Sierra Caral, Guatemala

Photo: CanadaWarbler by Barth Schorre

 

The Challenge
 

To ensure full-life cycle conservation for neotropical migrants, large swaths of habitat throughout their migratory and wintering grounds need to be protected.  Unfortunately, such large areas are becoming increasingly rare and hard to conserve. To ensure habitat protection for over 30 neotropical migrants, six of which are WatchList species (including the Cerulean, Kentucky, and Canada Warblers), ABC is taking action in Guatemala’s Caribbean region, which has been identified as one of the most important areas for conservation in Guatemala. 

 

ABC Conservation Framework
 

Conserving habitats		 pyramid icon - rarest

 

Primary Birds Impacted
 

Neotropical migratory affected include the Cerulean Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler,  Swainson’s Hawk, Wood Thrush, Catbird, Baltimore Oriole, and Painted and Indigo Bunting.   Sierra Caral also harbors the vulnerable Great Currasow, Mountain Guan, and Keel-billed Motmot, as well as five critically endangered amphibians, including a moss salamander (Nototriton brodiei), and a hidden salamander (Cryptotriton wakei ).  These salamanders are found only at this site, conferring on it AZE status.

 

Solutions
 

  • Create a private protected area within the Sierra Caral mountain range and create.
  • Support guards to protect the Sierra Caral Reserve.
  • Work with communities to more sustainably manage resources within buffer zone of protected area.


ABC Results
 

ABC Results Button FUNDAECO with the support of ABC has secured the rights to a 2299 hectare (5679.5 acre) property in Sierra Caral and has taken legal control of the property.

 

What Next?
 

What Next Button Maintain guard presence on property and conduct regular patrols
What Next Button Begin biodiversity surveys on the property
What Next Button Develop a sustainable Conservation Management Plan for the Sierra Caral property.

Partners: Our partner in Guatemala for this project is the Fundacion para el Eco-desarollo y la Conservacion (FUNDAECO). A leading conservation organization in Guatemala, FUNDAECO oversees the management of over 125,000 hectares of private and government reserves in Guatemala. ABC is also partnering with Global Wildlife Conservation, a US based conservation organization dedicated to the world’s threatened wildlife and habitats.


Supporters: This project receives support from many donors including; The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Tropical Forest Forest Fund, the Leo Model Foundation, Philanthropic Collaborative at Rockefeller
   
   
 
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