B

Ecuador

Hab

Spp

Peo

B1a

Cecia – Jocotoco Yanacocha

I

i

I

Andean Cloud forest

Hummingbirds – esp Black Breasted Puff Leg.

R

R

p

B1b

Quito City Park

I

I

I

Reforestation of Eucalyptus forest

Humming birds

R

R

p

B2

Cecia + Quito Zoo - National Condor Programme

I

Andean forest and paramo

Andean Condor

R

r

B3

Espiritu del Bosque - Wild animal rescue + field research

I

p

Animals confiscated in the Quito area

Mix of confiscated Wild animals + Associated Andean Bear, mountain tapir+ paramo fox projects

p

B4

Awacachi corridor project – linking two National Parks.

I

I

Coastal tropical rainforest up to cloud forest

Biological corridor between reserves inc: jaguar, tapir, spider monkey,  bear etc.

R

p

B5

Playa de Oro Cat reserve

I

I

I

Coastal Tropical rainforest

Ecuadorian Wild Cats: eg. Margay, ocelot, jaguar -

R

R

r

B6 a


b

Jatun Sacha Foundation
Private Highland reserve
Private Jungle reserve

I
R

 
R

I
R

a) Andean forest and paramo
b) Amazon Tropical Rainforest

a) Haven for Andean bear, 100spp bird
b) Native tree nursery + botanical garden (live seed bank)

I
R

 
R

I
R

B7

EcoCiencia  
Bear Project

I

I

I

E Andean forest and Paramo

Andean Bear + Tapir conservation + research

R

R

R

B8

Payamino Community conservation project

I

I

Amazon tropical rainforest – 60,000ha of forest

Community Jungle conservation project.

R

p

B9

Yachana Tourist Lodge

I

I

Amazon tropical rainforest – Private reserve = 1000ha plus involvement in 25 communities

Amazon Jungle spp. Hospital, 25 health centres, ambulance canoes, floating clinic, organic chocolate treat and jam factory.

r

r

B10

Fundacion Cordillera Tropical, nature reserve, bear rescue and community work.

I

I

I

Andean Forest and Paramo

Andean Bear, Andean tapir, Condor, puma etc

R

r

p

B11

Cuenca vivarium and in-situ projects (in planning phase)

i

I

i

Mainly from endangered coastal mangroves and forest + Amazon

Eg. Botrops, boas, vine snakes, poison arrow frogs, endemic lizard etc. Future: live corals

R

B12

Rainforest Concern – St Lucia community reserve

I

i

I

W Andean cloud forest

Cloud forest spp inc: Andean bear, puma, cock of the rock, 300spp of bird, orchids.

R

r

R

B13

Sarayacu Community conservation project

I

I

I

Amazon tropical rain forest

Amazon Jungle spp.
Esp Tapir.

R

r

R

B14

Fatima Wildlife Centre

i

I

i

Secondary tropical rainforest – Amazon – 15ha

Amazon Jungle spp:
Esp: tapir, capybara, caiman, edible snails.

R

B15

Amazoonica, 
Wildlife Rescue Centre

I

I

I

Amazon basin tropical rain forest:

A range of Amazonian wildlife – esp  primates

p

r

p

B16

Fundacion Natura –Sangay National Park - Community captive breeding

I

I

I

Andean Forest

Dasyprocta punctata
Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
Agouti paca

R

 r

R

B17

I

i

From across Ecuador

R

Project Information

Photo Captions

Project 1 a + b: CECIA

CECIA: - Fundacion Ornilogica del Ecuador. 
Aims to: Contribute to the conservation of birds and bird habitats in Ecuador to the benefit if all biodiversity. www.geocities.com/avesecuador

a) Yanococha Reserve 
was purchased by Fundacion Jocotoco who are supported by “World Land Trust – UK”, 
now it's managed by CECIA.

July 2001

A sustainable plan. CECIA aims to develop a sustainable future for the reserve and use community programmes to help protect important habitat outside the reserve.

The First “Important Bird Area”. This was the first area to be declared and “Important Bird Area” in South America. It hosts more than 400 bird species, 30 of which are endemic, and 12 threatened.  The Black-breasted Puffleg (hummingbird) (Erionecmis negrivestis) which was thought extinct for the last 10 years was re-discovered in the reserve earlier this year and is now the focus of an important ecological research project. The Cock-of-the-rock and Giant Antpitta are also important flagship birds for this region.

CECIA need support to: Develop the community project, Organize and control eco-tours, Produce education material.

You can help by: Providing funds, apply for Volunteering and/or research positions; Arrange or participate in an eco-tour to the area.

Photo 1705: The beautiful and wild Yanococha Reserve only 40-minute drive from Quito and a haven for over 400 species of birds.

b) Metropolitan Park Project - Hummingbird Garden

July 2001

Inner-city Peace. This surprisingly peaceful inner-city park filled with the biodiversity killing introduced Eucalyptus trees and African grass, is the unlikely location of CECIA’s Humming Bird Garden. The project includes habitat restoration (clearing out the eucalyptus and African grass and replanting with native highland plant species that support native fauna ) + community education – garden interpretation, guided walks, forest trails and a kids club.

They need help with: The habitat restoration work (Eucalyptus and African grass require imaginative techniques to get rid of in an environmentally sound way); Researchers are always welcome + so to is help with developing interpretation and education programme.

You can help by: Becoming a member of CECIA, Providing funds, Applying for Volunteering and/or research positions

Photo 1738: CECIA’s Chris Canaday points out Humming bird Food

Project 2:  Quito Zoo

July 2001

Making links. We believe European Zoos can play an important role in assisting Quito Zoo to establish closer links with and support in-situ conservation in Ecuador. They have an excellent team who have turned the zoo round in the last 3 years – it is an important vehicle for public education in Ecuador and the zoos new signage communicates well to it’s audience. The following 2 projects are where we believe there is the biggest potential in in-situ linking. 

Exchanges. However, the zoo is also very interested in staff exchanges and will pay the air fare for any technical experts willing to come an advise or offer training in the following areas: Design and funding of new free flight “Birds of Ecuador Aviary”; Design and funding of an Ecuadorian Frog exhibit and research centre; Electric fencing for primate exhibits; Funding for and develop of a Collection Conservation Master Plan.

Photo 1750: The zoo is under new management now and becoming an important tool in conservation education.

National Condor Conservation Programme

This programme is led by CECIA and Quito Zoo, but the working group includes 10 other organisations.  The Andean Condor is thought to have a population of less than 100 in Ecuador. It is also an important flagship species for the threatened ecosystems of the Andean highland forest and Paramo.  Furthermore, there is now a growing body of research about the successful rearing in captivity and re-introduction of this species from Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. Funding has been secured to conduct Ecuador’s first official census later this year but finances are still required to develop off-show breeding facilities in the zoo.

Zoo Breeding Success. Quito Zoo have already had one chick successfully parent reared in their impressive main aviary but they would prefer to conduct future breeding and rearing with this valuable pair off show.

You can help by: Providing funds, technical advice and/or support.

Photo 2527: This large aviary gives the condor plenty of room to stretch their wings

Build a National Conservation Interpretation Centre

A biodiversity heaven. Ecuador It is the fourth most bio-diverse country in the world but covers the smallest area out of the top 5 countries (at only 256,370km2), it along with only 16 other countries hold 75% of the worlds biodiversity.  Although it covers only 0.17% of the earth’s land surface, Ecuador has more than a sixth of its bird species. However unfortunately it is the country with the fastest deforestation rate (150,000ha per year of with only 1ha in 300 being reforested).

A hard working team There are many conservation organisations (2 yrs ago there were 200 on the register) doing very good work in Ecuador which is perhaps one good thing, although with an under-funded Environmental Ministry, there is little coordination or knowledge of exactly what is being done in the country. Quito Zoo and “Ecociencia” (one of Ecuador’s largest conservation NGOs) are proposing to bring national conservation NGOs together and assimilate information about what is exactly going on. 

Communication for Conservation. They will then design and build a National Conservation Interpretation Centre based on the information gathered in order to raise public awareness of what is already being done in Ecuador and the ecosystems and species still threatened. The process of data collection will also be invaluable in bringing organisation together and fostering collaborations to the benefit of Ecuador’s biodiversity.

What they need: URGENT match funds are needed to get this much-needed programme started. Original funding will be lost if rest is not found soon.

You can help by: Providing urgent funds and /or advice on interpretation design.

URGENT

Photo 1781: The new zoo signage really gets the message across.

Project 3: Espiritu del Bosque 
– Wildlife Rescue Centre

July 2001

The “spirit of the forest” (which is what their name means) is revived here. This Foundation runs a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre near Quito. Animals they are caring for include sloth, monkeys, owls, parrots, jungle cats.

They need help with: Campaigning for more support and coordination by government bodies, more national education about not buying wild animals as pets, extending the rescue facilities and buying a re-release site for rehabilitated animals.

You can help by: Provide funding and technical advice  

Their field biologist, Armando Castellanos, also carries out some very interesting research: He is looking for support to carry on with the following projects: (we have presentation forms for each one contact us if you want more details.)

1. Habitat use, patterns of activity and home range of Andean bear in the Alto Choco reserve and Aledanas area: Implications for conservation.

2. Ecology of the Andean bear and mountain tapir in the Sireeazul reserve and Aledanas area: implications for conservation.

3. Study of reproductive cycel of the Paramo Fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus): implications for conservation

4. Animal managment centre for Andean wildlife

Project 4: Awacachi Corridor Project

URGENT August 2001

$735,000 is needed NOW for urgent land purchases! Donations can be made through Flora and Fauna International + Rainforest Concern. 
www.fauna-flora.org AND www.rainforest.org.uk 
Or direct to the local foundation “Nytua” who run this and other community projects in the region. email:

Photo 1970: Left of the road is corridor for 10km – but the right side was clear felled to plant African Oil palm.

Making a difference. We strongly advise you to support this project, to buy land to complete and enhance a 12,000ha habitat corridor project between two national reserves in the highly threatened biodiversity hotspot region of the Ecuadorian Choco.

An area under threat. This area forms an essential part of Conservation International’s Choco - Manabee hotspot protection and corridor planning programme. The unique tropical rain forest and cloud forests of this region (and the fauna they contain) are under tremendous pressure from logging concessions, African Oil Palm plantations and diary farming. 26,000ha have already been sold to African Oil Palm companies in this area in the last 4 years. 

Animals lose out for short term gain. Spider monkeys, howler monkeys, jungle cats, umbrella birds and caiman are just some of the species that are at risk in this area. Many communities are selling their land for short-term profit. 

The NEW Road – a conservation catastrophe! A new road that cuts across the corridor and the remaining natural habitat is due to be finished in 3 months – by which time any land still available for sale will be snapped up by city people and prices will rocket, making it impossible for the corridor to be completed!

Community work gives hope. This project also works with communities that still have forest to show them it’s value and find sustainable ways for them to use and therefore protect it. They support teachers and education materials in village schools; introduce organic farming techniques, composting toilets AND they intend to develop sustainable handicraft and eco-tourism projects in the remaining vulnerable communities.

What they need. Money for urgent land purchases to secure the corridor and to get the community projects up to full strength.

How you can help. You can help URGENTLY to buy the final 3,400ha of primary forest needed to secure the corridor, which is under immediate threat from logging concessions and the new road.  In 3 months time this forest will be gone forever with out your support!

Photo 2012: The reserve boundary has to be cleared of vegetation, marked and patrolled regularly to prevent invasion from other land users.

Photo 2027: The logging company are starting to repair this disused track with these new sleepers, so they can get their timber out from areas near Ventana.

Photo 2010: Ventana – one of the communities that have decided not to sell their land to the loggers and to join the corridor project. 

Project 5: Playa de Oro Jungle Cat Reserve

URGENT July 2001

A community conservation success story. This Research centre and reserve for jungle cat species, is the best example we have seen of a truly integrated community project. It was initiated 4years ago by a Canadian travel writer and her Veterinary daughter who are both Wildcat enthusiasts.  This projects success is down to Rosa’s empowering work with the community and a team of dedicated and enthusiast staff from the community. 

The project includes: Developing organic gardening techniques and conservation sensitive hunting methods; The reserve provides employment for large portion of the community and provides extra resources of benefit to the whole community such as a village medical kit, educational resources for the school and day-care centre and financial assistance in constructing community buildings.

A developing Research Programme. They are still developing the research side of the reserve, but have already been active in Margay and Ocelot rescues and rehabilitation.  They intend to perform monitored re-releases into 10,000ha of community protected habitat, which borders and forms a buffer zone for a National Park, once the main researcher has secured the funding.

An extension to the Awacachi corridor. The location of the Playa de Oro community’s land and management techniques makes it an important extension to the Awacachi corridor project detailed below.

What they need: More researchers to visit and conduct more studies in the reserve both on cats and other species, including presenting findings and training community members.  They are happy to host expedition groups of up to 20 people in their very comfortable 8 person dorms and double rooms.

Volunteering. They can offer volunteer opportunities for conservation educators, Feline care experts and interested eco-tourists. AND they urgently need a regular source of funding to cover the running cost of this project of $12,000/per year (a very cheap way of protection 10,000ha of Rainforest and provide in-situ support of endangered species) and/or they need a steady stream of tourists and researchers – with only 2 people staying a per month paying $500 for the month the project would be self-sufficient.

How you can help: 
By: Funding research and release project; 
Funding research equipment (i.e. radio collars etc); Contributing to annual running costs; 
Running staff exchanges and providing training on captive husbandry; 
by Visiting as a tourist and /or volunteer.

Photo 1899: The Reserve staff and Rosa the founding member.

Photo 1883: The whole community take part in reserve meetings and decision making

Photo 1957: This rescued margay (leopardus wiedii) will be part of the release programme.

Photo 1967: Rio Santiago and the Playa de Oro community reserve by sunrise.

Project 6: Fundacion Jatun Sacha  www.jatunsacha.org

This foundation aims to: Promote biological research, environmental education, conservation of tropical jungle, sustainable management of biological resources and development of sustainable communities. 

Private Reserves. They do this principally through their reserves and field stations in 5 key Ecuadorian habitats.  The have an excellent volunteer programme, help market and distribute community produced handcrafts and are the base for the new “Conservation Data Centre” in Ecuador.

What they need: Funds and zoo support to run their existing reserves and to start new projects/ reserves / breeding programmes for example Northern Salt water crocodile, Coastal Spider Monkey, a possible new species of capuchin and in the future reintroductions of capybara and Baird’s Tapir.

Volunteers are welcome. They welcome University Expeditions, final yr students looking for a thesis topic and volunteers with zoo, research and/ or education expertise to assist in specific projects

A Highland Haven. We visited just this project of theirs but intend to visit others when we return to Ecuador next year. The aim of this particular reserve is to conserve important remnants of Andean forest and Paramo, through biological research, environmental education, sustainable management of biological resources and development of sustainable communities. 

Highland diversity. Andean bear, puma, Andean wildcat, plus 150 spp of birds (a world record for this altitude) including Andean guan, 15 spp of hummingbird and 20 spp of tanager, are just an example of the fauna found in this area.  Further more the site boasts 66 species of tree – including the mystical and rare “Guandera” tree – favourite feeding site and climbing frame for the elusive spectacle/Andean bear.

What they need: Funding to continue to extend both the size of the reserve and the community projects they run – which include: an organic farm, genetic bank for traditional potato species, tree nursery for habitat restoration and weekly environmental education sessions in the local school. They also need volunteers and researchers.

Photo 2163:  The mystical Guandera tree from which the reserve gets it’s name.

b) Jatun Sacha Jungle Reserve

Summary of project: Out of the 5 reserves and stations that Fundacion Jatun Sacha run their oldest and the foundation’s namesake is this one Estacion Jatun Sacha.  It was created in 1986, with the idea of maintaining a centre of conservation, investigation and education to host scientists and students interested in tropical forests. The name Jatun Sacha means “Big Forest” in the Quichua language which is spoken by the majority of the reserves surrounding communities. In 1993, The International Children’s Rainforest Network, declared Jatun Sacha the second eternal forest of the children, the first being “Monteverde” in Costa Rica.

The total size of the reserve is over 2,000ha, which has been bought with kind donations from individuals and organisations worried about the rapid loss of the Tropical forests of the Amazon and the world. The reserve protects an area of forest classified as “humid tropical forest and rated as one of the most diverse but also endangered ecosystems in the world. The stations runs various projects which are very important to the local population, such as the Conservation Centre for Amazonian Plants, which has experimental programmes in agro-forestry and a botanical garden of plants useful for medicine, food, construction and much more. The Organic Garden also acts as a demonstration and educational garden for local communities looking of alternative ways of producing food and an income. Another important programme is the development of a range of handicrafts, produced by local communities, from new and traditional fibres and other sustainable forest products, including Tagua.

Our experiences: During our 2 day visit of the field station we got an excellent overview of the projects mentioned above and saw how the constant stream of volunteers they attract every year, are managed and put to good use.  Volunteers work in teams with local staff and are taught basic techniques in what ever programme they are assisting with, ensuring that everyone gains from their placement here and enjoys a real community atmosphere. We would actively recommend all of the Fundacion Jatun Sacha field stations as well run and highly beneficial volunteer programmes – especially for those new to South America and volunteering.

Project 7: EcoCiencia:   www.ecociencia.org

The foundation Aims to: Conserve biological diversity by means of scientific research, the safe guarding of traditional wisdom, and environmental education, giving impetus to life schemes that foster harmony between human beings and nature.

a)     Andean Bear conservation Project in the Condor Bio-reserve - Oyacacha

August 2001

This project aims to: Conserve the Andean Bear through, research, Education and Environmental training as a model for flag ship species conservation in the condor biosphere. It is not just the Andean bear covered by this project but Mountain tapir and other species of the Andean forest and paramo. 

Conserving bears – saves water too! The conservation of this ecosystem is critical to protect the watershed of the whole country. The project has followed very scientific approach to the conservation of this species and habitat. They have employed sophisticated GIS surveying techniques to establish what makes good bear habitat and where it found in Ecuador to produce a national management plan.

Smile you’re “bear” on camera! To continue to develop their research about the bears ecology, they are hoping to use camera trapping equipment to develop the census and identification of individual bears (as radio tagging is not effective in this ecosystem and with this species).

A Model school project. They are developing a model for an environmental curriculum in Ecuadorian schools, through the work they have been doing in the local school. They are helping to find a market for community produced handicrafts. They employ Park guards (from the community and train them to carry out much of the scientific data collection.

You can help by: 
Providing Camera trapping equipment; 
Funding the transference of their highly successful education programme to other communities; Sponsoring a park guard for a year; 
Sell sustainably produced wood handicrafts in zoo shops OR 
By visiting the village and their relaxing open air thermal pools.

Photo 2236: Due to the weather, we didn’t many signs of bears apart from this one.

  Photo 2198: Hector is a park guard and also leads the community artisan club.  This carving of a bear will take him 30 days in total.

Photo 2187:Meeting the teachers and getting them involved

Project 8: The Payomino Community + Jungle Conservation Project

URGENT August 2001

A Primary Forest full of ancient traditions. This is a new and urgent project is to support the remote Sumacus Payaminus tribe to continue to protect the 50,000ha of scientifically un-surveyed, 95% primary rainforest they have rites to in the Ecuadorian Amazon. 

A 100km² of Biodiversity. This territory makes up a part of the “Gran Sumaco Biosphere” – one of the most biodiverse 100km² in world.

The threats: Due to the oil boom in Coca (the nearest town – 3 hours by motorised canoe) and subsequent colonisation of the surrounding jungle, this area is increasingly becoming a last refuge for many formally common jungle species. The tribe has up till now resisted offers from oil and gold companies who want to move into their territory – but they may not do so for much longer, unless they can see that “conservation can pay” and provide them with a sustainable life style with the forest intact.

Making Conservation Pay. At the moment the tribe elders are very keen to work with Paushi tours and the European zoos to find a solution, as they can see the bleak future if they don’t’ protect the forest.  However unless support is forth coming before next year they are likely to lose faith in the project and be overcome by the money lust that is starting to affect the younger generations. 

Cashing in the forest. Consequently urgent help is required in training and employment for the younger generation for whom the lure of “modern commodities” is increasingly becoming a reason to “cash in the forest”. URGENT. Cheap Conservation. They are not as yet a consumer culture and help at this stage would present a very economical way of protecting 50,000ha of Primary Tropical Rainforest.

The family behind Paushi tours, have lived with this tribe for 30 years and were asked to set up the agency by the tribe to fend off other companies moving in to the area. It is now their goal to get ecotourism to support the community and the jungle and they are in the process of setting up a Foundation for the community into which they intend pay a $10 tourist tax from each tourist that visits.

School books that cost the earth. This money will help pay for essentials like school books that the whole community benefits from. Currently these materials are being funded by cutting large areas of forest to grow maize.  Consequently 10ha of destruction only yields $400 (as 50kg is only worth $4). Further more the tour company can employ tribe members as guides and promote their handicrafts to a captive audience of tourists (this then gives individual families a means of buy personal items such as shoes, clothes and wedding dowries). 

Loosing faith and traditions. However many of the tribe’s traditions and skills are in danger of being lost and the community would like to construct a lodge where they can teach their handicraft skills to the young people, interact with tourists, teach them about their culture and sell their handicrafts. By doing this they will be helping to preserve their original, traditional and sustainable lifestyle.

You can help by: Contributing funds: Only $500 is needed for construction of the lodge where the community can interact with tourists. This building is crucial in uniting the community with a common goal and thereby ensuring the future success of this project. URGENT $1,200 will pay for schoolbooks for the 36 pupils or an extra teacher in the school.  By providing this money you will be preventing further habitat destruction maize fields. Come on and promote trips with Paushi Tours.

Photo 2355: View out over the 50,000ha of the tribe’s territory from “Armadillo” mountain.

Photo 2390: Monkey Madness… You can really get taken away by this tour – several species of monkey live on the island the tour company lodges are on – a refuge from the hunting of the Indians – they have become very friendly – bit too friendly sometimes!

Photo 2322: A temporary house This is the site the Indian shaman wants to build the lodge where the tribe can interact with tourists and sell their wares.  ZOOS: It is possible to buy this hut for $500 to really give your South American Exhibit an authentic feel – canoes, palm leaves for roof lianas, and river drift wood and other products can also be sustainably obtained for zoos from the jungle

Photo 2280: These 5 families got together to have a “minga” a work party where they cleared 6ha to plant maize to sell to buy schoolbooks.

The men can earn a living guiding tourists and the women making handicrafts in stead - if the project is successful.

Paushi Tours www.paushitours.com

URGENT

Sole supporter. Up till now this project has been solely supported by Paushi Tours, the only eco-tour company the community will allow to operate in the area. 

Going Under. As a consequence the company has not been able to invest in developing it’s marketing and securing a steady stream of visitors and is now at risk of folding – thus leaving the indigenous community no sustainable means of supporting themselves or the 50,000ha of Jungle they inhabit.

A Survival Tour: We are hoping to organise a “Eco- Ecuador” tour next year to support this and other similar projects.

You can help: by promoting and joining this trip to this magical part of the world.

Photo 2397: Large motor canoes are needed to bring the tourists in, the motor alone costs $6000 and must be renewed every 2 years.

Our Second visit gets the Payamino Community Project underway with help from Blackpool Zoo.

End of October 2001

Our second trip to Coca…Was to further the project with the Payamino community.  Blackpool Zoo had provided $500 to kick start work, by paying for the construction of the shaman’s lodge, where the community were to start interactions with tourists, brought in by project coordinator Darwin Garcia, of Paushi Tours. 

Things had changed. However things had changed over the 2 months we had been away, which taught us an important lesson in how “things don’t always go as planned” in community conservation and why not to put all your eggs in one basket. 

Devastation of the Tourist trade. September 11^th had devastated the tourism trade in Ecuador, as in the rest of the world, and Paushi Tours had not received a single tourist since the terrorist attack.  On top of this, the decrease in trade over the last year, due to hysteria over Plan Colombia’s over flow in to Ecuador and increased costs due to dollarisation, meant Paushi tours had no reserves and was now in serious danger of bankruptcy.  If that happened the whole project with the Payamino community would fail. 

The Vanishing Shaman. In addition to that the Payamino community didn’t understand the impact of global events and were losing faith in starting a project at all. AND the shaman, the rebuilding of who’s house was to be initiation of the community work, had gone into hiding. We were later informed this was because 2 people had been killed in the village, one by snakebite and another in an accident. But the tribe don’t believe in accidents, they believe if someone dies it is because the Shaman has put a curse on them.  The family of the victim then has 5 days to seek revenge on the Shaman. If after that time they are unable to kill him, he may return to the village in safety. 

This story taught us that putting all your tourists into one shaman’s house would not be wise – as he might not be there when you popped by. 

New Solutions. After a week of brainstorming with Darwin and his family, phoning contacts in the Ecuadorian conservation world, emailing our zoos back home and in meetings with the community, we decided that the best way forward was to develop various economic alternatives for the community and not to rely totally on tourism.  These were to:

1. Produce samples of handicrafts to promote to the European Zoo shops

2. Organise a summer workshop in Aalborg Zoo to promote the work and traditional lifestyle and customs of the tribe by flying 3 of them over to rebuild the old shaman’s house in the zoo and then demonstrate other traditional skills, like canoe building etc  (all the necessary materials would be shipped over from Ecuador at the end of February).

3. Darwin decided he needed to diversify also and put his last remaining funds into building a Natural Juice Café in Coca, that would service both the local and the tourist market and give the community a place to sell their handicrafts and sustainably produced jungle produce.

4. We also set in motion the idea of running eco-tours through Aalborg Zoo and the town’s newspaper.  This would hopefully support the recovery of Paushi Tours and bring conservation sensitive tourists into the heart of the community, once they had had a chance to prepare for them properly.

5. To apply for funds from international agencies to support the work of the tribe, while they set up a foundation and developed a sustainable management plan for themselves and the 50,000 ha of rainforest they inhabit. 

6. Get volunteers in to work with the community to prepare them for the eventual arrival of tourists and give them the training they need to develop their own management plan.

What they need to make things happen… We believe that less than $1000 per month would see this community well on it’s way to becoming self-sufficient in the future and at the same time preserve it’s heritage and jungle.

Blackpool Zoo to the rescue.  Blackpool zoo have now given permission to allow their donation to be used to pay for the legal process required to set up a community foundation, so they can subsequently apply and receive funds from outside. 

Photo 3281: On our way up the river, we also stopped at houses along the way, to inform them of the meeting and to spread the word.

Photo 3329:

The meeting took place in the village.  Most of the tribe have a house here that they visit once a year for a few weeks.  The meeting was called on the last day of the village “clean up” minga – a day later and these houses would have been deserted for another year.

Photo 3294: The meeting with the Payamino Community.

Photo 3297: Shigra bags made from palm fibres are the tribes most popular handicraft.

Photo 3309: Making a shigra takes 3 weeks, as the women only work on them at night.

Photo 3303: This is how the tribe use the bags, for carrying jungle produce.

Photo 3327s: This woman has been making shigras all her life, and says she is old and tired but must help the tribe in any way she can.

Photo 3305: Chicha is the traditional drink of the tribe.  It is made from fermented yucca, corn and/ or bananas.  The fermentation is initiated by the woman chewing the plant fibres and adding their saliva to the mix.

Photos 3306 + 3307: A sup at the chichi cup An honour we couldn’t refuse.

Photo 3263: Please help give this jungle, it’s animals and it’s people a future.

Project 9: Yachana Eco lodge and Community Support Foundation

End of October 2001

The “Yachana” approach to conservation. During the week we spent in Coca we went with Darwin and one of his sisters to visit another community project in the area.  A 3hr motor canoe ride up-stream from Coca, a rainstorm and a broken propeller later, we arrived at Yachana Eco-lodge on the Rio Napo.  It was a strange feeling stopping to ask fishermen and gold-panners for directions up a river.

Yachana lodge and it’s charitable foundation. Entrepreneur and environmentalist, Douglas McMeekin, who moved to Ecuador from the US, founded this top class tourist lodge in 1995.  Locals are trained and employed in the eco-friendly tourist lodge and all profits are channelled back into a sister foundation “FUNDEDSIN” – “foundation for integrated education and development”. 

The Foundation aims: To find workable solutions in the struggle between the ideals of rainforest preservation and the realities of life in the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin.  They focus on working with local communities in developing and implementing projects relating to education, healthcare, income generation and agricultural practices.

Imaginative funding. Funds are now also generated from international aid, conservation charities, private donators and profit from their new ingenious raw chocolate snack.  This snack and a range of jungle fruit jams were developed to give local farmers a fair price for Cacao (Chocolate beans) and fruits, whilst making use of the US and European demand for whole food, fair-trade, organic produce.  The foundation also works to improve environmentally sustainable farming techniques.

Community Health care comes first. When FUNDEDSIN was founded, by Douglas in 1991, in consultation with the local community foundations and groups that he helped establish – they said their priority was better health care, and so the foundation set about organising and supporting the communities to build their own health care centres and also a base of operations near the Yachana lodge.  The main centre, clinics and emergency ambulance canoe now serve over 8000 residents from 25 different communities in the area.  FUNDEDSIN continue to develop their health care provisions in imaginative ways including a sponsorship scheme from visiting tourists toward the cost of the expensive snakebite anti-venom.

Teaching Tourists.  “Yachana” means a place of learning and certainly the staff and excellent guides at the lodge make sure their guests have a very educational and stimulating jungle tour.  Tourists are shown all the work of the foundation and further ways in which they can support the communities, in between guided jungle walks and canoe rides.

Jungle discovery Centre and internet exchanges with European Schools

FUNDEDSIN are now expanding their operations to include work in local schools and in buying of remaining primary forest to extend their nature reserve.  Recent land purchases have been made possible through donations from “Rainforest Concern - UK”, whom were also our contact to this project.  Douglas is especially interested in bringing the internet into the jungle by building an interactive jungle discovery centre where local school children can learn about their own habitat and how to conserve it.  He is very keen to start internet links with European Schools to reinforce this work.

Sharing ideas. Yachana, it’s founder, Douglas, it’s staff and surrounding communities are a shining example of how community conservation can work.  Our trip gave us many ideas and Darwin will now try to implement some of those ideas in consultation with Douglas, in to his work with the Payamino community.  Every project has it’s different people, environment and problems – but all require imagination, if solutions are to be developed and succeed.

Photo 3364: Yachana staff, Zoos Go Wild and Darwin and Rocia from Paushi Tours.

Photo 3366: True Eco-toursim, environmentally friendly buildings and a tour that truly benefits the environment and local people.

Photo 3374:Ingenious Yachana jungle produce…Delicious, whole food organic, semi-raw chocolate snack (a chocoholics dream)         and

Photo 3359: Jungle fruit jams

Photo 3351: The base of operations for the medical clinics in the area.

Photo 3349:Souvenirs with a bite, $30 will buy you an empty anti venom bottle and will help save a future snakebite victim.

Photo 3355: Eco hot water.

The lodges’ water is heated by rotting coffee husks.

Photo 3391: An Ecuadorian Amazon sun set –

but a perhaps a new beginning for the communities of the area.

Project 10: Fundacion Cordillera Tropical 
– Reserve, Rescue Centre + Andean bear project

February 2002

This project aims to conserve biodiversity in the Tropical Andes of Ecuador. 

They aim to purchase threatened montane forests and paramos, to research these unique ecosystems and to involve the local people in their protection by many means including sustainable use.  Their long-term goal is to establish a network of forest and paramo owners in Ecuador and to raise national interest in protecting the mountain environment.

Their current project focuses on: the spectacled bear as a flagship species and involves:

Community education, research on wild populations, habitat protection, campaigns against wild animal trafficking and in the future if it is appropriate re-releases of confiscated bears.

The specific aims of the Spectacled bear project are:

1. To rescue bears involved in wild animal trafficking and re-release these animals and/or use them for educational purposes.

2. To develop and improve methods of re-release of captive-raised spectacled bears.

3. To involve and motivate local communities in spectacled bear conservation through education and participation in re-release programmes.

4. To study wild bear populations in the Mazar Reserve to determine territory size, habitat requirements, carrying capacity, population dynamics.

5. To protect spectacled bear habitat, by buying land and increasing the network of private owners involved in the foundation.

How this project will support in-situ conservation: This project will focus on the spectacled bear as a flagship species of Andean cloud forest. Through education they hope to discourage illegal traffic in wild animals and encourage local communities to become involved in biodiversity conservation. They also hope to obtain valuable and much needed data on wild spectacled bear populations, and on the ability of captive-reared bears to adapt to a wild situation. They may then be able to augment existing bear populations and gene pools.

Project history: Hacienda Mazan Resuce Centre - work was started in 1993 by Jim and Teresa Clare, when confiscated bear cubs (and other wildlife) were received and cared for. Some bears cared for at the centre have already been involved in previous re-release projects. In order to prevent the traffic in wild animals, it is necessary to confiscate those that are being sold or kept illegally, but without facilities where confiscated animals can be kept this would be impossible.  The rescue centre fulfils this function and is currently open to educational visits from schools in Cuenca.

Mazar Reserve - Stuart White, general coordinator of FCT has lived in the Mazar area for 20 years and became increasingly aware of the accelerating deforestation in the area and the need to protect the remaining forest and paramos, which are exceptional in terms of biodiversity. The FCT was created in March 2,000 with the aim of conserving and researching biodiversity in the tropical Andes of Ecuador, with the creation of the Mazar reserve as a first priority.

February 2002

Name of the organisation: Vivarium of fishes, amphibians and reptiles “AMARU” which has the principal goal of conserving the reptiles, amphibians and fish of Ecuador by exhibiting a representative collection, carrying out biodiversity and husbandry research and educating visitors, schools and communities.

Name of the specific project requiring support: Biodiversity Conservation project through environmental education with communities of the Centro Shuar Tiink, from the Morona Santiago´s province of Southern Ecuador.

AMARU aims to develop the sustainable management of the protected areas of the Centro Shuar Tiink, through a community education programme. They will carry out the first inventories and biodiversity studies of the area, with the participation of the biology department of the University of Azuay and the Centro Faunistico Amaru. It is hoped that this information together with the training programme will support the Shuar indigenous community to develop more sustainable ways to manage their resources.

Goals and objectives of the project:  

1. To develop an annual program of six multidisciplinary workshops.

2. To offer specialist training for community members in the following areas: silviculture, aquaculture, natural medicine, biological agriculture, ecotourism and wild animal breeding stations.

3. To develop an educational center and exhibition to show the fish, reptiles and amphibians of the area (collaboration between the Centro Shuar Tiink and the Centro Faunístico AMARU, of  Cuenca – Ecuador).

4. To attract and develop ecotourism to the Centro Shuar Tiink

The southern Amazon region of Ecuador is a poorly studied area containing many endemic species and therefore this project hopes to contribute to the formation of future management plans for its wildlife by indigenous communities.

History of the project:
The AMARU center is the brainchild of 2 biology graduates who met at Cuenca university. Having kept herps through out their lives, gained training in the USA and acquired much teaching expertise in local schools and communities, the pair now have governmental permission to set up Southern Ecuador’s first vivarium - AMARU – specializing in animals from the Southern and coastal regions of Ecuador.  Many of these species are not held in captivity anywhere else in the world and have not been fully study before.

Fernando and Ernesto were impressed by the educational power of Quito Vivarium (the only other in Ecuador) and wanted to offer Ecuador’s third biggest city and the population of the south the same facility.  The center will be dedicated to biodiversity and animal husbandry research as well as community conservation. They are determined that their expertise and the educational power of these live animals should not just be restricted to Cuenca and that conservation education takes place in-situ as well as ex-situ. That’s why they would like to set up small satellite centers with indigenous communities living in biodiversity hotspots. 
Satellite centers: The first such center they propose to build with the Shuar Tiink indigenous community of the jungle region of SE Ecuador. They chose to work with this community first as their region is better conserved than most others and it also contains many species of endemic wildlife in need of study and protection. Furthermore, they have a close relationship with the members of the community who are interested in protecting their forest and wildlife and want help in doing so.

Project 12: Rainforest Concern 
- Cloud forest Community Conservation Projects

February 2002

AIM: Rainforest Concern was established to protect threatened natural habitats, particularly rainforests and the biodiversity they contain.

History: The charity has been registered since November 1993.  The Director, Peter Bennett started up Rainforest Concern, in response to the desperate situation of rainforests being destroyed at a horrifying rate. They have been working in Ecuador for the past 7 years and are currently supporting 5 conservation projects in Ecuador. They have formed partnerships with Ecuadorian organisations and so far together, have purchased over 15,000 hectares of threatened forest and have been successful in enabling the protection of a great deal more.

The Choco-Andean Corridor Project is a dynamic conservation initiative to connect the cloudforests of the Andes to the lowland rainforest, and in this way, ensure the continuity of forest between several vulnerable reserves.  They have spent six years working on the southern phase of the project between a network of cloud forest reserves in the Mindo area and the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve.  They are now concentrating on the northern phase of the project between Cotacachi-Cayapas and the Awa Ethnic Reserve.

Within these forests live an amazingly high number of endangered species, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.  This is why this Choco region has been classified as one of the world’s “biodiversity hotspots”.  In conserving what remains of this area, they will not only protect the amazing biodiversity it contains, but also help guarantee a better quality of life for the communities and indigenous people who live in these areas.

Projects currently supported by Rainforest Concern in Ecuador:

1. DECOIN – Intag, Imbabura North Ecuador (see below for more details)

2. Santa Lucia Community – near Nanegal, NW of Quito (see below for more details)

3. Awacachi project – one of the three partner organisations is NYTUA foundation (see project 5 for more details)

4. FUNEDESIN – Napo River (see project 10 for more details)

5. Panacocha Foundation – Napo River (hosting the Pink Freshwater Dolphin)

We visited 3 out of the 5 projects supported by RC in Ecuador and have presentation forms for 4. For more information see our reports, contact us for the presentation forms or check out their website: www.rainforest.org.uk/

Rainforest Concern needs support with the following for the various projects they are involved in:

1. Purchasing habitat

2. Wages

3. Training

4. Development of education programs/materials

5. Development of Community Based Conservation

6. Implementing Sustainable Development strategies.

a) Bosque Nublado Santa Lucía

Names of projects:

1. Reserve Guard/Local Naturalist Program

2. Community Environmental Education Center

Organisational aims: Santa Lucia is a community-based conservation organization, protecting nearly 700 hectares of private cloud forest reserve in the Chocó Bioregion of northwestern Ecuador.  Its principal objectives are to conserve and protect their cloud forest lands while generating sustainable income sources for the community members.

Project aims:

A. The Reserve Guard/Local Naturalist program has three main objectives:  the first is to protect the cloud forest reserve against incursions by colonists and poachers.  By training these same local Reserve guards as naturalists or ´para-biologists´, they can also serve as local nature guides for ecotourists, and in the course of their guard rounds can collect basic biological data for monitoring of ecological impacts. This project also ties in with the Community Environmental Education Center project (below), as these same guards/naturalists may help educate the youth of the surrounding communities.

B.  The Community Environmental Education Center aims to provide environmental education and basic educational skills, including English and computing, for the youth of the communities around the cloud forest reserve.  The objective is to increase appreciation of their natural surroundings and understanding of sustainable resource managment among these youth. At the same time, it will provide them with basic skills that will give them future income-earning options, such as training to be local Nature Guides, that don´t involve further destruction of the cloud forest.

Project history: Santa Lucía was formed over 25 years ago, originally as an agricultural cooperative, but changed its focus in the 1990s to community development and sustainable managment of the cloud forest reserve.  Since 1999, Santa Lucia has managed a community-run ecotourism project, thanks to the aid of conservation organizations such as Rainforest Concern, Quest Overseas, and the Maquipucuna Foundation.  The community has begun training some of their people as local nature guides, but has lacked the resources to implement a more comprehensive Guard/Local Naturalist program.  This year the community also began English and environmental education classes in a local church with volunteer assistance,  but has lacked materials to provide a more permanent center for continuing classes.

Endangered Species: In Santa Lucia, there are a number of endangered and/or threatened species, including the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan (Andigena laminirostris) and Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus).

Our experiences: We had a breath taking visit to Santa Lucia – the 2 hour hike up the steep entrance path to the visitor accommodation saw to that.  However it was well worth it for the spectacular views, abundant bird life and stunning orchids growing along the path.  We also had an awe-inspiring visit to a cock of the rock lekk 2 hours walk from the centre.  We got up at 4am and tromped through the dark to arrive at the lekk site just as day broke.  The “cocky” little red males put on such a fabulous show of mating dances and calls, we forgot the time and even the mosquitoes.

Santa Lucia is a wonderful place, but most of all for the people that made it what it is. This community of 11 families have taken conservation into their hearts and have dedicated their lives and their land to it. We visited while a group of “Gap year” students were volunteering there, their enthusiasm after a month of back breaking work, planting trees and building new paths, was further testament to the staff and the project.

However the project is at a cross roads, they have done so much in making their activities self-sustaining – but there is so much more to do and programmes are now urgently needed to embed their ethos of conservation and sustainability into the hearts and minds of the surrounding communities. Their proposed plans for a park guard programme and an education centre would take their work onto a new level and could cost as little as $8,620 to set up and run for a year – after that they believe they can go on being self-sustaining with the increased income from tourists and volunteers.

This was the best organised and developed community run project we saw on our whole trip. That is why Santa Lucia will be one of the projects we visit on our forthcoming eco-tour.

We recommend this project to volunteers, tourists and zoos wishing to support cloud forest conservation. For more details contact us or visit their website: www.santa-lucia.org

b) DECOIN, Defensa y Conservacion Ecologica de Intag

Aims to: Conserve Intag’s and the sorrunding area’s biological diversity and support sustainable economic activities. DECOIN was established with the help of Rainforest Concern in order to conserve endangered habitat and species. In the Intag area, according to DECOIN’s investigations, not less than 28 species of mammals and birds are facing extinction- 
Species including: Spectacled Bears, Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots (and 3 other species of cats), 2 species of monkeys, a very rare species of canid (speothos venaticus), Mountain Tapirs, and a river otter. The threatened bird species include:  Plate-billed Mountain Toucans, Esmeraldas Woodstar (a hummingbird sp.), and Umbrella bird.

Name of specific project:  Watershed/Biodiversity Conservation Project Intag Region/Ecuador

This project aims to: 1) Help communities learn the value of native species conservation through an education programme and 2) Conserve watersheds and water resources (for the communities) and protect endangered species, buying up remaining native forest habitat and implementing effective management strategies. Community projects have also resulted in the producation of an attractive range of traditionally woven handicrafts, which could be sold in zoo shops.

They need: support with materials in Spanish for their education programme, a digital camera (to report back on project development) internet access and promotion material ($125 per month) and money for land purchases (One hectare costs between $120 and $300).

Project 13: Sarayacu Community Conservation Project – inc. Tapir conservation.

February 2002

Tayac Yuyaita Jatachic Sarayacu Runaguna Tandanacui (TAYJA-SARUTA) or just: 
“Sayaracu Community conservation project" 
TAYJA-SARUTA is the organization of the inhabitants of the Sarayacu community. It regulates internal community affairs and defends the community’s interests in relation to external actors.

This project is called: Sustainable management of Amazonian fauna

 Aims to: reverse the trend of diminishing game resources in the community’s territory, and achieve the conservation of all native animal species and a high and sustainable production of game meat. Specifically, the objective of the project is the establishment and management of game refuges where hunting will be totally banned. All animal species present in the area, including several that already have gone extinct in other similar areas due to over hunting, will be at the same time conserved and managed to give the local population a direct benefit.

Project history: The community has long been aware and concerned about the problem, and therefore started a research project together with Anders Sirén from the Department of Rural Development Studies of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The project ran in the community from 1998 to 2001 and involved reporting by hunters and a number of workshops held at hamlet level. Wildlife refuges was one of several measures proposed by the people at the start of the project. While other proposed measures were sorted out during the process, the wildlife refuges were identified as an alternative that would be both ecologically, socially and culturally feasible.

The main purpose of the project is to restore depleted populations of animals with a high yield potential if they are sustainably managed for hunting. These species are particularly the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), Wooly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha), Collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), Salvin’s currasow (Mitu salvini), and Caiman (Caiman crocodilus). Other species will, however, also be protected.

Threatened mammal species observed in the project area and their conservation status according to the workshop of mammal specialists of Ecuador held in Quito in 1998.

1. Speothos venaticus        Bush dog                                  Vulnerable

2. Leopardus tigrinus          Oncilla                                      Vulnerable

3. Panthera Onca              Jaguar                                       Vulnerable

4. Puma concolor              Puma                                        Vulnerable

5. Lontra longicaudis          Neotropical river otter                  Vulnerable

6. Pteronura brasiliensis     Giant otter                                 Critically endangered

7. Tremarctos ornatus        Spectacled bear                         Vulnerable

8. Priodontes maximus       Giant armadillo                          Vulnerable

9. Myrmecophaga tridactyla Giant anteater                           Vulnerable

10. Aoutus lemurinus           Subtropical night monkey           Vulnerable

11. Ateles belzebuth           White-bellied spider monkey       Vulnerable

12. Cebus apella                 Brown capuchin monkey             Vulnerable

13. Pithecia aequatorialis     Equatorial saki monkey              Vulnerable

According to the literature, Tremarctos ornatus, Aoutus lemurinus and Pithecia aequatorialis should not be seen in this region, but they are. There are also locally known varieties of Choloepus, Sciurus, Aoutus, Nasua and Dasypus that do not seem to correspond to any species present in the area according to the literature

Our experiences:
After a hairy take off in the rain over, in a packed 5 seater plane, things began to calm down as we flew over the tea plantations of Puyo, then out over pristine forests around Sarayacu. We could have taken an 8 hour boat trip on the river that was snaking its way beneath us – but we were glad we didn’t, after we landed on the grassy runway of sarayacu in under 30minutes from take off.

It seamed like the whole village came out to greet us, which was both an honour and a bit overwhelming – however as the plane took off again, we soon realised the plane was the main attraction not us!  We spent our first day getting to know the village and the community. We had a community meeting attended by the different hamlet presidents (that make up the larger community referred to as Sarayacu) as well as others. They grilled us about what we could offer and then told us about the work they have already achieved and their hopes for the future. 
We met with the women’s committee who have a very successful handicraft workshop in a beautiful new building constructed using traditional materials and techniques. Sarayacu is famous for its hand made pottery which uses the patterns and colours of their sacred anaconda for decoration, we hope to get the zoos interested in selling some of their work in support of the project. 

However the meeting with the staff and students of the community college really filled us with a sense that this was not just a project run by a few members of the community but that the whole community were pulling together and taking an active role. The college wants to make links with zoos to help them develop better ecology courses and hands on training in data collecting and animal husbandry.

After the meetings we headed off into the jungle to visit a more distant member of the community, but one who had paved the way for much of the conservation measures the community has implemented. Her name was Pancha, she is a tapir and we met her at 11pm, when she woke us with her squeaky welcome call, as she approached the feeding station.  We were able to get some good film and photos of her and even interview the key project members with her, before it was time for a a body check (when we saw she had had a near miss with a jaguar – who had left his claw marks down her behind) and a de-ticking session, then she wandered back off into the jungle – squeaking her goodbyes as she left.

The Tapir preservation Fund had been funding the food and staffing of this feeding station so that the guards could learn more about the process of re-releasing a tapir and protect her from hunting.  Pancha can fend for herself these days and she doesn’t need the food they provide – but offering it means that she still checks in every night and so the community can check her over and most importantly check she hasn’t been hunted! She wears some attractive fluorescent ear rags to make sure hunters know who she is and as she was hand raised in the community, the personal relationship they developed with her has so far kept her alive.  But as tapir is a delicacy and they are in short supply due to previous hunting pressure – it is important the community continue to man the feeding station and guard her, at the same time as learning from her.

This invaluable aspect of the project is under threat now since the Tapir Preservation Fund are undergoing a re-organisation and are no longer funding in-situ work.  So we are hoping we can find a zoo keen on tapir conservation to support this community with only the $125 per month it needs to buy the food and man the feeding station. That money supplements the income of several different families and keeps conservation a priority in this community.

You can help: Only $5,600 more would fund the next phase of this project, which is described above, the wildlife refuges, alternative sources of meat production and refuge guards.  This is cheap conservation but very effective as it is being implemented and run by the community itself – this project has done more on its own than any other we visited – it’s about time they got some support from outside.

Any zoo that was interested in supporting this community would find it well worth their while, as the developmental opportunities for the project, the college and the tapir feeding station would generate much positive PR and be highly interesting and informative for visitors and staff alike. Zoos can sell their handicrafts and organise eco-trips and we highly recommend that they do!

Project 14: Fatima Centre 
Community training for sustainable harvesting

February 2002

Technical centre for Amazonian resources: Centro Fatima and Member of the inter-institutional network of Environment agency of Pastaza

Centro Fatima is a programme of sustainable use and management of Amazon forest and aims to generate sustainable technologies for the Amazonian ecosystems, as a base for the conservation and good use of the biological resource of the region.

The centre was created on the 13 January 1986, when work began on replanting the area with native fruit trees. From 1990 work diversified into the management of native Amazonian fauna. Medardo Tapia and his team have since then been developing captive husbandry guidelines and founder stock for low technology breeding programmes that can be run by indigenous and coloniser communities to provide them with a sustainable source of protein.

Centro Fatima now has guidelines for: tapir, capybara, pacca, agouti, peccary and giant snails as meat sources and is also developing breeding programmes which would allow the sustainable use of turtles and caiman. The Centro also plays a very important educational role about the management of Amazonian wildlife for local schools, communities and tourists. In fact the centre is self-financing from income generated from visiting tourists. However the team are seeking out side funding to assist them in disseminating their ideas and techniques at regional and international conferences, so they can reach a wider audience and ensure more people benefit from their experiences. This would be a perfect project for a zoo to support and also gain from an exchange of husbandry information.

For more information contact us or visit their website: www.satnet.net/centrofatima

Project 15: Amazoonica Rescue Centre 
- inc. Jungle lodge and volunteer opportunities

February 2002

Animal rescue centre: “amaZOOnico”, is supported and run by: 
Fundacion “Selva Viva”

Which Aims to: provide the best conditions for confiscated Amazon wildlife given to the centre by the authorities. This can include a captive or semi-captive life in the centre or where possible and appropriate re-release into the private reserve surounding the centre. The reserve has now for over 10 years protected 1100ha of primary rainforest and the wildlife that live there.

The biodiversity of the reserve is very high with 250 species of trees per hectare and wild primates including: Pithecia sp., Lagorthrix lagotricha, Cebus albifrons. However they would like to reintroduce Ateles belzebuth back in to the area as it existed here in the past but is now extinct. This is the project they would like the zoos to support.

Primates play an important role in the dynamics of the jungle ecosystem, they disperse seeds, some even help pollinate plants and they act as predators as well as prey. It is therefore imperative to create a wider understanding in Ecuador and the world about the importance of conserving primates for now and for future generations.

Ateles belzebuth is considered one of the most threatened primates of the Ecuadorian Amazon.  In Ecuador is it believed that the national population has been reduced by 30% during only the last 3 generations and numbers will continue to fall if the threats are not reduced in the future. The Principle threats are high level of hunting pressure, due to their large size and good meat they are one of the most sort after primates. Another threat is deforestation due to road building, activities of the oil companies, because of this the Spider monkey has been extinct in this jungle for 20 years. As it is the biggest and arguably the most attractive primate of the area, it is an import flagship species for the forest and a pull for eco-tourists. For this reason Amazoonico want to re-release the spider monkey back into their protected forest.

Amazoonico have 7 spider monkeys at the moment, the 3 males are in an enclosure as they are aggressive towards other male monkey species – it is not then possible to form a breeding group with these individuals in the centre, they therefore are prime candidates for re-release.  However before re-release can be considered there are cirtain things that need sorting out, one is that there is a “hole” in the centre of the reserve of 90ha which is privately owned by a man who enjoys hunting, but who is now finally looking to sell, the foundation needs to buy this land to secure the future for the reserve and the safety of the re-released monkeys. This land will cost $25,000, which is $277 per ha.  The foundation has a land sponsorship scheme to raise the money for this project, but they can only raise this amount of money with some urgency, with support from zoos and their visitors.

As these monkey are now accustomed to living with humans – there will need to be a guardian living with the monkeys for the first 2 – 3 years to protect them and also help them adjust to the jungle with supplementary feeding and health checks. They also need to build an enclosure in the jungle from which they can gradually get the monkeys accustomed to their new surroundings and a house for the guadian to live in, as it will take place in a remote part of the reserve. It is believed they will be ready to be let out of the enclosure after 3 months but that the group will still need human support for a further 2 – 3 years, thus providing an important opportunity to observe and record the re-release process and their behaviour. Once the land has been secured, a further $10,220 would see the whole project through to completion and provide us with some very valuble information as well as a better future for this species.

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We would recommend this project for zoos (especially Swiss and German zoos), tourists and volunteers. Why not become a member of “Selvia vida”, join the 90 strong mainly german and swiss membership and receive their regular newsletter (in German).

Project 16: Fundacion Natura 
– Sangay National Park Community 
and Captive Breeding Projects.

February 2002

Not Visited – Contact us for Presentation Form

Project 17: Quito Vivarium 
Fundacion Herpetologica Gustavo

July 2001

We believe that this permanent live collection of Ecuadorian reptiles and amphibians (herps) is achieving its aims; which are to promote the:

1. Conservation of herps and 

2. Development of scientific and technical knowledge about Ecuadorian herps.

Over 20 species of Ecuadorian herps are on display with many more off show, in rehabilitation, breeding programmes and/or venom research projects. 

They need: URGENT funds to help move the whole exhibit to a newly donated location in Quito’s main city park – which will drastically increase their education potential; need help updating computer animal records system (ie. ISIS membership and ARKS training) and they have over 20 years of detailed animal records which they would be delighted if someone would analyse it all and/or run staff training in data analysis techniques.