Did you know that every time you visit Brevard Zoo, your money goes to work helping to protect wildlife and wild spaces? 25 cents from every daily admission and $5 of every membership goes toward our Quarters for Conservation program, which helps fund conservation projects throughout the world.
This year, our Quarters for Conservation grant recipient is SAVE Brasil, a Brazilian non-profit working to conserve birds and their environments by connecting people to nature. As part of our “Updates from the Field” Q&A series, SAVE Brasil’s communications coordinator, Paula Britto, fills us in on everything there is to know about their work.
When and how did your organization begin?
SAVE Brasil (Society for the Conservation of Birds in Brazil) is a non-profit civil society organization with a special focus on the conservation of Brazilian birds. SAVE Brasil is part of the global alliance of BirdLife International, present in more than 100 countries.
BirdLife International initiated a Brazilian program in 2000 after identifying the need for immediate action in certain areas to avoid the extinction of critically endangered bird species. The BirdLife International Brazil Program was then created, which later, in 2004, would be consolidated into SAVE Brasil. This independent organization would represent BirdLife in the country as their national partner.
Can you tell us more about your mission of saving black-fronted piping guans in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil?
The black-fronted piping-guan is an endemic Atlantic Rainforest bird considered an excellent seed disperser, capable of feeding on over 40 species of fruit! The species plays an important role in maintaining and regenerating forests, acting as a true gardener and doing its part to mitigate climate change, making reintroductions essential.
This is a highly challenging mission, as the species is globally listed as endangered and is extinct in many areas, including São Francisco Xavier where the project is reintroducing the species. Its associated habitat, the Atlantic Forest, is one of the most threatened forest ecosystems on the planet, yet it supports a high number of endemic and threatened birds. Once one of the world’s largest forests, extensive deforestation has resulted in only 12% of the original cover remaining. As a result, much of the Atlantic Forest’s fauna and flora is in danger of extinction. São Francisco Xavier holds a very important patch of well-preserved Atlantic Forest, and besides the reintroduced black-fronted piping-guan, it is also home to the Southern muriqui, a critically endangered primate.
Our mission in São Francisco Xavier with the guans started in 2014 when searches were carried out to confirm that the species no longer existed there. In fact, there haven’t been any guans there for over 100 years! After a lot of planning and discussions with reintroduction experts, the project implemented a black-fronted piping-guan reintroduction and monitoring program through the release of birds in São Francisco Xavier. The first releases took place in 2016, and since then 56 individuals have already been released. However, to fulfill our mission of establishing a viable population in the wild, the project needs to continue releasing groups of black-fronted piping-guans for at least another 10 years!
In addition, we carry out forest restoration using tree species from the guan’s diet to ensure the necessary food supply for the species, increasing its habitat and improving the carrying capacity of the site.
In parallel, we have been working since the beginning with the local community, who are amazing and very supportive of the project. Thanks to the project’s many actions over these past 10 years, the black-fronted piping-guan is now a symbol of São Francisco Xavier, along with the Southern muriqui.
How has your work expanded to help save other native birds and wildlife?
As the black-fronted piping-guan is a formidable seed disperser, by increasing their population we are contributing to regenerating the forest. This, in turn, benefits a wide array of wildlife. When we started working with forest restoration, we intensified the forest’s recovery, helping native wildlife.
One of the most significant beneficiaries is the Southern muriqui, globally listed as endangered and the largest primate of the Americas. Some of the species of trees planted by the project’s forest restoration efforts are also consumed by these monkeys.
Also, by engaging the community on our monthly birding outings, we are raising awareness about all native birds and wildlife as well, and not only the guan.
What current projects do you have ongoing?
Besides the black-fronted piping-guan project (Projeto Jacutinga, in Portuguese), SAVE Brasil also has projects focused on other globally threatened bird species such as the blue-eyed ground-dove, marsh antwren, Alagoas antwren, bare-faced curassow, and shorebirds. We also have projects focused on priority sites for bird conservation, such as our Northeastern Atlantic Forest project and our Grasslands project.
In the projects we work with an array of strategies. For instance, species reintroduction (such as black-fronted piping-guans), forest restoration, agroforestry, habitat protection, bird monitoring and research, sustainable agricultural practices, advocacy, and of course, community engagement and outreach, with a strong focus on citizen science.
All projects involve at least four of these strategies cited above.
How do you involve the community in your work?
In all our projects we work with the local communities in different ways, involving them in different activities and trying to find ways to benefit them.
In the black-fronted piping-guan project, the community is a huge ally to our staff, not only by spreading the word about the jacutingas (black-fronted piping-guan in Portuguese), but by contributing to our monitoring efforts. Participative monitoring through citizen science plays a major role in tracking the released birds. Whenever a person from the community reports a jacutinga sighting, our team confirms that it is an individual of the species, and to reward their initiative, the project gives the person a sign and a certificate titled “Protector of the Black-Fronted Piping-Guan”. Also, local establishments support this movement and provide awards to the people that report confirmed sightings, such as a pizza, a haircut or a breakfast at a local bakery!
One of the ways that SAVE involves the community in all projects is by connecting people to nature through birdwatching. In all the sites where we work, we carry out birding outings inviting the local population. In the case of São Francisco Xavier, we promote monthly birding outings, which are always a hit!
In addition, a significant portion of our work is done on private properties. In São Francisco Xavier, for instance, all the forest restoration plots are located on ranches or small farms. The involvement of these landowners is crucial for the success of the project’s actions. We are lucky to have such amazing partners in the local communities!
Also in São Francisco Xavier, we work with a local group of seed collectors that provide the much-needed seeds for our restoration project. We have come full circle here! The guans disperse seeds, we plant new trees, and the seeds are collected to generate more trees.
How will the funds from Brevard Zoo help your organization?
The funds from Brevard Zoo are crucial for maintaining the actions of the black-fronted piping-guan project. As one can imagine, maintaining a project of this scale can be very costly, so funds from conservation focused institutions, like Brevard Zoo, are crucial to maintain the releases, monitoring, restoration and community engagement activities.
With the funds from Brevard Zoo, we will:
- Release black-fronted piping-guans in São Francisco Xavier
- Monitor the guans that have been released by the project
- Carry out a training course for the seed collectors
- Plant seeds of the native jussara palms in local farms
- Promote birding outings with the community of São Francisco Xavier
- Carry out activities with students to raise awareness about the conservation of black-fronted piping-guans and the Atlantic Forest.
By contributing to these projects, Brevard Zoo will help SAVE Brasil to fulfill our mission of establishing a viable population of black-fronted piping-guans in the wild.
Special thanks to Flammio Financial Group and Stifel-Garvin Wealth Management Group. Their generosity makes our work possible!
Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.