Conservationist Samantha Zwicker and Hoja Nueva are working to keep the Peruvian Amazon wild

Fighting back against deforestation, animal trafficking, and other threats to biodiversity isn't easy, but Samantha Zwicker and Hoja Nueva are up to the challenge — and seeing success.

Zwicker is the founder and co-director of Hoja Nueva, a conservation organization and rehabilitation center in the Las Piedras region of the Peruvian Amazon. This is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, home to more than 100 species of mammals, 200 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 700 species of birds. The organization's mission is to protect the land; rescue and rewild animals; conduct ecological research; and empower and educate local communities on conservation efforts.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.