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Conservation of the Great Green Macaw and Scarlet-breasted
Dacnis at the Río Canandé Reserve, Ecuador
Introduction: The
Choco region, extending west of the Andes from eastern Panama
through western Colombia to northwestern Ecuador is one of the
most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. It has been
degraded throughout its extent, primarily because of deforestation
and conversion to agriculture. Rio Canandé is a significant
remnant of the southern Chocoan forests, with representatives
of nearly all of the expected globally threatened bird species.
Several new plant species have been discovered in the reserve,
and four species (known from Colombia) of amphibians have been
added to the Ecuadorian list.
The Rio Canandé Reserve was established
in 2000 and now covers 1,280 hectares (3,160 acres). It is
home to the South American population of the Endangered Great
Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) and to the Vulnerable
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis (Dacnis berlepschi). The
reserve is threatened by colonization by itinerant farmers,
with timber removal followed by conversion to cattle pasture
or oil-palm the usual fate. The Rio Canandé marks the
southern limit of the Choco forest that remains. All to the
south has already been lost to oil-palm, plantation forests,
or cow pasture.
Objective:
To protect the avifauna of the southern Choco region such
as the Great Green Macaw and Scarlet-breasted Dacnis through
the establishment and ensuring the sustainability of the Río
Canandé Reserve.
Actions:
1. Expand the Reserve through the acquisition of 700 hectares
(1,700 acres) of excellent forest contiguous with the reserve.
Accomplishments:
1. The reserve has been expanded to 1,280 hectares (3,160
acres).
2. An ecolodge was constructed to accommodate 12 visitors.
Visit
the Río Canandé Lodge!
For more information about this project
or other ABC projects in Ecuador, contact
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Mission and Vision 
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