety of the reintroduced monkeys. Since then, thanks to monitoring and a constant presence in the area, no illegal activities have been recorded within Kawsay.
The biological station focuses its work on scientific research and the monitoring of flora and fauna. Research conducted at Kawsay has led to the discovery of nine new species, including water beetles, midges that live in symbiosis with tarantulas, and bat parasites, and the station will soon publish findings on new species of cockroaches.
In addition, each year, it awards more than 15 scholarships to Peruvian students to gain field experience and conduct their first scientific research. Recent studies include research on the diet of spider monkeys reintroduced during the dry season and the diversity of beetles associated with these primates.
It is important to note that one of the main achievements of the Kawsay Biological Station has been the monitoring of the reintroduced population of maquisapa monkeys. Between 2014 and 2026, starting with an initial group of 8 individuals reintroduced by Taricaya Eco Reserve, Raúl has recorded more than 26 natural births in the forest.
The biological station also welcomes visitors who wish to have a hands-on conservation experience. These individuals have no prior experience; there is no age limit, and their goal is to assist with the station’s daily tasks. Each year, around 100 people from various parts of the world purchase these experiential packages and visit the Amazon rainforest, contributing to Kawsay’s sustainability.
© Vico Mendez / WWF-Peru
The Kawsay conservation concession was recently designated as an Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure (OMEC), thereby highlighting the conservation work that has been underway since 2017 across 172 hectares of forest.
“This recognition shows that we are doing things right; it allows us to seek more funding and support the global 30x30 goal”, says Raúl. The 30x30 goal is an international commitment among 196 countries, including Peru, to conserve and effectively manage at least 30% of the planet’s terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine areas by 2030.
This area stands out for its scientific research, wildlife and flora monitoring, and for being part of the fragile Sandoval ecosystem, according to Supreme Decree No. 007-2020-MINAGRI. Raúl, a conservation pioneer in Madre de Dios, demonstrates that small local actions have a global impact.
© Vico Mendez / WWF-Peru
