Brazil's Golden Lion Tamarin Sanctuary Receives International Wildlife Heritage Certification

The Parque Ecológico Mico-Leão-Dourado in Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, was granted the Wildlife Heritage Areas (WHA) international certification, recognizing that the park follows strict protocols to protect free‑living wildlife and ensure responsible visitor observation.

The certification comes as the golden lion tamarin population in the wild rose from about 2,500 individuals in 2019 to roughly 4,800 in 2023, nearly doubling in four years. The Associação Mico-Leão-Dourado (AMLD) attributes this growth to coordinated conservation actions, ecotourism, and corporate partnerships. ExxonMobil Brasil has contributed more than R$ 7 million since 2019, funding facilities such as the “Casa do Mico,” observation decks, and a research centre, while the Funbio biodiversity fund added a further R$ 1.1 million in August.

Since its inception in 2019, the park has planted over 45,000 native seedlings, restoring about 35 hectares of Atlantic Forest, and attracted more than 3,000 visitors in 2025, generating sustainable income for local communities and ongoing research.