A Birder’s Paradise in the Peruvian Tropical Andes
07/27/2023
More than 450 bird species identified over 8 years!
Since 2015, research and fieldwork carried out by our technical team has led to the registering of more than 450 species of birds in one of the areas we’re working to protect in the northern tropical Andes. According to our research, 24% of all the bird species in Peru can be found in this region! More than 30 of these species are endemic, or found no where else in the world.
A Brief History of the Region’s Conservation Efforts
Following the creation of the Carpish Montane Forest Regional Conservation Area and the Unchog Private Conservation Area, Nature and Culture, with the support of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, conducted a Rapid Biological Study to determine the distribution of endemic species of the Carpish Montane Forest. This study served as a baseline for the development of monitoring and evaluation plans that help to track the health of the ecosystems in these areas.
The study also helped to prioritize other areas nearby in need of protection. Nature and Culture, together with the Huánuco Regional Government and funding from Andes Amazon Fund, began negotiations for the creation of two new Regional Conservation Areas in the department of Huánuco, Peru: Regional Conservation Area Yanajanca, and Regional Conservation Area San Pedro de Chonta.
In 2021, the American Bird Conservancy joined the effort. They generated information on the behavior of birds and determined the conservation status of the forests that provide them with food and shelter.
At the end of 2021, Rainforest Trust joined Nature and Culture’s initiative with the Huánuco Regional Government, to conserve the work towards conserving proposed San Pedro de Chonta and Yanajanca Regional Conservation Areas.
Our work in the Carpish-Río Abiseo Mosaic
The Carpish-Río Abiseo Mosaic is 3,763,481.26 acres of very fragile ecosystems of biological and environmental importance located between the departments of Huánuco and San Martín. It also provides valuable ecosystem services to local populations.
The 3.7 million acres are divided into National Areas (Tingo María National Park and Río Abiseo National Park), Sub National Areas (Regional Conservation Areas Shunté and Mishollo, Regional Conservation Area Montane Forest of Carpish and Private Conservation Area Unchog), and Areas in the process of creation (Proposal of Regional Conservation Area Yanajanca and Proposal of Regional Conservation Area San Pedro de Chonta).
Connecting and protecting these areas, and all of the key ecosystems and endemic spieces that live within the region is at the heart of what Nature and Culture International does.
