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The El Oro Parakeet Pyrrhura orcesi is one of the many threatened parrot taxa endemic to western Ecuador. It occurs within a range of approximately 100 km in length and 5-10 km in width, and is only reported from a single protected area, the 500 ha Buenaventura reserve. The main threats to the survival of the El Oro Parakeet are the loss and increasing fragmentation of its natural forest habitat. Overall, forest cover is greatly reduced and remnant patches are restricted to steep slopes. Very little is known about the species' biology and its movements, and a conservation plan that addresses its conservation requirements is still inexistent.
The aim of the Buenaventura reserve, owned since July 1999 by Ecuadorian NGO Fundación Jocotoco, is to ensure the long-term survival of the parakeet. Due to the lack of knowledge on the ecology of this species, it is uncertain whether this reserve sufficiently protects a viable population, 30-40% of which consists of old pastures, which are now under re-forestation as one result of the El Oro Parakeet project. The identification and/or establishment of at least one legally protected site that holds a substantial population of El Oro Parakeets is a priority, and enlargement of the Buenavista reserve to fulfil this criterion is currently the best option
Under its Small-scale Grant scheme, the LPF since early 2002 has been supporting the research and conservation work into the ecology of the El Oro Parakeet within the reserve, as well as its immediate surroundings wher enlargment of the protercted area might be possible. This project is being conducted in collaboration with Fundación Jocotoco, with the principal investigators being Ecuadoreans Mery Juiña Juiña and César Garzón Santomaro, who in 2004 took over from Dr Martin Schaefer of the German Institute of Avian Research..
Employing state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to radio-track this small parrot, the field team has been able to identify the daily and seasonal movements of the species and to confirm that an encouragingly strong population of an estimated 120-130 birds lives inside and in the surroundings of the Buenaventura reserve. An important unprotected area of secondary forest was identified for purchase and to be added to the adjacent reserve, which is targeted to increase in size to 5,000 ha.
The project has linked up with the local community and authorities through an education and outreach programme and assists in promoting ecotourism to the area to gain support for the continued long-term protection of the Buenaventura reserve and its wildlife.
Financial support: US$21,032 + €20,350