Community Fund – Fundacion Fauna de la Amazonia – April Update

The latest news and views from the ever-changing conservation centre in Colonia 24 de Mayo, The Jungle, Ecuador.

 

Firstly, a wee update re the turtle that was handed into us a few weeks ago…

 

After acclimatising to its short-term home on the Fundacion’s land, the turtle was to taken to Mera, and from there to Merazonia Animal Rescue Centre (www.merazonia.org) in the care of Louisa, the Centre’s vet. There it has been able to pass time in a more appropriate watery environment than it had with us. Options for its future are now being considered, and hopefully it will return to the area close to where it came from.

Plants of various species continue to be rescued from along the roadside on the way to the land. There is a photograph of some very small flowering orchids (less than 2.00 cm high and about 1-2.00 mm across) which were saved several months ago – with no idea of whether they would survive or would ever flower again. They indeed have flourished (no pun intended) and have displayed a beautiful spray of florets. The photograph doesn’t really do them justice.

 

As expected, funds have run out for continuing the construction work on the quarantine/clinic at the moment, and so work stopped at the end of the first week in April. However, the main structure is complete now and work is taking place with respect to estimating how much funding is needed to complete this undertaking.   As funds arrive work will continue.

 

Work has continued on clearing grass growing around some of the recently planted endemic trees, and a couple of avocado trees and the pineapples are doing very well!

 

There is an outstanding issue regarding the boundary lines around the Fundacion’s land. Two sides are delineated, however there remains two sides where the boundaries are not yet clearly marked out (both of which are where the neighbour has been removing timber recently!). It is hoped that within our remaining resources it will be possible to instruct a topographer to finish off the necessary work on this in the near future. Hopefully, this will give the Centre greater security and safety.

 

On one day this month, two deceased animals were found on paths on or near the land – one a semi-devoured snake, the other a caecilian. Both are likely to have been dropped by hawks or other raptors, disturbed in some way before they ate them.

 

Here are a couple of links to Ecuadorian-based, like-minded individuals and groups with whom we have worked in the past and continue to do so……..

 

http://ecomingafoundation.wordpress.com/category/birds/  (which contains a very interesting article on the loss of many, many species of macaws from the Americas.)

http://www.loujost.com/   – fantastic photographs and work!

 

And also for your interest, here is a link to an article recently noted on Mongabay which refers to environmental issues affecting Ecuador:

 

http://news.mongabay.com/2014/0421-glofdas-2014q1.html?n3ws1ttr

 

 

Saludos to everyone!