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Our 2022 calendar is now available! Click on image to download
Updates from the field! We just came back from checking camera traps at the Nova Colinas site. This is a privately owned area on the buffer zone of Mirador State Park. At WCA we work with private landowners, directly involving them in conservation efforts. At Nova Colinas we have both an environmental education program and a small felid monitoring one. On this check we obtained several records of northern tiger cats, jaguarundis, ocelots, and a myriad of other wildlife.
Updates from the Caatinga: Poaching detected
We are back from Fazenda Tamanduá Private Nature and Heritage Reserve, where we have been monitoring the tiger cat and jaguarundi population. We checked the cameras and switched batteries and memory cards. Unfortunately we found poaching signs, and we suffered from steal of equipment. Furthermore lots of domestic dogs and domestic cats showed up at the same cameras where tiger cats were detected. We are now coordinating with the reserve authorities for more law enforcement efforts, and more patrolling rounds at night to detect and deter poachers. We are also analyzing the spatial distribution of the domestic carnivores in order to develop mitigation measures.
WE ARE BACK!
The ongoing pandemic has not completely stopped our actions at Mirador State Park, the key conservation area for the northern tiger cat. We are joining forces with governmental actors so that we can return to our environmental education and fieldwork activities. Under the current pandemic scenario (classes, law enforcement, and other activities are paralyzed), joining efforts will be a key mechanism for environmental and social engagement of rural communities in the park and will contribute to the fulfillment of governmental compromises with the park. There will be also direct benefits for wildlife conservation within the park. This way we will recover some of the lost time due to the pandemic.
BACK IN THE FIELD AFTER THE PANDEMIC!
The ongoing covid-19 pandemic has made it impossible for us to work in the field for most of the current year. The past month we were able to check the cameras at Fazenda Tamanduá, one of our sampling sites in the Caatinga. We obtained several new records of both norther tiger cats and jaguarundis, as well as records from other wildlife typical from the Caatinga biome. More importantly we recorded females with cubs, of both cat species. This is very important news, as it means the area contains good quality habitat for both species. We are currently assessing population trends of both cats at the site, stay tuned for the results!
