The Brazilian state of Acre has had little attention by bird-lovers and bird scientists, though it lies deep in the Amazonian rainforest. Now a new survey in mongabay.com’s open access journal Tropical Conservation Science by ornithologist, John J. DeLuca, works to build a better picture of rare birds in this largely-neglected region. The work is all the more important as the Brazil-Peru Interoceanic Highway could bring massive changes to the region.
“[The highway] may lead to a drastic increase in deforestation throughout southwestern Amazonia and cause a decline in the habitat and populations of species of conservation concern,” DeLuca notes, adding that on the positive-side, “Easier access to Acre may also increase opportunities for ecotourism, especially birding tours focused on rare and restricted-range species.”
Conducting over 200 surveys of birds in bamboo and primary rainforest ecosystems, DeLuca found that the Rufous twistwing (Cnipodectes superrufus), which was only discovered in 2007, was rare, but still present. The species is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. The blue-headed macaw (Primolius couloni), also listed as Vulnerable, was uncommon, but widely spread across the region.
Through interviewing 21 local hunters, DeLuca also found that the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis), both listed as Near Threatened, were rare to uncommon in the area. Both species were killed for the perception that they are dangerous to livestock.
“It is important to note that there is no peer-reviewed, first-hand documentation of either species killing livestock; these perceptions may be based more on rumor than on reality,” DeLuca writes, noting that more research is needed.
In these interviews, DeLuca also found that hunters were widely interested in ecotourism opportunities.
“Development of community-run ecotourism may increase local support for wildlife conservation and result in less consumption or persecution of rare birds and other wildlife of conservation concern,” he writes, pointing to Assis Brazil in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve as a prime location to start such an operation.
CITATION: DeLuca, J. J. 2012. Birds of conservation concern in eastern Acre, Brazil: distributional records, occupancy estimates, human-caused mortality, and opportunities for ecotourism. Tropical Conservation Science Vol. 5(3):301-319.
Related articles
Bird diversity at risk if ‘agroforests’ replaced with farmland
(09/13/2012) Agroforests contain much higher levels of bird diversity than their open agricultural counterparts, according to new research from the University of Utah. If large forests and agroforests continue to be replaced by simple open farms, bird communities will become much less specialized and entire groups may become extinct. Important roles for birds, such as pollination, pest control or seed dispersal, may remain unfilled if ongoing trends toward open agriculture continues and biodiversity decreases.
Pictures: Bolivian park may have the world’s highest biodiversity
(09/12/2012) With over 90 species of bat, 50 species of snake, 300 fish, 12,000 plants, and 11 percent of the world’s bird species, Madidi National Park in Bolivia may be the world’s most biodiverse place, according to new surveys by the the Bolivian Park Service (SERNAP) with aid from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
Private reserve safeguards newly discovered frogs in Ecuadorian cloud forest
(08/28/2012) Although it covers only 430 hectares (1,063 acres) of the little-known Chocó forest in Ecuador, the private reserve las Gralarias in Ecuador is home to an incredible explosion of life. Long known as a birder’s paradise, the Reserva las Gralarias is now making a name for itself as a hotspot for new and endangered amphibians, as well as hundreds of stunning species of butterfly and moth. This is because the reserve is set in the perfect place for evolution to run wild: cloud forest spanning vast elevational shifts. “The pacific slope cloud forests […] are among the most endangered habitats in the world,” explains Reserva las Gralarias’ founder, Jane Lyons, in a recent interview with mongabay.com.