| Talara Reserve & The Endangered Peruvian
Plant Cutter
| Talara forests are home
to the globally endangered Peruvian Plant Cutter |
The dry forest of Talara, located in the province
of Talara, Piura, is a predominately flat area of about 24,700 acres
that is bounded on the east side by the Amotapes Mountain Range.
The area is mainly comprised of thin forest with low trees and shrubs,
of which the carob tree is quite common.
Talara is a critical site for the conservation
of the globally endangered Peruvian Plant Cutter (Phytotoma raimondii),
 sheltering
the most significant populations of this endangered and endemic
bird of the dry forests of the northern Peruvian coast. Currently,
the zone has no official protection. In the recent past, it was
property of PETROPERU but has since reverted to the State.
NCI has started a project to promote the protection
of areas of importance for the conservation of birds in the Piura
region, and the project has prioritized protection of the Talara
area. We have also applied for a conservation concession of 15,000
acres.
Coordinating with the local NGO, Light and Hope,
NCI is also emphasizing development of educational activities on
various environmental topics. We have already trained a number of
teachers in the school adjacent to the conservation area on the
Schoolyard Ecology methodology, and an educational guidebook has
been produced with information on dry forests in the area. We have
also helped to create a Children’s Birdwatchers Club.
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