Tracking Big Cats in Belize

Photos courtesy of Marcella Kelly, Virginia Tech

 Sarah Kirkpatrick-Wahl is a volunteer at Nature Canada. She is collaborating on designing and creating a geodatabase for species at risk within Canadian federally protected areas. This summer Sarah is taking a break from Nature Canada volunteering to work with two conservation projects studying large cats in the Americas. 

Recently I travelled to Belize to volunteer with Bernardo Mesa, a wildlife conservation student at Virginia Tech, on his graduate research project. I had never been to Belize before and was immediately taken with the hot, humid climate, the abundant wildlife, and the diverse people there. I was most excited about the prospect of studying jaguars in a country where there is such a large population still surviving today where a new dynamic to the relationship between humans and jaguars is created as people claim and develop the land that was once ruled by the jaguar.

The project that I worked on was comparing the stress hormone levels of jaguars within protected areas to those outside protected areas. Immediately outside of protected areas there is extensive farm land, providing the recipe for human wildlife conflict to occur. Measuring the hormone levels will give an indication of how the jaguars react within these different landscapes.

Hormone levels are measured in scat, which we locate with the help of a scat detector dog. Scat is a non-invasive detection method as well as an abundant source of information. Extracting the stress hormones from scat is the most effective method for this research as the hormones in scat give an overall picture of the jaguar’s stress levels. In addition to hormone levels, scat can be used to measure parasite diversity, indicate diet through hair and bone fragments present, and provide DNA for analysis and comparison with other individuals. The hormone in the scat starts to degrade within a few days due to environmental effects, so in this project an area is visited once to collect any scat present in the area, and then once every four days to collect fresh scat for hormone analysis.

Our scat detection dog, CJ, was hired for the project from PackLeader in Gig Harbor, WA. CJ is an endless source of energy, which makes him unsuitable as a family pet but ideal for this type of work. When surveying trails we will walk anywhere from 6km to over 12km a day in extreme conditions. It is his job to search the trails which often means exploring off trail in dense jungle. CJ is happy to do all this work because searching for scat is a game for him, and his reward is a few precious seconds with a tennis ball. We will always leave a sample or two on a trail when we search so that CJ is rewarded every time we go out and maintains his enthusiasm, even when there is no wild scat to be found.


Video courtesy of Erica Johnson

The dogs are trained on the scent that they are looking for by associating the scent of the scat with the reward. CJ is an old pro and has worked on projects finding animals such as bats and snakes as well as cats. When CJ came to Belize he was already trained on jaguar and puma, but had to be trained on the smaller cats; ocelot, margay and jaguarundi. CJ is a quick study. See him search for the new scent he has just been trained on and sit by the sample to show his handler where to look.

There are some challenges that need to be considered when working with a dog. It is easy to mistakenly train the dog on the wrong scent. Therefore the handler needs to be careful to only reward the dog on samples that he is sure of. Many of the samples used to train CJ initially were from zoos where the species and gender of the animal could be confirmed. You can see in the video that CJ wears a bell when he is working. This is to let us always know where he is even when we can’t see him searching in the jungle. The bell also lets animals know that we are around so that CJ does not surprise anything which could create a dangerous situation. Most animals want to be left alone and will leave with all the noise that we make as we are hiking through the forest. We do have to watch out for some animals, such as peccaries, which we would not want to tangle with.

One of the biggest considerations is that we have to be careful not to push CJ too hard. His drive and enthusiasm means that we have to be sure to give him breaks for water and a rest. CJ is so excited about searching that it can be challenging to convince him to take a break, even when the humans are excited to sit down for a few minutes. Swimming is an excellent way for CJ to cool off. For this reason we try and find trails with streams to survey along so that CJ can take dip. However, water is getting harder and harder to find as the dry season progresses.

The project started in March and will continue until the wet season begins when the heat and humidity combined with strong rains degrade the hormone samples in the scat much more quickly. I am eagerly anticipating the results of the hormone analysis that Bernardo will conduct when he gets back to the lab in the fall. This study will have implications for jaguar management decisions regardless of whether Bernardo finds that jaguars are more stressed in altered human landscapes, or are not overly stressed in these areas. Working in Belize I have gained a new respect for this charismatic and elusive cat as well as this diverse country.

Supporting Communities and Conservation in the Dominican Republic

Children take a tour of a nursery in Oviedo

After visiting Formon near Macaya National Park in Haiti last week, our director of conservation, Mara Kerry, has spent the last few days visiting our partner, Grupo Jaragua, in the Dominican Republic.

Grupo Jaragua is working to promote sustainable livelihoods with the support of Nature Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency, just like our Haitian partner, Haiti Audubon Society, is doing in Haiti. As Canadian co-partners in BirdLife International, we are committed to working across borders for birds and people.

Grupo Jaragua’s work is centered on the community of Oviedo in southwestern Dominican Republic, and is aimed at improving the lives of people in the community while ensuring the conservation of the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve.

The Reserve is critically important for many endemic species of plants, birds and other animals in the Caribbean. The Bicknell's Thrush – an at-risk bird species facing habitat loss across its range – spends the winter in the Reserve, and many more migratory birds depend on the forests of Haiti and the Dominican Republic as safe wintering grounds and stop-over sites.

Here's what Mara had to say about her visit:

Upon my arrival in Oviedo, I was met by a large group including staff, volunteers and members of the local mothers', children's and livestock producers' groups. Many of the volunteers were the beneficiaries of the summer camps for children that Grupo Jaragua has been running in the area for years. As young adults, they are determined to make a difference and advance sustainable development and conservation.

One young man testified that he used to hunt wild animals and plants in the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve. Since participating in the workshops of Grupo Jaragua, he has changed his behavior – he has stopped hunting. He understands the unique value of the plants and animals in the region and that some are endangered and is now trying to influence his own family stop hunting. He would like his uncles in particular to stop hunting and learn to care for the forests and its animals. Another young man was inspired by the workshops to go to university to study biology so that he can contribute to his country's growth towards sustainability.

Grupo Jaragua has also been instrumental in building tree nurseries in Oviedo. I had the chance to pay them a visit – they’re really cool!

A volunteer inspects the trees inside a tree nursery in Oviedo.

The nurseries only use native plants. Grupo Jaragua is piloting several agroforestry plots with some of these native species, which also have an economic value to the community.

A volunteer waters a seedling planted as part of an agroforestry project in Oviedo.

Here’s the plan for these pilot projects: in the canopy there will be trees that can provide fuel for cooking, fruit, and wood for crafts and furniture. The really neat thing about this is that these resources can be harvested from just the branches – the tree does not need to be cut down.

In the understory, there will be trees that provide food, such as fruit, for the community. One tree in particular produces a berry that the people of Oviedo use to make the local wine which can be sold for a good price. Another is a shrub-like plant whose leaves can be used to make tea and the bark to make a perfume that is popular here and in Haiti. In addition, a local indigenous species of oregano can be grown along with crops like yuca and sweet potato.

Five families in the area are experimenting with agroforestry practices on their own land. And they haven’t stopped there – they are also experimenting with "live fences" that can produce food for animals (goats and cattle) in a sustainable manner.

Grupo Jaragua has also helped build the community centre where it hosts workshops on sustainable resource use and climate change adaptation practices. These workshops are open to everyone in the community, and as a result, more people know more about climate change, birds conservation and agroforestry. The building itself is wonderful and the main hall is used by the community for everything from the workshops to local weddings, birthdays and even funerals. In addition, the centre provides a source of income. The cabins can be rented out to visitors, technical experts and for other community events.

I’m very encouraged by what I’ve seen during my visit. The people of Oviedo have really embraced the idea of integrating sustainable practices into their daily lives and we’re thrilled to be part of that change. This would not be possible without the work of our partner, Grupo Jaragua. We are very proud to support this work. Projects in communities like Oviedo are making a tangible difference to people’s lives and it is our hope that they will continue to receive the support they need to build a better future.

IBAs, from the Tundra to Tierra del Fuego

What makes Important Bird Areas (IBAs) so important?

Birds can tell us about the state of biodiversity that underpins our lives. IBAs are defined by birds, but they are vital for all life on Earth. Watch this video to learn more:

(If you can't see the full width, view the original here.)

This video was produced by BirdLife International for the launch of Important Bird Areas Americas: Priority Sites for Biodiversity Conservation, a directory of key conservation sites across the Western hemisphere.

Saving Our Shared Birds Report is a Call to Action

A cooperative of government agencies, non-profit groups and researchers known as Partners in Flight has issued a tri-national call to action to save North America's birds.

In the first ever assessment of landbird species in all three countries -- Mexico, Canada and the continental U.S -- 148 bird species were found to in need of immediate conservation attention because of their highly threatened and declining populations. For example:

• The most imperiled birds include 44 species with very limited distributions, mostly in Mexico, including the Thick-billed Parrot and Horned Guan.


• 24 at-risk species that breed in the United States and Canada are in particularly dire straits, including Cerulean Warbler, Black Swift, and Canada Warbler.


• 42 common bird species have steeply declined by 50% or more in the past 40 years, including Common Nighthawk, Eastern Meadowlark and Loggerhead Shrike.
  

International bird conservation partners from the United States, Canada, and Mexico released the report on May 11, at the Fifteenth Annual Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and Management meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. (Our executive director Ian Davidson was there on Nature Canada's behalf).

The three countries that make up North America are home to 882 native landbird species, more than one-third of which depend substantially on habitats in more than one country. The abundant birdlife we enjoy in Canada enriches our culture and economy, as does birdlife in the U.S. and Mexico. The biodiversity of which birds are a part provide immeasurable -- and irreplaceable -- ecosystem services that we humans depend on, gifts we often take for granted.

There's simply no way that bird species, who know no borders, can possibly be saved without international coordination.

The Partners in Flight report, Saving Our Shared Birds: Partners in Flight Tri-National Vision for Landbird Conservation, is also a call to action to protect, restore and enhance North America's populations of birds and bird habitat. You can read the details online, but here are the headlines:

1. Protect and recover species at greatest risk
2. Conserve habitats and ecosystem functions
3. Reduce Bird Mortality
4. Expand our knowledge base for conservation
5. Engage people in conservation action
6. Increase the power of international partnerships

Learn more about Partner in Flight's Ontario Landbird Conservation Plans, or read a New York Times blog piece on the new report.

Photo: Canada Warbler, John Kormendy

New Book, "Important Bird Areas of the Americas" is a Blueprint for Conservation

Tonight I'll be attending a very important event for bird conservation in Canada in Washington D.C. The event marks the release of a seminal new book, Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of the Americas: Priority sites for biodiversity conservation. The book is a roadmap for conservation that identifies 2,345 top-priority conservation sites in Canada and the 56 other countries and territories within the Western Hemisphere. It provides a blueprint for decisions- makers to make informed decisions on habitat protection and restoration, and I believe it will help enormously in the conservation of both threatened and common species as well as a wealth of wider biodiversity.

The event is hosted by Luis Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, and featured speakers include Henry M. Paulson, Jr., former US Treasury Secretary; Andres Bosso, CEO Aves Argentinas; Frank Gill, President, National Audubon Society; and Margaret Atwood, author and Joint Honorary President of BirdLife International's Rare Bird Club.

The Americas is one of the most important regions for bird conservation, given that it holds almost 40% of the world’s threatened species (11% of the region’s birds are threatened). IBAs are becoming a formidable tool to help governments, the private sector, investment banks and donor organizations to direct conservation funding towards clearly defined priorities. There are nearly 600 IBAs in Canada, including well-known migratory bird staging areas such as Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, and British Columbia’s Boundary Bay, a provincially-designated wildlife conservation area.

This gala reception brings leaders and supporters of BirdLife International’s Important Bird Areas (IBAs) program – and of global conservation generally – to celebrate a decade of accomplishment for the BirdLife Americas Partnership, as well as to galvanize support for the future of IBAs and their gifts to birds, biodiversity and people.

I’m very excited about the release of this book and grateful for the work that staff at Nature Canada, Bird Studies Canada and all our BirdLife Partners in the Americas put in over the last few years to get this directory published. We now have a terrific new tool for biodiversity conservation in the Americas!


You can download the book here.