Chester Zoo launches major Copiapoa cactus conservation programme in Chile

Chester Zoo's Field Programmes department has coordinated a comprehensive conservation action plan for Copiapoa cacti, a genus endemic to Chile's Atacama Desert where over two-thirds of the 32 species are Critically Endangered or Endangered. The multi-strand initiative includes public awareness campaigns, community education, seed banking at INIA Intihuasi Seedbank, sustainable harvesting certification, and partnerships with tourism companies to reduce off-roading damage.