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Saving Colombia's Nature (rebels) Thanks to Who?

Three yellow-eared parrots swoop down into a glade of wax palms, switching from wide arcs to tightly synchronized barrel rolls, screaming raucously.

A sight to behold in a breathtaking alpine setting. But a vision that may be fleeting.

This parrot, Ognorhynchus icterotis, thrived in the cloud forests of the northern Andes a century ago. Now it is among the world's most critically endangered species. Fewer than 75 are known to exist.

Ironically, this bird has become a beneficiary of Colombia's civil conflict. Its habitat is deep in rebel-dominated territory, and the guerrillas have banned hunting wildlife to preserve Colombia's rich biological diversity.

On a waning Sunday afternoon, the bright green-and-yellow parrots alight on the conical rim of a dead palm and clamber down to a nest, where the female regurgitates lunch to two loudly chattering chicks.

the mating couple, their young helper and the chicks are among 61 yellow-eared parrots whose discovery in mid-April was ecstasy for bird conservationists.

"Its wonderful that they have survived. Now there's a real chance of saving the species," said Niels Krabbe, a Danish Ornithologist. His sighting of 17 yellow-eared parrots in neighbouring Ecuador five years ago was the first scientifically recorded observation in nearly 80 years.

Among nations, Colombia is the second richest after Brazil in biological diversity. It has the world's greatest variety of birds, with 1,850 species, as well as 358 kinds of mammals and more than 45,000 types of plants.

Yet the varied ecosystems of its Andean ridges and valleys are in grave danger due mainly to deforestation. Scientists say the risk of mass extinction has never been greater.

"Parrots need fruit, canopy trees and hardwoods," said Paul Salaman, an Oxford University Ornithologist directing efforts to keep Ognorhynchus icterotis alive. They're a sensitive barometer of threats to the environment because they often suffer first."

Over the past century and half, 80 per cent of woodlands on the slopes and valleys of the three-spined Colombian Andes disappeared as settlers cleared land for farming and cattle ranching, said Luis Miguel Renjifo, Conservation Director for the government-affiliated, Alexander Von Humboldt Institute.

The shrinking habitat of the yellow-eared parrot, one of 80 birds native to Colombia in danger of global extinction, is a case in point.

Bernabe Lopez, an Argentine Ornithologist, spends his days observing the birds from a blind built of dead palm fronds among grazing cattle.

This particular parrot appears to nest only in wax palms and eats the tree's thumb-sized fruit "like we would a coconut" he said. Yet the majestic palm - Colombia's national tree - is its self in danger of extinction, with just a few thousand acres of groves remaining

All are in the central Cordillera, and most can be seen from the palm-studded pasture at 8,200 feet where Lopez sits, denuded hills and rushing rivers below, oak and ficus forest and wind-swept paramo above.

Cutting down wax palms was prohibited by law in 1986, but cattle eat their seedings as well as surrounding vegetation that provides shade the young plants require.

Preserving the yellow-eared parrot in captivity is not an option, Krabbe said. Although, millions of people worldwide keep parrots as pets, there is just one known case of a yellow-eared parrot surviving outside the wild, he said.

That fact might not deter poachers, however, which is why the ornithologists trying to protect this species - and raise money to buy its roosting site - asked that the location be kept secret.

Global trade in parrots has taken many species to the verge of extinction.

Alberto Gomex, a Colombian expert on illegal trafficking in plants and animals, said that from 1992 to 1996 nearly half the 1540 birds confiscated from people trying to smuggle them out of Colombia were parrots - most of them ENDANGERED SPECIES.

However, another long time threat, from hunting by peasants, struggling to feed their families, has waned in this area, thanks to the rebel prohibition on killing wildlife.

Fearing punishment, inhabitants strictly heed the ban. They don't even shoot the pesky and abundant bronze-winged parrot, which regularly plunders their corn patches.

"I've only heard three shotgun blasts in the month I've been watching the nest", Lopez said, grinning contently

For Further Information Visit http://www.proaxis.com/~salaman/parrot/parrot.html

Alternative Common Names for the Yellow-eared Parrot
YELLOW-EARED CONURE OR YELLOW-EARED PARAKEET

By (Deleted user) on Feb 9, 2007, 13:24 in Friendly Talkzone.

adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Feb 9, 2007, 13:40:

2nd largest in Biodiversity The wonder that is Colombia. Protection of it should be broad spectrum and happen heedless of political affiliations.

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paisa29 says on Feb 9, 2007, 14:13:

Hace algunos años Guatapé, aquí en Antioquia... era muy turistico y las personas que visitaban este sitio lo dejaban sucio y el gobierno tampoco prestaba mucha atención a su cuidado, la zona estuvo cerrada para los turistas por algunos años debido a la presencia de la guerrilla en la región, pero cuando los militares tomaron el control y se reabrió nuevamente el paso para los turistas, el sitio estaba increiblemente hermoso, eso fue una gran lección y ahora se está cuidando y mejorando esa región.

"Fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" Conrad Hilton

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 9, 2007, 15:09:

Buh! Do you work for Anncol, Mike?

While some local farc may have in fact protected these birds, the larger group blows up pipelines that leak oil into rivers and their cocaine cultivation networks chop down huge areas of old growth forest to grow coca, so their "green" credentials are pretty dubious.

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paisa29 says on Feb 9, 2007, 15:13:

I can`t wait to visit Caño Cristales, I hope some day.

"Fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" Conrad Hilton

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Wastelandlive says on Feb 10, 2007, 04:51:

Jejejejejejeje.... Wasteland

Wasteland

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southern151 says on Feb 10, 2007, 06:40:

What a way to ... make those guys sound like compassionate people! LOL

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podborski says on Feb 10, 2007, 09:23:

thank god for FARC now they have saved a yellow bird.

Too bad about the father of a girl I know who they killed in front of her eyes (she was 7) as they wanted his land, and they got it. Just one of many, many similar stories I have heard.

But, hey, they saved a bird!

Enjoy north korea Mike, sounds like your kind of place.

(p.s. I would think any self respecting journalist would know a little about grammar, wouldn't they?)

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billyb says on Feb 10, 2007, 22:23:

Pod, don't you know that it.... was really the AUC that did that and blamed it on the FARC;)

BillyB

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podborski says on Feb 11, 2007, 06:28:

I was waiting for that one billyb! but you notice none of these guys ever answers the criticism they receive? Ostriches I'd say.

the bright side is, all these irrational people make it quite easy to get ahead in this world.

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podborski says on Feb 11, 2007, 06:31:

shouldn't need to add that I am in no way supporting any of the paras, or even Uribe, I don't know enough about them, but suspect the paras are very, very nasty.

But all the horror stories I have heard involved FARC, and I was told the paras were a response to FARC terrorism. Sounds plausible to me, but I don't think there is any way you justify kidnaping and killing innocent people, no way, no how.

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cali373 says on Feb 12, 2007, 11:11:

The Cattle industry in the Americas is very unsustainable. You can feed and employ more people by farming crops than cattle. and now more land is being cleared for cattle. I am not a full vegetarian but it just does not make sense that in a country that can sustain feeding its people, doesn't and allows the clearing of eco-rich lands for an unsustainable industry. Not to mention an industry which leads to disease.

For coffee there a technique called "shade grown" which allows tree to grow and birds to live on their natural habitat. I hope this technique expands to include more crops.

Smile if you are a thinker!

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juancegomez says on Feb 12, 2007, 14:07:

colombiamike I really don't know what to say in my defense, but I couldn't help but laughing when I read your description of ANNCOL.

Oh well. Have fun in North Korea.

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