Researchers use innovative technologies to track native species. photo: WWF / Sue Palminteri

Scientists have begun to document the importance of clay licks (locally known as "colpas") to the diet of many mammals and birds. Our research has begun to verify the importance of these sites, as all of the red-and-green macaws (Ara chloroptera) that we have radio-tagged have visited a nearby colpa, some for several hours at a time. We hope that two white-lipped peccaries recently captured at a separate colpa will lead to equally interesting findings on the importance of clay licks to herbivorous mammals.

Our research has also confirmed that blue-and-yellow macaws (A. ararauna) nest exclusively or nearly so in dead aguaje palms located in flooded swamps called aguajales.

Quantification of habitat requirements of focal species

The AREAS Project aims to quantify habitat requirements of several wide-ranging Amazon species in order to better inform the design of protected and managed conservation areas. Through this study, we expect to determine the minimum size requirements for these species, which will, in turn, improve scientific procedures for designing protected areas that are sufficiently large and representative to represent biodiversity and ecological processes in the Amazon headwaters region.

The information and results generated by this project will therefore have direct applications toward the design of conservation plans for not only the southwestern Amazon, but also other parts of the greater Amazon Basin.

These results will be essential to provide definitive, science-based verification of the assumptions already made by conservationists about the sizes that current and future parks and other conservation areas must be to maintain biodiversity, before these successes are challenged and undermined by groups with conflicting visions for the future of the Amazon Basin.

Development of new radio capture techniques

The AREAS Project team will continue to develop and apply trapping and monitoring techniques for both mammals and birds.

The design of specialized mist nets for capturing macaws at a salt lick, as well as individual nets for trapping macaws nesting in dead, unstable palm trees, using mostly local materials, may serve the needs of ornithological studies throughout the tropics.

In addition to adapting traditional capture techniques to the tropical moist forest, we will collaborate with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Cornell University Lab of Ornithology in the development of smaller and more accurate radio transmitters that will permit the capture of smaller bird species. Please see the technology page for more information.

We expect that the more successful of these strategies for radio-tagging and monitoring animals can be applied to research projects throughout the tropical moist forests as well.

Training of Peruvian researchers

In its first 6 months, the AREAS Project has trained over 20 Peruvian students and local research assistants in the collection and processing of biological data on birds and mammals.

Field teams learn techniques in radio telemetry, tree climbing, study design, data keeping, and data entry, as well as basic conservation biology and ecology of our study animals.

Students have initiated studies of phenology of trees important for macaws, mammal veterinary techniques, and historical distribution of giant otters.

Building of conservation awareness and citizen participation

The Project team has met with local communities both during our initial reconnaissance work and our current local travels to monitor some of the wider-ranging radio-collared animals.

These interactions with communities along the Madre de Dios River have been of help to the research team.

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