Project Abiseo ’94

Charles Davies

The team assessed the conservation status and habitat requirements of birds and mammals of the remaining cloud and elfin forest on the Cordillera de Colan, a semi-isolated mountain range in north east Peru. The project was formulated and carried out in close consultation with the Asociacion Peruana para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza (APECO). Fieldwork was carried out at 550-2600m in a variety of habitats including degraded and intact cloud and elfin forest in the humid premontane, humid lower montane, and very humid lower montane zones. A variety of fieldwork techniques including systematic observation, nocturnal surveys, mist-netting, and sound recording were used.

Project update: 21/8/96. The team assessed the conservation status and habitat requirements of birds and mammals of the remaining cloud and elfin forest between 1500-2650 m on the Cordillera de Colán, a semi-isolated mountain range in north-east Peru. The team recorded 328 bird species, including five threatened species (Peruvian Pigeon (Colmuba oenops), Military Macaw (Ara militaris), Golden-plumed Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii), Yellow-faced Parrotlet (Forpus xanthopus), and Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis)) and seven near-threatened species. A total of 17 mammal species were recorded and specific information was gathered on three threatened mammal species: Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), Andean Night Monkey (Aotus miconax), and Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus). The team discovered large-scale deforestation in the Cordillera. A protected area is planned for the region (Davies et al. 1994; S. Butchart in litt. 1998). Five papers were published following this project.