Neotropical Primate Conservation

A new mammal census in Peru…what’s changed after 5 years of conservation?

nogashanee — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:04:32 +0000

This week we started mammal censuses in our La Esperanza study site in Peru. We first censused this are in 2008, the first long term census of any yellow tailed woolly monkey population. From this study we were able to calculate the density of this species in the forests of La Esperanza. Now we are starting a new census which will take place for the next 12 months. We know that since our arrival to La Esperanza the hunting of this species has reduced dramatically and has probably stopped completely in most areas of the community, so we are curious to see if the monkey population has increased. Also, we were very happy to see that no new forest area has been cleared in and around the study site since we finished our last census. These forests are property of the community members and before we arrived they were rapidly disappearing to make new fields. We are very pleased to discover that again that the community members have followed their decision to halt deforestation and are improving their agricultural methods to avoid the need to clear more forest.

During this field trip which was dedicated to cleaning the census trails, we found three groups of yellow tailed woolly monkeys and two groups of white fronted capuchin monkeys, all happily swinging trough the trees.

Field trip to Gran Simacache

nogashanee — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:17:03 +0000

Last week we had an amazing trip to carry out the first studies of wildlife in the new Gran Simacache Reserve we have begun in Peru. This 51,000 ha reserve is about 8 hours up river from the city of Juanjui in San Martin and holds some of the least spoilt forests in the region. While there we found a very healthy and dense population of the Critically Endangered Andean titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe), which means that this will be the biggest protected area available for this species. We also found tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) and the little, beautiful pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea). We found a great abundance of tapirs, jaguars and deer. Un-fortunately, even in this remote forest, we found evidence of illegal hunting and logging making it even more important to continue with this work and ensure the protection of this area.

Newsletter Vol. 19

nogashanee — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:35:34 +0000

Please download our latest newsletter, Vol. 19 for Abril 2012. Click here.

Los monos no son mascotas

nogashanee — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:08:35 +0000

Yambrasbamba community vote to conserve the “Pampa del Burro” forever

nogashanee — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:41:27 +0000

Members of the Yambrasbamba community voted this week to conserve an area of the community known as the “Pampa del Burro” forever! The vote was taken during a general assembly held on the 29th of January. The area, of 2777 ha, includes two kinds of habitat; White sand forest and cloud forest, both are very special habitats, home to many different species of endemic and endangered wildlife.

La Esperanza, where our Peru office is located, is part of the community of Yambrasbamba, and this decision is a result of a long process of conservation education and awareness we have been doing with the community.In the vote the community members had the choice of for how many years they want to register their reserve with the ministry of Environment, with a legal minimum of 10 years and maximum of forever. Without much hesitation they all voted for the maximum, showing their high enthusiasm with the idea of conservation. When the meeting was over we were approached by community authorities who offered to make more conservation areas in different areas of the community.

Two more concessions for conservation are now published

nogashanee — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:23:16 +0000

Last week we received more great news that two reserves we have been working to create for the last two years have now been accepted by the regional governments of San Martin and Amazonas and have now been published in the national regional press and in the local municipality. If no objections are presented in the next thirty days, the reserves will be established. Then we have three months to hand in the technical report.

The first reserve, Tres Quebradas, of 5,100 ha, to be managed by the local association ‘Asociación de Área de Protección y Conservación Tres Quebradas’ in Bagazan, San Martin, was approved by the San Martin Regional Government and will protect nearly 4,176 ha. of habitat for the Critically Endangered Adean titi monkey.

The other reserve, Iguahuana- Dry Forests of Delta, of 423 ha, to be managed by Mr. Rosas Torres, of Delta, Amazonas, was approved by the Amazonas Regional Government, and will be the first reserve to protect the dry forests of the Marañon valley, a very special habitat with many endemic species.

We hope that within a few months the long process will be finished and these two reserves will be fully established and protecting the primates and other species of Peru.

Newsletter Vol. 18

nogashanee — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:31:09 +0000

Please download our latest newsletter, Vol. 18 for January 2012. Click here.

NPC’s End of Year Report for 2011

nogashanee — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:19:37 +0000

NEW, our yearly report for 2011 is now available to download, Click here.

Presentation of a new schoolbook

nogashanee — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:51:38 +0000

On the 21st of December we officially launched our new school text book “Nuestra Selva y Su Sentir”. The 178 page book is aimed at 5th and 6th grade Primary school students in Amazonas and San Martin.

The event was organized by the education authorities, UGEL - Utcubamba, Amazonas (Unidad de Gestión Educativa Local), together with the University of Chachapoyas, UNTRM, was our main partner in producing this book.

The event was very successful with a lot of enthusiasm by those who participated. It was attended by the President of Amazonas Region, Dr. Jose Arista, as well as the head of the Amazonas branch of the ministry of Education, government and education officials and local press.

With funding from SAN, IPPL US, UGEL Utcubaba, Wild Futures and NPC we were able to complete a first print run of 3000 copies and plans are already under way to produce a second addition.

This is the first book of its kind giving school children information about the ecological importance of Amazonas and San Martin and its endemic species, which will develop feelings of pride and stewardship towards their local environment. The book also covers dangers to forests and gives suggestions of what can be done for conservation.

The book was written by: Noga Shanee, Petter Arana Tuesta, Néstor Allgas Marchena, Sam Shanee, Leyda Rimarachin Cayatopa, Karla Ramirez Capetillo, And Stephany Soto Bendezú, and was designed by Liz Tyson.

We thank everyone who was involved with this project and hope that it will go a long way towards promoting conservation in these two regions, and help long term protection of primate species.

Prize winning photo!

nogashanee — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:45:24 +0000

Peruvian ornithologist Alejandro ‘Apu’ Alarcon Pardo recently won first prize in the third annual photography competition held by the Faculty of Biological Sciences of San Marcos University, Lima. The prize winning photo was taken on a recent trip to the El Breo Conservation Concession organized by NPC and AMPA, this was the first to document wildlife and plants in the area. Well done Alejandro!