The Government of Colombia has announced the expansion of the Acandí, Playón, Playona, San Francisco and Cabo Tiburón Wildlife and Flora Sanctuary on the country’s Caribbean coast, increasing the protected area from 260 km² to more than 890  km².

Located in the Gulf of Darién on the border with Panama, the sanctuary protects one of the world’s largest leatherback sea turtle nesting beaches, alongside coral reefs, mangroves and coastal wetlands that support a rich diversity of marine and coastal species. The sanctuary is jointly managed by Colombia’s national parks authority and local community councils.

The expansion is an important milestone for Herencia Colombia. Since its launch in 2022, the initiative has contributed to the designation or expansion of 178,000  km² of marine protected areas.

Becht Foundation supports Herencia Colombia through WWF, and welcomes this latest achievement, which reflects the sustained efforts of governments, local communities and conservation partners to strengthen protection of Colombia’s marine and coastal ecosystems.