Just 8 percent of the endangered Atlantic Forest remains, making it the most endangered biome in Brazil. The Atlantic Forest is home to a wide range of species that include 120 types of threatened birds. Experts came together to plan a future for 10 of these Atlantic Forest birds at a workshop in February in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil conducted by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) and the National Center for Research and Conservation of Wild Birds (CEMAVE/ICMBio). The main focus was to evaluate the need to establish intensive management programs for ex situ populations to support conservation of these species in the wild. They hope to learn from these programs and apply valuable lessons learned to other threatened species.
“We feel honored to receive the Brazilian leading experts in bird conservation here in Parque das Aves to seek strategies to stop species extinction,” said Dr. Carmel Croukamp, general director of Parque das Aves, which hosted the meeting. “I am confident that the plans they are developing will help populations of species to recover.”
As a result of the meeting, experts recommended conservation actions that include establishing insurance populations, carrying out carefully-planned reintroductions or population reinforcement, and reducing threats in the wild, including hunting, habitat loss, and the presence of invasive species, such as domestic dogs.
The six species discussed at the meeting were: the Critically Endangered northwest spot-winged wood-quail (Odontophorus capueira plumbeicollis), speckled chachalaca (Ortalis guttata remota), and Alagoas rusty-margined guan (Penelope superciliaris alagoensis); the Endangered black-fronted piping guan (Aburria jacutinga) and red-billed curassow (Crax blumenbachii); and the Vulnerable southern yellow-legged tinamou (Crypturellus noctivagus noctivagus). The Brazilian Ministry of Environment classifies the conservation status of these species.
In the 19th century, the elegant black-fronted piping guan (called jacutinga in Brazil) was very common, with reports of more than 50,000 birds hunted in just a few weeks in one area in Santa Catarina. The species has now disappeared from several locations in its historic habitat. Today, a reintroduction program, carried out by SAVE Brasil and partners, is working to restore this iconic species, which has an important ecological role as a spreader of tree seeds, including the juçara palm (Euterpe edulis). The Jacutinga Project is also working to reintroduce birds in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
“SAVE Brasil's conservation strategies for recovering the black-fronted piping guan population in regions of the Atlantic Forest are important references for application to other species to be discussed during the workshop,” said Alecsandra Tassoni, project coordinator for SAVE Brasil.
Some species discussed during the workshop are poorly understood and have no captive individuals to start an ex situ insurance population, including the Brazilian tinamou (Crypturellus strigulosus), which almost disappeared from the Atlantic Forest due to deforestation, forest fragmentation, and hunting. Experts recommend urgent research efforts to better understand this bird and the threats it faces.
“We cannot lose hope as we work with species conservation. As long as there are still individuals of a species, there is still a chance to save them from extinction.” said Pedro Develey, director of SAVE Brasil.
Saving species is a collaborative effort. Experts emphasize the importance of contributions by zoos, private breeders, wild animal screening centers, state agencies, and others, in the efforts to protect these species.
"This workshop will help to achieve some of the objectives of the Brazilian National Action Plan for the conservation of Atlantic Forest Birds,” said Fabiana Rocha of CPSG Brasil. “It is a pleasure to bring together a group with so much knowledge and experience to detail the next steps to conserve these species."
Participating institutions:
Aquasis; AZAB - Association of Zoos and Aquariums of Brazil; Capão de Imbuia Natural History Museum; CEMAVE / ICMBio - National Center for Research and Conservation of Wild Birds; INMA - National Institute of the Atlantic Forest; IUCN SSC Center for Species Survival Brazil; IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group; JUMA Environmental Consulting; Parque das Aves; Permian Global; SAVE Brasil; UEMA - State University of Maranhão; UENF - State University of Norte Fluminense; UFMT – Federal University of Mato Grosso; UNIVATES - Universidade do Vale do Taquari
Photo Credit: Marco Silva