WHO WE ARE

our mission

Our mission is to avoid the extinction of species in Northeast Brazil, particulally in the state of Ceará. This is a long-term commitment, where the involvement of the communities and the general public is essential to promote the protection of theatened animals and their habitats.

ourwork

We are a nonprofit organization that was created to avoid the extinction process of endangered species in the state of Ceará, recovering the remaining populations of these animals.
Our work encompasses the activities of:

RESEARCH

Our research activities consist into the continuous data collection about the species, their habitats and possible natural and human threats to their preservation. This information is the basis of our conservation strategies.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Our work depends on people. We had archieved a high level of collaboration between our projects and the communities that surrounds them by respecting their culture, their popular knowledge, and by the demystification of the “science” behind our activities. This allow us to get local allies who will support our work in the long-term.

PUBLIC POLICIES

The public policies proposition is an important strategy to ensure the existence of relevant areas for the preservation of our flagship species and to the community. We value and encourage popular participation in discussions of initiatives, in order to legitimize decision-making.

TIMELINE

In 2016, Aquasis completed 22 years of age. Our many archievements fill us with pride while assure that we are in the right way. We highlighted some moments of our history below.
Foundation of the Cetacean Study Group of Ceará (GECC)
Foundation of Aquasis
Inauguration of the Monitoring Tower at Ponte Metálica
Integrated Monitoring of the Coastal Zone of Ceará
Move to SESC Iparana
Araripe Manakin
Grey-breasted Parakeet
Permanent Araripe Manakin Headquarter
Marine Mammals Rehabilitation Center (CRMM)
RPPN “Reserva Oásis Araripe”
The GECC was a group composed by students and professors from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) and State University of Ceará (UECE). Eventually, the group gave origin to Aquasis.
We first began our activities at the Laboratório de Ciências do Mar(LABOMAR), a facility of the Federal State of Ceará.
This mark represents the beginning of the monitoring activities of a population of guiana dolphins (sotalia guianesis) at the Ponte Metálica, Praia de Iracema, Fortaleza/CE.
We perfomend an anthropogenic and geo-environmental survey through the 573 Km (356 mi) of coastal zone at the state of Ceará. The data and conclusions of this research are descript in the book “Zona Costeira do CE: Diagnóstico para Gestão Integrada” (2003).
We were granted a partnership with the Brazilian Commerce Social Service (SESC), in which was agreed the transfer our activities from LABOMAR to SESC Iparana. We built the first quarantine structure for calves of manatees in Ceará.
The year of 2003 marks the beginning of our conservation efforts towards the Araripe manakin in the region of Cariri. At the time, the specie was listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered.
We adopted the grey-breasted parakeet as a flagship species in 2003, by surveying the remaining of occurence areas in the states of Ceará and Pernambuco.
We established a permanent headquarters at Crato/CE to research on the Araripe manakin and to execute conservation plans for the species.
We created the first Brazilian non-profit facility for the complete rehabilitation and posterior release of orphan manatee calves. Until 2012, we rescued 31 stranded calves only at Ceará.
The Oasis Araripe reserve (RPPN Oasis do Araripe) was idealized to protect the Araripe manakin and to recover deforested riparian forest areas in the region of Crato.

1992
1994
1996
1998
2001
2003
2005
2010
2012
2016

Aquasis in Numbers

120

Executed projects.

442

Grey-breasted parakeet chicks were born as a consequence of our efforts.

300

Children attended the Nature Brigade project, one of our links to the community.

814

Stranded marine mammals in the state of Ceará.

46

Stranded manatee calves rescued.

2.000

Red Knots (Calidris canutus) registered in the 2015 season.

203.000

People changed their perception about the environment

05

National Action Plans for conservation of endagered species that we supported.

01

International award: "Future for Nature Award" (2010).

Our supporters

Through our history, our projects and activities were given the confidence of many important companies and organizations worldwide. We are thankful for your support!