24.05.07
FIRST REPORT 2007 CHAPARRI - Biological Corridor, LAMBAYEQUE
This is a report from January 30th to March 2007, made for the people interested in Biological Corridor Lambayeque conservation projects and ecotourism; especially for the people and institutions that have been contributing with their generous support, the official authorities and the community.
Rains come:
Rains have come – 2003,4,5 considered drought – to date more rain there has been more rain than those 3 years put together. The landscape has become green and we think that the flow of the springs and pastures are policyholders for the next two years.
First time bears & fences have been tested by the rains went ok with the rains come many fruits have appeared like tomatoes and caiguas wild, cherries, pasayos, overos, vichayos, carob trees, faiques, bud of gramineas, plenty of insects, especially caterpillars that the bears have consumed in abundant quantities.
CONSERVATION PROJECT AND BEAR RESCUE
In January 2007, Reque an approximately four years old bear, was transferred to Biodiversity Project, which is a project performed by San Martin University (In the Region that has the same name) within the conservation context where the first Regional Conservation Area in Peru is located: Escalera Mountain Range.
This transference was done according to the country in force laws. With the necessary permits from INRENA, a commission from the university was created. An especial cage for transportation was made and after an eighteen hours trip the bear arrived to a designated place where an electric fence was previously built with the same features used at Chaparri but with a smaller area (5,000 m2, approximately)
REQUE arrived in perfect conditions and now the bear is used to his new enclosure.
Javier Vallejos a Chaparri Park Ranger travelled with the bear. During 30 days Javier was training the park rangers who work at Escalera Mountain Range.In order to know this project; previously, a park ranger from Escalera Mountain Range spent one week at Chaparri. Maintenance to all of the old electric fence facilities has been done (donated by Dr. Bernard Preyton).
The system has been improved and divided with new switches for getting a better control of the fence perimeter in order to be more efficient if there is an emergency related to any electrical fails due to short circuits because of rocks or trees fallings; since the bears hit insulators, insects might be trapped between poles or fails because the equipments have been used for a long time. A distribution room was also built for improving bear management.
An alarm system for this sector was bought. A siren is activated when the electric fence voltage is under 4,000 volts. Batteries have been renovated and solar panels, anti rob alarms, and energizers have been under maintenance. The solar water pump, that provides water to the third fence environment “Peyton”, has been deactivated. We are getting water supply from gravity, through a 600 meters hose that we have been set from a cistern located at that distance. Rosita and Cuto are still together in Sector 2 (Milagros) and Cholita, Azulina and Tongo are still in the third sector (Top Area). In March a four months Andean Bear Baby was admitted. The baby was confiscated for the authorities (Ecological Police and INRENA) in a farm close to Chongoyape Town. Three White Tailed Dears females were also gotten from the same place.
The Small Bear named “Mulato” (after a Mountain close to this town) has been located in the iron enclosure within the new environments (stream west side) that was built with the INRENA and BBC support in order to do an approaching process with Milagros and Collique the bears that are in this area. 5 watering holes that had been destroyed by the two females bears were fixed. The females are in very good condition.
Since we have eventually given a diet recommended by Mr. David Gill (WPF Chairman and South Lakes Wild Animal Park Director) during his last visit to Chaparri In October 2006; we have noticed that the bears have had a health and look improvement. If we had a budget increase of USD $ 1400 a year, the diet could be given dairy to the bears. David offered a possibility to give this important amount of money per year. We thank him in advance.
A) OSOS SILVESTRES
WILD BEARS
The tramp cameras property of the Frankfurt Zoological Society have currently being transferred. Since that part of the program was finished. We hope we can also bring for this project the 10 new cameras donated by David Gill.
We hope to capture two wild Andean Bears in order to set satellite radios on them. More information can be given by Dr. Robert Williams.
B) CONDOR
Alejandro, the male condor rescued during a Yawar Party, escaped since he made a hole on the cage nylon net. During one week the condor was frequently seen near to our facilities. We presume that the condor is living at Chaparri where wild condors can be found. Alejandro is a male that was captured from the wild just for this festivity; therefore there is not worry about the fact that the condor can be able to get food by himself now that he is back in the wild.
The enclosure where Iñiku and the 3 Vulture Kings (Sarcoramphus papa) are kept urgently needs maintenance, as the nylon nets have been “burned” by ultraviolet radiation during 4 years of solar exposure.
CAMELIDS
Talía Trahtemberg, is a vet student, who has come to give us support (from Cayetano Heredia University) for the Camelids Project and especially for the chronic miasis (miasis means that a kind of worms eat animal flesh, commonly when animals get a scar or a wound) that is in the area where Llamas are kept. We have been evaluating the possibility to move them towards the reserve bottom area, where 8 Guanacos have been located by themselves and they keep healthy.
White Winged Guan
During the last census, which was done for weeks ago; 40 Birds living between Chaparrri Stream and Pavas Stream were counted.
