Neotropical Primate Conservation
Primates Protecting Primates
The Gran Simacache conservation association just returned from 2 weeks mapping the limits of the reserve together with villagers from nuevo Esperanza.
Although the trip was not free from trouble, this marks the first activity since the signing of an agreement between the two parties to try and bring an end to the conflict which has beset this area since its creation.
It’s not just primates! At NPC, we believe that all species should live freely in their natural habitat. That’s why we help rescue of any animal we find being trafficked.
Today we were able to help the wildlife Authorities in Moyobamba to transport a young parrot that was captured from the wild. Its wings had been cut so it wouldn’t fly away.
If all goes well it will be one of the lucky ones and be able to return to the wild once its feathers have grown back.
Last Saturday our volunteers alerted us to a large headed capuchin monkey (Sapajus macrocephalus) on the roof of a house in Moyobamba. The monkey was possibly a pet that had escaped from a nearby house.
We informed the Regional Environmental Authorities, who immediately seized the animal. The same day, the authorities also received a squirrel monkey (Saimiri sp.) which was handed in voluntarily by the person who found it.
For now, both monkeys are being kept by ARA until an appropriate rescue centre is able to receive them. We have been helping feed and care for both animals as well as taking them for their veterinary checks.
Luckily both monkeys are in good health, although they are very attached to people. We are very grateful to the team of ARA – Moyobamba for her quick and decisive action in this case.
Wild Animals are not Pets!
NPC had a stall at the Primate Society of Great Britain meeting at the Powell-Cotton museum in Kent. If you were there we hope you said hello and maybe even bought a little gift for yourself or someone else. If you didn’t manage to make it to the stall, remember that all merchandise is available for mail order, just contact us here or via Facebook Messenger.
Currently available are:
T-shirts (Green, Olive or White) – £14
Bookmarks – 50p
Pin badges – £1
For the last few weeks, we’ve been busy running a series of workshops designed to help prosecutors, environmental police and other wildlife authorities and forestry officials identify and intervene in instances of illegal wildlife trade. Such workshops are a run regularly, and each time we focus on a different theme. For example, last time we focused on the veterinary care of rescued animals.
This time around, we’re honoured to be joined by US Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Roger Turnell. Based at the US embassy in Lima, Roger works all over Latin America and has over 20 years enforcement experience. Last week, we brought Roger to Belen market in Iquitos and sadly, but not surprisingly, there were thousands of animal carcasses for sale; primarily deer and caimans, but others, too. Monkey meat was being sold very cheaply.
Workshops have already been held in Iquitos, and are due to begin in Chachapoyas and Tarapoto over the coming few weeks. In addition to Roger’s presentation, NPC’s own Sam Shanee, Nestor Allgas and Catalina Ocampo Carvajal spoke about our anti trafficking social media campaign, the environmental implications of wildlife trafficking, and the fundamental importance of wildlife to the region.
Unfortunately, extremely high turnover is very common for enforcement-related staff in this region. For example, although we’ve held workshops in Iquitos on numerous occasions, only one attendee this time had been in post long enough to have attended a previous workshop. Taken together with a lack of training and, at times, a lack of will to carry out this important work, it’s incredibly important that we carry on with these sessions. We want to extend our sincere thanks to Lush for funding this series of workshops, and to the authorities of Iquitos, Tarapoto and Chachapoyas for taking part.
This was part of a project developed in partnership with the Colombian Primatológica Association and financed by USFWS International Affairs.
A few days ago we were in Santa Cecilia, Risaralda, in an active dialogue with the community. Community members from associations, educators and people interested in working in Santa Cecilia attended.
We have been working together to identify the ways in which they relate to the forest, as well as the major environmental problems in the area. It was nice to learn a little more about this community and although the day was intense, we left recharged from the meeting and motivated to continue working together to conserve life in all its forms.
One of the conclusions drawn from the finished map was: “The forest is everything. We must take care of it.”
This was part of a project developed in partnership with the Colombian Primatológica Association and financed by USFWS International Affairs.
On our recent trip to Pucallpa we again saw first-hand the levels of animal trafficking that still occur all over the Amazon. We continue in our efforts against this cruel trade and are beginning another campaign with the Peruvian wildlife authorities later this month.
As a result of a meeting held by UNESCO Mexico attended by NPC Peru’s Nestor Allgas, our latest NPC publication called: “Community conservation as a tool for primate conservation in Peru” is out now. It is published in the new UNESCO book: “Primatology, Biocultural Diversity and Sustainable Development in Tropical Forests”.
The book will be freely available for download soon and we will post the link when it becomes available.
December 4th 2018, on a visit to the regional wildlife authorities, we found a newly rescued Black and White Eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus) that needed our help.
This magnificent bird of prey was trapped inside a cage meant for a much smaller bird and had been forced, by its captors, through a door that it was too large for it to pass back out of.
We had to cut the bars of the cage in order to be able to free it. Once this was done we rushed the Eagle to the NPC vet who diagnosed a broken left ankle which was immediately set in plaster . The animal is now in a much larger cage with lots of space to perch. It will be sent to a rescue centre tomorrow morning where it will rest and recuperate.
In one month we will return to remove the plaster from its broken leg and hopefully this magnificent Eagle will return to its domain to fly and hunt again.
