Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco

Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco (Jocotoco Conservation Foundation) is an Ecuadorian non-governmental environmental organization^[1]. Fundación Jocotoco was founded in 1998 when a group of conservationists came together to purchase the type locality of the newly discovered Jocotoco Antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi). Robert S. Ridgely and others discovered the striking new bird species in wet upper subtropical forest in southeastern Ecuador (ca. 2,500 m elevation) ^[2]. That the species had evaded detection for so long suggested it must have a tiny range. Indeed, over 10 years since its discovery, Jocotoco Antpitta's known range remains very small.^[3] Land clearance for cattle ranching and gold mining are currently the two most significant threats to the species^[4]. Fundación Jocotoco established Tapichalaca Biological Reserve to protect the habitat of the highly localized and threatened antpitta. The reserve now protects > 2870 hectares of forest and an associated 380+ species of birds and numerous range-restricted plants, amphibians, mammals, and invertebrates.^[5][6][7][8]

Using Tapichalaca as a successful example, Fundación Jocotoco has greatly expanded its efforts and the organization now administers eight reserves across Ecuador. The reserves are strategically located in hotpots of avian diversity, threat, and endemism. The tropical Andes offer a rare opportunity for species conservation with small reserves because the region is an intersection of these three types of biodiversity hotspot^[9]. In total, Fundación Jocotoco's reserves protect approximately 800 species birds on just ~14000 hectares of land. The organization is primarily funded by World Land Trust-US, World Land Trust (UK), and donations from individuals.

Current Fundación Jocotoco reserves and some focal bird species:

• Tapichalaca, wet lower subtropical forest up to páramo on east slope of Andes. Jocotoco Antpitta, Golden-plumed Parakeet, White-necked Parakeet, Peruvian Antpitta, Bicolored Antvireo, Masked Saltator, Greater Scythebill
• Río Canandé, wet Chocó lowlands of the northwest. Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Banded Ground-Cuckoo, Great Curassow, Golden-chested Tanager
• Buenaventura, wet upper foot hill forest on west slope of Andes. One of only a few localities for El Oro Parakeet, and El Oro Tapaculo. Other species of interest include Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Ochraceous Attila, and Club-winged Manakin.
• Yanacocha, upper temperate forest on Volcán Pichincha. Black-breasted Puffleg (one of the few remaining world localities for this critically endangered species), Imperial Snipe, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill
• Narupa, wet foothill forest on the east slope of the Andes. Coppery-chested Jacamar, Napo Sabrewing, many other foothill species
• Jorupe, Tumbesian dry forest. Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner, Blackish-headed Spinetail, Gray-headed Antbird
• Utuana, temperate forest on slopes above interandean valley. Piura Hemispingus, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant
• Yunguilla, woodland south of Cuenca. Only world locality for the Critically Endangered Pale-headed Brush-Finch

Fundación Jocotoco and its funding bodies support an active research program that seeks to gather critical baseline natural history information on the endangered birds protected in the reserves. Results of these studies will facilitate more effective conservation of the threatened species. Recent projects include:

• Radio telemetry and natural history observations of Jocotoco Antpitta at Tapichalaca
• Reproductive montoring of Pale-headed Brush-Finch at Yungilla and El Oro Parakeet at Buenaventura
• Documenting reproductive biology and identifying critical breeding habitat of Esmeraldas Woodstar in coastal Ecuador^[10]

See Fundación Jocotoco's website for more information on:

• Reserves and the species they protect
• Current projects
• Ways to donate
• Funding partners
• Current staff and board members

References