Page 45 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #10

JOCOTOCO ANTPITTA

What is

an antpitta?

Antpittas are skulking denizens of
dense, dark forest floors in Central
and South America. They form
their own family, Grallariidae, and
are stocky birds with their legs set
well back. Much like our familiar
European robin, they hop along
the ground in search of insect or
earthworm prey. Some species,
together with a variety of antwrens,
antthrushes, antshrikes and
antbirds, often hang around army-
ant swarms, where they pick off
any fleeing invertebrates the ants
haven’t captured and devoured.
Antpittas are usually difficult to see,
though a few enterprising lodges
have trained local birds to take
worms being offered, as described
in August’s BBC Wildlife.

“Asnoscientisthadseenthis The chestnut- John and Ruth Moore) on the western side of
crowned antpitta
the Andes at Buenaventura and Jorupe. The
speciesbefore,therewasevery (above) is one Foundation grew and grew.
of around
55 recorded A lodge was opened for visitors and
possibilitythatthepopulation species of these researchers at Tapichalaca, funded by Nigel
notoriously Simpson with money from a commission he
wasextremelysmall.” diicult-to-spot received from helping chemistry professors
neotropical birds.
to obtain financial support for universities in
the Soviet Union. In 2001, the World Land
Trust (WLT) became a major donor, and
remains so to this day, enabling an ambitious
“Further research – which is still ongoing – cloudforest and a new conservation project reforestation project that has so far seen 1.4
has revealed that the jocotoco antpitta lives in was born: the Jocotoco Foundation. million native trees planted on Foundation
very wet forests with an understory of various As chair of his ornithology department, reserves. Tapichalaca Reserve almost doubled
bamboo species,” explains Bob. “The antpitta Bob was in a position to quickly organise in size to 1,600 hectares in 2003, after a
Bowman/A amy that it finds in seepage zones, and that may within just two months of the antpitta’s Christopher Parsons, the late executive
a return visit to Cerro Tapichalaca. And so,
feeds almost entirely on large earthworms
WLT fundraising appeal in memory of
discovery, Nigel managed to visit the site
producer of BBC TV series Life on Earth.
be why the species is so very localised. The
for himself to see the bird and discuss what
bird requires constantly wet conditions
Left to r ght: AGAMI Photo Agency/A amy; Bob R dg ey; Ne story. Nigel co-developed a new technique government had approved the Jocotoco and manages 12 reserves covering 19,000ha,
Community participation
where the ground hardly ever dries out.”
could be done to preserve its home.
By the end of 1998, the Ecuadorian
After 20 years, the Foundation now owns
This is where Nigel Simpson enters the
to repair retinal detachments and was in the
Foundation’s formation. Local farmers were
with more purchases in the pipeline. Over
process of selling his successful business. He
50 species of bird threatened with extinction
struggling due to the unfavourable climate at
are being protected, together with nearly 300
Tapichalaca – the area is deluged by over 5m
had begun discussions with Bob about how
species of reptile, amphibian and mammal.
of rainfall annually – and were happy to sell
he could best use his newfound wealth and
A vital feature of any conservation effort is
their land to the fledgling Foundation. Before
free time to help save threatened habitats in
his beloved South America. By an amazing
to involve locals. It is simply not good enough
long, the first 800 hectares of the Tapichalaca
coincidence, the as-yet-unnamed antpitta chose
bought by the Foundation (co-funded by
people they cannot benefit from it. From
just that moment to hop out of the Ecuadorian
BBC Wildlife
October 2018 Reserve were safe. Further reserves were to buy a tract of land and tell indigenous 45