{"id":55216,"date":"2025-08-07T08:19:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T08:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.loroparque-fundacion.org\/?page_id=55216"},"modified":"2025-08-07T08:43:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T08:43:30","slug":"juan-s-villalba","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.loroparque-fundacion.org\/en\/juan-s-villalba\/","title":{"rendered":"Juan S. Villalba"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”55211″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n

Juan Sebasti\u00e1n Villalba Mac\u00edas<\/strong> is a renowned Uruguayan conservationist, founder and coordinator since 2000 of the <\/span>M’Bopicu\u00e1<\/span> Biopark<\/span> of Montes del Plata, an innovative cent<\/span>r<\/span>e dedicated to the conservation and reintroduction of endangered wildlife in the department of R\u00edo Negro, Uruguay. With a career spanning more than five decades, he has led major initiatives at both regional and international levels, including his work as Regional Director of TRAFFIC South America (WWF) and as Technical Coordinator for CITES in Uruguay. He has also served as a consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank and, until June 2025, served as Environmental Advisor to the Departmental Government of R\u00edo Negro.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Widely recognized for his tireless fight against illegal wildlife trafficking \u2014even inspiring Disney\u2019s film <\/span>Rio<\/span>\u2014 he has taken part in technical missions and expeditions in over 80 countries, and has been consulted as an expert by major international media such as CNN, BBC, National Geographic, and TIME. He has received numerous distinctions, including the Gorilla Award from Loro Parque and the <\/span>Renacimiento<\/span> Prize for Science and Technology, awarded for six consecutive years.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][nectar_btn size=”large” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” text=”Back” url=”https:\/\/www.loroparque-fundacion.org\/en\/who-we-are\/#consejo”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][divider line_type=”No Line”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\nJuan S. 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