Community Fund – Fundacion Fauna de la Amazonia – August Update

Hi, Everyone! Here is a brief update as to what has been happening in, and around, the Reserve/Conservation Centre in the last month.

There has been a short break from heavy duty activities there, whilst awaiting the arrival of several supporters who are venturing here to Puyo and to the land, in order to assist progress and continue the construction planning and physical work, as well as assisting with, and helping to develop, other plans there are for around the site and future activities.

Sad to report, one of our neighbours recently apparently shot and killed an ocelot which allegedly had been seen attacking his chickens. Had we been approached by this individual first, we would have tried to capture the cat using our trap cages, and if successful would have relocated the animal elsewhere  – as far from human habitation as possible. It is likely that the cat had been forced to move out of more remote jungle due to lack of food sources, although it is also possible that the cat was searching for new territory to base itself within.

It is often the case that ocelots, and other cat species, are able to successfully breed, however then they are lacking an area of uninhabited land (by humans and other competing species) in which to live. We plan to raise awareness amongst people in the local communities that we may be able to assist in any such future events.

We have also taken the opportunity to visit our nearest indigenous community where a group of members of the Shuar peoples live. It was a very positive meeting and they are keen to work with us should occasion arise, and have also asked for any assistance we may be able to offer in the future in helping in their school – for example with classes of English. The community is named Sar Entza (Clear Water in Shuar) which is very appropriate as, on the way, (it’s an hour to one hour and a half’s walk from the reserve!) the path crosses a beautiful river and other smaller streams of very clear water.

We have also recently been approached by another indigenous (Kishwa) community who live in a very remote area of Ecuador close to the border with Peru and also close to the Yasuni National Park (although not within it). They are very keen to see if there might be ways for us to work together in the future and they are already very involved in conservation activities on their lands.

This includes the protection of threatened turtle species and they are also planning on developing a bee-keeping/breeding programme – not only to maintain active breeding colonies of endangered bee species, also to produce honey which they will sell to gain some income. As we had been planning to develop something similar on the reserve, we hope that we will be able to work together on this and other conservational programmes. Further meetings are planned!