It’s always exciting to go through camera trap photos! Here’s a selection from the latest batch, the star of the show is definitely the ocelot for sure, we confirmed the species at the site previously, but this is the first time we’ve caught it on camera trap.
Thanks to our conservation efforts for primates we are also protecting many other species with which they share their forest home.
A massive congratulations to the authors, including NPC Peru board member Patricia Mendoza, on this new paper out today in the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group journal Primate Conservation “Challenges to IUCN Guideline Implementation in the
Rehabilitation and Release of Trafficked Primates in Peru”
Thanks to very generous grants from the International Primate Protection League and one private donor we are able to help the Environmental Authorities of San Martin and Loreto, Peru, with much needed travel kennels, GPS units and a drone for their continued fight against the illegal wildlife trade and destruction of the Amazon forests.
You too can make donations to our projects or for equipment to help us in Peru and Colombia (You just need to visit our website www.neoprimate.org and click on the donate button)
Many thanks to the Autoridad Regional Ambiental of San Martin. This evening we were able to help in an emergency translocation of a tree porcupine. The young animal had entered someone’s house from a nearby forest fragment, and luckily we were able to return it to the wild in a larger area of forest nearby.
Did you know NPC is a signatory of the Alliance of World Scientists warning to humanity of the Climate Emergency? You can watch the latest Climate Emergency video which outlines 6 steps needed to save the planet:
1) Energy – Swiftly phase out fossil fuels
2) Short-lived pollutants – Quickly cutting emissions of methane, black carbon (soot), hydrofluorocarbons and other short-lived climate pollutants.
3) Nature – Restore and protect natural ecosystems such as forests, mangroves, wetlands and grasslands.
4) Food – A shift toward eating more plant-based foods and consuming fewer animal products, especially beef.
5) Economy – Transition to a carbon-free economy.
6) Population – The global population must be stabilized using approaches such as supporting education for all girls and women.
Last week we visited the community of La Esperanza and the forests where we carry out the bulk of our research. This was the first time we have been able to visit since the national lock down began in March. We were very happy to see that no new deforestation has occurred in the area.
A wide angled view of the the forests to the north, including the Pampa del Burro Private Conservation Area, where the road can be seen as a white line, and areas of forest which will later be included in an extension of the reserve. Some of this area has been purchased by our local allies and will never be deforested!
Scenic view of the forests to the east of the field station. On the left you can just see an old area of pasture in the early stages of recuperation.
The forests to the south of the field station. This area is home to the main yellow tailed woolly monkey study group that we have been following for over a decade. No new deforestation has been recorded in this area since we began our work, and the new land owners have signed an agreement to ensure its protection.
The NPC team flying the drone from the field station. You can see the newly installed solar panel near the house.
Introducing yet another victim of the illegal wildlife trade…
On Saturday 26th of October, the Regional Environmental Authority (ARA in Spanish) of San MartĆn, Moyobamba office, confiscated two false monitor lizards (Callopistes flavipunctatus). This is a species of lizard that lives in the dry equatorial forest of the Peruvian coast and is categorized as Near Threatened under Peruvian law (D.S. NĀŗ 004-2014-MINAGRI).
The animals arrived dehydrated, hungry and very very cold (low body temperature). The ARA of San MartĆn asked for our help caring for the animals while finding a suitable rescue centre. Unfortunately, one of the lizards died due to internal bleeding, probably as a result of blows at the moment of capture.
However, together with ARA and the Ecological Police, we coordinated the transfer of the surviving individual to the ARA of Lambayeque, on the coast in Chiclayo, where it will be properly screened and, hopefully, released back to the wild. We want to thank engineer AndreĆna De La Cruz of ARA San MartĆn and officer Flores and Rivas of the Ecological Police for their outstanding work as wildlife authorities.
This week we rescued two Endangered black spider monkeys (Ateles chamek) from a rural bar in Uchiza, southern San Martin. The two animals, a male and a female, were tied to posts by ropes around their necks. Thanks to NPC’s Laura and Gabo who assisted the police and wildlife authorities with the confiscation. The animals are now on their way to RAREC rescue centre in Loreto where they will join others of their species.
Thousands of new seeds have arrived to the tree nurseries in Uchiza, San Martin. Great work by the local Bosques del SinaĆ association in their reforestation work that we are supporting. Also, the reforestation work in Simacache continues with many new seedlings almost ready for transplanting to the deforested areas.