Jocotoco Antpitta Discovery Sparks Ecuador Conservation
The 1997 discovery of a new bird species, the jocotoco antpitta, led to the creation of the Jocotoco Foundation.
The chance discovery of a previously unknown bird in southern Ecuador in 1997 catalyzed one of the world's most successful private conservation networks. Ornithologist Robert Ridgely's team heard a strange call, recorded it, and lured out a large, distinctive ground-dwelling bird, which local farmers called the 'jocotoco'.
Ridgely knew the species was special and that saving it required protecting its forest home. He and colleagues founded the Jocotoco Foundation in 1998 to buy and restore land. Today, the foundation protects and manages 19 reserves across Ecuador, covering approximately 50,000 hectares. It also manages a further 82,000 hectares of private and communal land.
A Model for Habitat Protection
The foundation's model focuses on habitat restoration and local employment. It plants native trees or allows natural regeneration. Park guards from nearby communities protect reserves from illegal logging, grazing, and poaching, using camera traps and audio recorders for monitoring. These tools track key species, and nest boxes are provided to encourage breeding where natural tree cavities are scarce.
A recent study in the Canandé reserve showed rapid ecological recovery. On lands managed for biodiversity for three decades, 90% of the biomass and 90% of the species found in nearby mature forests had returned. While the species mix is not identical, 75% of the original old-growth forest species were present.
Safeguarding Global Biodiversity
The network is a haven for rare species. The reserves are home to more than 1,350 bird species. This represents 80% of Ecuador's birdlife and roughly one in eight of all bird species on Earth. The foundation also works with communities by employing local rangers and creating jobs in wildlife tourism.
Mike Parr, president of the American Bird Conservancy, praised the approach. "Beyond safeguarding Ecuador’s rarest birds, migrating species and incredible overall biodiversity, Jocotoco’s strategic integration of ecotourism, public awareness, community engagement and scientific research are world class," he said.
From Parakeets to Condors
The foundation's work protects species beyond the antpitta. At the Buenaventura reserve, visitors can search for the El Oro parakeet, a parrot discovered in 1980 with a population under 1,000. In the high-altitude Chakana reserve, the endangered Ecuadorian hillstar hummingbird thrives alongside Andean condors.
Andean condor numbers have fallen rapidly due to poisoning, but they are returning to areas like Chakana. Dr. Martin Schaefer, chief executive of Jocotoco, remains optimistic. "The power to restore what we have lost is in our hands," he said.
Ian J Davidson of BirdLife International calls the foundation's reserves a network of protected habitat 'arks'. He states their work "is a global conservation success story, an inspiring example of what determination, science and long-term stewardship can achieve for nature."
