E

Brazil

H

S

P

E1

Atlantic Forest Tapir

I

i

Atlantic Forest

Lowland Tapir, 
Tapir terrestris

R

E2

Giant Anteater

I

Pantanal, Emas National Park

Giant Anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla

R

E3

Keystone Frutivores

Pantanal

Eg. Hiasynth Macaw, Anodorhynchus hiacynthinus

R

E4

Census of Game in Atlantic forest

I

Atlantic Forest

Cracids, woolly monkey, tapir, agouti, paca, peccary

R

E

Argentina

H

S

P

F1

Argentinian mammals

I

Argentina wide

Andean mountain cat, kodkod, Maned wolf etc.

R

Project information

Photo Caption

Project 1: Huachipa Ecology and Recreation Centre
(New Zoo - Lima) + associated in-situ projects

November 2001 1day visit

Lima’s Second and Newest Zoo. The second zoo was “Centro Ecologico Recreacional Huachipa” otherwise know as the “second and newer Lima zoo”, which is a 20 minute drive out of the centre of Peru’s hectic capital city.

This spacious and modern zoo, which was originally built as an animal rescue centre and recreation ground for employees of the national water company, opened it’s gates to the general public in 1998 and now receives over 1 million visitors every year (13.5% of the population of Lima).  As such it has a huge capacity to educate and influence the environmental awareness of the people of this capital, through it’s 95% native collection of wildlife and flora. 

Environmental Goals. They are still owned and run by the water company and are part of it’s environmental department, which means that it’s aims are focused towards conservation education and research into conservation solutions through in-situ and ex-situ research about Endangered Peruvian wildlife.  They have run projects to develop sustainable fish farming techniques with native species and have ideas for other projects, which would provide sustainable alternatives to agricultural communities in Peru. 

Zoo highlights. A huge hanger houses a highly informative and interact journey along the water cycle and their latest project to construct a huge Tropical free flight aviary, will open in the new year.  Apart from being an amazing experience to walk into a piece of Tropical Jungle in the middle of Peru’s coastal desert, the botanists who have created this oasis hope to use the techniques they developed to help in reforestation and habitat rehabilitation work in Peru. The collection of plants they house, represents the plants most used from the jungle, including those used for medicines, food, construction and other materials.  

Projects for the future. Bertha Villabos, the zoos biologist and curator of mammals was our contact and guide for this project and her dedication and new ideas have lead to the implementation of a keeper training programme and an animal enrichment committee.  Although the zoo has a little way to go on this front, it is by far one of the best zoos we have seen in South America so far, and as such offers an important resource in integrating ex-situ breeding, management, research and education into the in-situ conservation solutions for Peruvian wildlife. 

They wish to apply for funds, advise and support from the international zoo community to start integrated
Ex-situ / in-situ conservation projects with the following species:

Please contact us if you are able to help.

Peru, Lima Zoo

Photo 3462: “Water world” explains to visitors both the natural and domestic water cycle and shows them ways to help conserve water.

Photo 3430: A piece of jungle in the Peruvian coastal desert.

Photo 3455: This rare American crocodile has lead an interesting life and now may offer hope for the survival of the rest of it’s species.

Photo 3450: An over view of the zoo site.

Project 2: Chaparri Andean Bear Project

1st of Feb. 2002

Aims to: create a conservation-minded society in northern Peru that teaches other communities how to best manage their resources .

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Their objectives include: 

1. To compensate local residents with jobs and other benefits for their stewardship of forests and wildlife.  This is done by offering training and employment in the management of natural resources; improvements in transportation, health, and education; and development of new industries such as tourism, guanaco farming, and art. 

2. To preserve populations of the significant threatened or endangered wildlife species.  These include spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus), condors (Vultur gryphus and Sarcoramphus papa), white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis), and guanaco (Lama guanicoe).   This involves identification of research and management needs of these species and their habitat, doing projects that address major threats, and monitoring and evaluating progress.

3. To provide opportunities for cooperation between residents of Santa Catalina and personnel of the regional and central government, universities, and private institutions in Peru and abroad. 

4. To transfer the lessons, knowledge, and benefits of the program in Santa Catalina to nearby villages and beyond. 

5. Base the management of wildlife populations on traditional knowledge of local people and principles and established practices of scientific research and monitoring of wildlife populations.  This involves identification of research and management needs of species and their habitat, doing projects that address major questions and perceived threats, and monitoring and evaluating progress toward specified solutions. 

6. Follow existing laws (national and internationally ratified treaties) that specify permitted uses of species and help clarify control measures where laws are vague or difficult to implement. 
   
   A summary of their in-situ conservation outputs:  stewardship, research, science-based monitoring, corridor creation, replacement of faunal and floral elements, protection of key species, alternative resource development, partnership, education, and spiritual and welfare improvement.

What has been achieved by the project so far:

1. The government gave the community water rights and deputized a dozen provisional park guards. 

2. Peru’s military built an 11 km road to the field station

3. a field station was built comprising of two houses, one for a caretaker and his family. 

4. 6 spectacled bears confiscated from circuses and a factory where housed in a 2 ha electrified enclosure built on Chaparri’s forested slopes.

5. Another confiscated bear was released into the forest successfully.  That bear has a cub born in the wild.

6. Captive white-winged guans were reintroduced to the forest after a period of adaptation. They have bred and laid eggs. 

7. A 55 ha enclosure has been built to reintroduce guanaco. 

8. Eight scientists from Canada, United States, Britain, Germany, and Peru trained 2 dozen provisional park guards.

9. The people living in the paramo above Chaparri publicly announced to the government their desire to create 3 new private reserves. 

10. A mining company owned by BHP Billiton, donated to Santa Catalina the 2400 ha they had purchased from the town under false pretences.

11. Tour companies have scheduled groups to stay in Chaparri and more are coming. 

12. Three film crews have recorded events and several magazine and newspaper articles have been published. 

13. A soccer tournament has been run each year, that presently includes 1750 players from 11 communities.  The rules to enter the “Bear Cup” tournament are simple: do not hunt bears or allow anyone else to hunt bears.  The known incidence of illegal bear killings has dropped dramatically from an estimated annual average of 15 bears to three bears in 2001.  Police and military hunters have been turned away as far as 6 hours by road from Chaparri.  The residents of Santa Catalina even rounded up 10 hunters that had entered the community at night to avenge the death of a bull they claim was killed by a bear.  The soccer tournament serves to bring people together from remote sectors of the community and with their neighbours. 

The Tournament has created an army of wildlife protectors. Deer and bear that were once rarely seen are now visible on Chaparri’s slopes.  Bears have thus become the town mascots.  In the future we hope they will symbolize the economic and spiritual rebirth of northern Peru.
Chaparri’s program so far embraces the following aspects of conservation: socio-economic, political, biological, and organizational.  The latter now includes a Board of Directors and A scientific advisory group. 

Projects for year 2002

1. include radio-collaring wild bears

2. mapping of the vegetative components throughout the reserve. 

3. Establishment of a non profit organization in US and Europe, to help receive funds

4. A documentary will air on Peruvian television telling urban residents what their rural cousins are capable of. 

To keep in touch with these and other events or to get involved, visit the Chaparri website in two months:  www.chaparri.org.

Our experiences: We enjoyed a 3 day trip to chaparri and in that time got to see many of the different aspects of the Chaparri programme and some of it’s key players – the area was surprisingly dry and not at all where you would expect to find bear, however we were informed that it is transformed in to a lush flowering landscape when the rains come. The bear enclosures were fantastic as was the visitor accommodation and meeting facilities – great care had been taken to use traditional styles and materials.  
There are just so many aspects to this project and we have no doubt that the Chaparri team will achieve all their goals.  If zoos could become part of that team it could only be of benefit for all concerned. Here are some ideas for ways zoos could support Chaparri: 

1. help fund the football tournament ($4,000 - $300/prize, $50 per team), 

2. sponsor a park guard or local researcher ($1520), 

3. promote bear adoptions, 

4. sponsor and brand a chaparri note book for schools and park guards ($1000), 

5. fund reserve signs and pamphlets ($1,500), 

6. buy handicrafts for sale in zoo shops (jewelry, ceramic plates and cups, wall ornaments, paintings, stone carvings, and bronze castings), 

7. sponsor equipment for bear and vegetation survey (eg. GPS - $125), 

8. sponsor a motorbike for a park guard ($3000),

9. send education staff or bear keepers as trained volunteers, 

10. organise an eco-tour, and much more.