Happy New Year! - Neotropical Primate Conservation

Volume No. 22
January 2013
Newsletter
Neotropical Primate
Conservation
Yellow tailed woolly monkey
Happy New Year!
We wish all of you a very happy new year and hope for a great 2013! The 2012 end of
year report for our conservation Project in Peru is now available online:
http://neoprimate.org/news/lang/en/
Four more Concessions for Conservation are now officially
registered
Four areas we have been working on for the last four years, totalling
nearly 70,000 ha are now formally created. These secure a safe
home to many primates including the Endemic Andean night
monkey (Aotus miconax) and the Critically Endangered Andean titi
monkey (Callicebus oenanthe), which was recently added to the list
of the worlds 25 most endangered primate species. All four reserves
are to be run by associations of villagers from communities
neighbouring each area;
• El Gran Simacahe, 51,269 ha, run by the ‘Association of
Farmers for the Conservation of the Natural Forests of
Simacahe’ in cooperation with the indigenous group ‘Kichwa
Federation of Huallaga Dorado’.
•
• Jardines del Angel del Sol, 7,174 ha, run by the ‘Association
of Farmers La Primavera’ (APALP).
•
• Tres Quebradas, 4,176 ha, run by the ‘Association for the
protection and conservation area Tres Quebradas’.
•
• Shitariyacu, 1,590 ha, run by the ‘Association for Sustainable
Development of Ricardo Palma’.
These reserves are made in coordination between the local
associations, NPC, The Ronda Campesina, Proyecto Mono Tocon,
the regional government of San Martin and the Peruvian Society for
Environmental Justice. The official celebration of the reserves was
organized by the Regional Government of San Martin and took place
on the 21st of December in the city of Juanjui with the participation
of the regional president, many officials, press and hundreds of
people. The associations and us are extremely happy and content
with these results and are ready to make sure these areas and the
wildlife which inhabit them are receiving the best protection
possible.
Neotropical Primate Conservation
www.neoprimate.org
info@neoprimate.org
The presidents of each Association
receiving the Resoluciones for each of the
reserves from representatives of the San
Martin regional government at an event
held in the city of Juanjui held on the 21 st of
December last year.

Volumen No. 22
Enero 2013
Newsletter
Neotropical Primate
Conservation
Yellow tailed woolly monkey
Hocion - the first protected area under a new conservation model developed by NPC and the Ronda Campesina
On the 22nd of November the village of Líbano celebrated the launch of Hocicon, a 505.9 ha protected area which is the
world’s first Ronda Run Conservation Area (ARCA), under a new conservation model which creates protected areas
managed by this grassroots organization.
The Ronda Campesina is a network of autonomous, civil organizations, aimed at self-protection and civil justice in the
rural Peruvian countryside where state control is insufficient. It is the largest and most influential grassroots movement in
Northeastern Peru and our best ally for conservation. As a grassroots indigenous organization, the Ronda has the legal
right to declare conservation areas in rural districts.
The ARCAs have a double impact; firstly they allow fast and effective conservation from local initiatives. People that live
in and near the forests demonstrate high environmental consciousness and a capacity to administrate protection in rural
areas that state agencies cannot match; and secondly, these reserves focus attention on state conservation systems that
necessitate high economic investment and lengthy bureaucratic processes, excluding local people and missing out on many
opportunities for conservation by a population that does not have the means or academic expertise to follow traditional
conservation courses. ARCAs have to potential to fill gaps in critical areas of the regional and national protected areas
systems in Peru.
About 350 people took part in the event, including local and regional political authorities, Ronda members from
neighbouring villages, teachers, school children, press and NGOs; Everyone congratulated the Ronda for taking this
initiative for conservation and promised their help in promoting and protecting “Hocicón“. This reserve protects an area of
tropical Andean cloud forest, one of the most diverse biomes on earth. During visits for biological inventories many
endangered and endemic species were recorded including the Andean night monkey (Aotus miconax), only found in the
departments of Amazonas and San Martin, the Endangered white bellied spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth), jaguars, tapirs
and many more.
Neotropical Primate Conservation
www.neoprimate.org
info@neoprimate.org

Volumen No. 22
Enero 2013
Newsletter
Neotropical Primate
Conservation
Yellow tailed woolly monkey
The fight against wildlife traffic
Recently we have been involved in the rescue of animals from the ‘Chacra de Mi Amigo’ recreation centre
which was illegally keeping many animals. The rescue was organized by the San Martin wildlife authorities,
with help from us and the Ikama Peru rescue centre. The recreation centre's owners violently opposed the
operation and physically attacked the rescuers. They also repeatedly threatened NPC members. Therefore, the
authorities decided that it was too dangerous and we were only able to rescue 3 of the animals: a capuchin
monkey, a parrot and an endangered white-bellied spider monkey. We are hoping to return with many more
police to be able to rescue the rest of the 30 animals which found at the centre in terrible conditions. We will
also follow the legal process against the owners to make sure they are punished adequately for wildlife
trafficking and physical aggression. Please, never pay for tourist attractions that exhibit wildlife!!!!
Our new publication, in the scientific journal Endangered Species Research, tells about wildlife trafficking and
state attempts at control in Amazonas and San Martin. It details the results of 4 years of investigation recording
all wildlife we found extracted from the wild and its destined purpose. Also, it looks at the work of the wildlife
authorities and the problems they face. The results show that international schemes such as the IUCN Red List,
CITES, the Biodiversity Hotspots, and even national laws, do not offer sufficient protection to the habitats or
species they are aimed to protect because local and regional politics override them. The article suggests that
increasing small scale projects with a strong on-the-ground presence is the best way to fight illegal wildlife
trafficking. A recommendation we are applying in our work in north-eastern Peru.
....AND A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS!
Apenhuel Primate Conservation Trust, Primate Conservation inc, American Society of Primatologists,
International Primatological Society, Primate Society of Great Britain, Primate Conservation inc, IPPL UK,
IPPL US, La Vallee des Singes, CommunityConservation, Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, Science
Agency Network, IPPL, Wild Futures, National Geographic Society, and Restore UK. And to all of you who
have donated over the past 12 months, Thank you and please continue your support.
Neotropical Primate Conservation
www.neoprimate.org
info@neoprimate.org