Fauna Forever Tambopata (FFT)

Who We Are

Fauna Forever Tambopata (FFT) is the flagship environmental research and monitoring project of Fauna Forever; a Peruvian not-for-profit organisation that manages a network of research and conservation projects, as well as training courses and workshops. Fauna Forever works in partnership with TReeS-Peru, a Peruvian conservation organisation based in Puerto Maldonado, and in close collaboration with Peru's National Parks Authority and the Research and Integrated Development Association (AIDER) who plan and oversee research and monitoring activities in the Tambopata National Reserve (TNR) and Bahuaja Sonene National Park (BSNP).

More specifically, FFT is a long-term wildlife and ecotourism monitoring project based in Puerto Maldonado that works in the TNR and BSNP and their respective buffer zones located in the Amazon rainforest of south-eastern Peru. The Tambopata area, encompassed by these two protected areas (PAs) lies on the eastern edge of the Tropical Andes biodiversity hotspot, arguably the most biodiverse region on Earth and known for its wilderness qualities. The project, which began fieldwork back in 1997, is managed by a dedicated team of Peruvian and international conservation biologists who are committed to researching and conserving Peru's biodiversity by furnishing PA managers and other rainforest users, such as ecotourism lodges, with good quality data about the temporal and spatial changes in the population structure of species, the magnitude of human impacts on species, and information about potential solutions where unwanted impacts are identified. The taxonomic groups studied include mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects (butterflies and dung beetles), and plants... oh, and humans - the project also studies the ecotourist visitors to Tambopata and local families and communities that are located close to ecotourist sites.

What We Do

FFT is using a combination of field methods, including line transects, remote camera traps, footprint traps, mist nets, point counts, quadrat searches, as well as baited and un-baited live traps, to simultaneously sample a number of wildlife groups as well as sample the intensity of forest use by ecotourists, bush meat hunters, and timber and Brazil nut extractors. With this information we identify unwanted impacts where they occur, highlight potential solutions, and communicate these solutions to decision makers such as local and national government organisations, not-for-profit conservation groups, ecotourist lodges and grassroots organisations with an interest in Tambopata, and indeed the rest of the Amazon.

Fauna Forever Tambopata has also been the catalyst for the formulation and execution of long-term conservation projects, such as the recently launched Forest Corridors Forever initiative which aims to work closely with local families, communities, government and not-for-profit organisations to develop a network of forest corridors that will cross the Interoceanica Highway, linking the Tambopata National Reserve to intact forested areas to the north of the highway, and thus maintain the ecological integrity of the Reserve, its wildlife, and rich biodiversity. Funding for the development of these corridors and incentives for locals to protect and replant their forests will come from the promotion and sale of environmental services such as carbon, biodiversity, and water credits.

By teaming up with organisations such as TReeS-Peru, AIDER, SERNANP, privately-run ecotourist lodges, schools and universities, and local families and communities, not to mention funding from the UK, Holland and USA, we are able to (i) monitor a large number of sites, (ii) provide research and natural history training opportunities to local student volunteers from Puerto Maldonado and other Peruvian cities, (iii) provide recommendations to reduce human impacts on wildlife to multiple forest users and government organisations responsible for conserving species.

Above: The growth in ecotourist numbers in Tambopata.

Why We Do it

With 100,000 people, Madre de Dios is the least populated, least developed area of Peru, and 90% of its forests are still intact. However, a number of increasingly visual threats are currently endangering these forests and their wildlife, including: i) timber extraction; ii) alluvial gold-mining; iii) unsustainable farming practices, like cattle ranching; iv) inappropriate, over-ambiguous or unregulated natural resource extraction laws; v) oil and gas prospecting; vi) land speculation; and lastly vii) poorly regulated tourism development, particularly in and around protected areas where lodges tend to congregate.

Understanding the magnitude of these threats on the forests and wildlife populations, and importantly the mechanisms (economic, political, socio-cultural) that underpin the threats is also vital if we are to provide meaningful recommendations and actions that if implemented would have a high potential of success.

There are more ant species on a single large tree in the Amazon than in the whole of the British Isles.

An intact hectare of forest puts on carbon (like humans put on weight) at a rate of 1.2 tonnes per year, sucking up a total of of 440 Million tonnes of CO2 per year across the entire Amazon.

The Amazon contains 70 Billion tonnes of carbon, that's more than 10 years worth of global, human-induced carbon dioxide emissions. (Humans generate around 6.2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year at present).

A typical hectare of forest in the Amazon has 350 tonnes of biomass (living matter) of which 175 tonnes is carbon.

The deforestation belt either side of roads in the Amazon, 30 years after construction, is 8 km for unpaved roads and 40 km for paved roads.

The forgotten corners of the Amazon still house thousands of uncontacted native indigenous people.

How It's Done

Since 1997, when the project began, and for each year that the project has run, each wildlife team has been using the same set of field methods to collect data at each site - thus ensuring that information is directly comparable over long periods of time and space. The mammal team runs day- and night-time line transects through both un-used (pristine) and used tracts of rainforest, manage a series of footprint traps, and maintain a network of remote (heat- and motion-sensitive) camera traps to record some of the 160 species of mammals in Tambopata. The bird team combines mist-net capture (handling and measurement of birds) and point count censuses to estimate the diversity, density and community composition of the avifauna population, which at last count had 645 species. The herpetology (amphibian and reptile) team maintain a number of plots in the forest which are used for line transects and timed quadrat searches during both daylight and nocturnal hours. The insect team uses baited traps (mainly fruit and other sweet and smelly substances) to sample butterflies and beetles, concentrating on a number of specially selected indicator species in each case that are sensitive to changes in habitat as a result of human activities.

Above: An hypothetical encounter by an observer with a group of animals, showing some of the basic distance data that is collected.

When We Do It

We monitor Amazon rainforest wildlife all year round. Seasonal shifts bring changes to the forest environment and thus it is important to measure the effects of such changes on wildlife populations if we are to tease out any human impacts on wildlife that may be present.

Above: The daily temperature vatiations in Tambopata in 2006 (courtesy of Explorer's Inn)

In 2010 we will conduct field research during the following periods:

Phase 10.1: 24 Jan - 04 Mar 2010

Phase 10.2: 10 Mar - 18 Apr 2010

Phase 10.3: 24 Apr - 02 Jun 2010

Phase 10.4: 08 Jun - 17 Jul 2010

Phase 10.5: 23 Jul - 31 Aug 2010

Phase 10.6: 06 Sep - 15 Oct 2010

Phase 10.7: 21 Oct - 29 Nov 2010

If you're interested in joining us on one of our field phases, take a look at out our Volunteer page to find out more and instructions on how to apply.

Meet Us

Chris Kirkby, Principal Investigator and Director

Graduate of the University of Edinburgh (1994), Chris began flooding the inboxes of every conservation organisation he could find. Month after month he eagerly awaited responses only to be turned down; he subsequently headed back to his home country of Tanzania. Eight months later he was excited to hear back from the Tambopata Jungle Lodge, asking him to be there within 2 weeks to begin guiding tourists! He couldn't resist the opportunity and left for the Peruvian Jungle. It was during his time there chatting to fellow tourguides and the Tambopata National Reserve administrator that the brainchild of FFT was formulated - to monitor the impact of tourism on wildlife in the region. 16 years on and Chris hasn't ventured far from Tambopata, in fact he is now well respected by the local communities and conservation NGO's and has acted as an advisor on many aspects of tourism and conservation. Living between Lima and Puerto Maldonado, Chris now spends his time running the Fauna Forever umbrella of projects, courses and workshops, managing Explorer's Inn Ecolodge, writing his PhD, and somehow still finds time to get his fingers into many other exciting research and conservation ventures.

Rachel Handley de Amable, Project Manager

Dave Johnston, Marketing Manager

Brian Crnobrna, Herpetofauna Team Coordinator

Naun Amable, Bird Team Coordinator

Abraham Luyo, Mammal Team Coordinator

Ashley Anne Wick, Insect Team Coordinator

Cesar Abrill, Bird Team Coordinator

Other FF Projects

FotoForever is a series of not-for-profit rainforest-based photography workshops that are set-up to run alongside the Fauna Forever Tambopata project (FFT). The workshops, which are led by acclaimed wildlife photographer Elliot Neep and his award-winning assistant Jonathan Lewis, are aimed at training the growing army of field biologists and amateur wildlife photographers in all the necessary techniques for them to take good quality and memorable images in the humid, photographically-challenging rainforest. The workshops will also provide images to be used by FFT in the production of wildlife field guides and environmental education materials.

www.fotoforever.org

Bird Ringing Forever is a series of bird ringing and banding courses managed jointly by Fauna Forever and the Center for Ornithology and Biodiversity (CORBIDI), a Peruvian not-for-profit organization, that focus on the Tambopata area. The courses are aimed at training the growing number of amateur and professional ornithologists in mist-netting, bird handing, ringing and identification techniques, and as a means of collecting valuable bird population data for inclusion in the wildlife databases of FFT and CORBIDI, alike.

www.birdringingforever.org

Permits & Policies

In 2009, the project was granted permits by the Peruvian government to undertake wildlife research within the Tambopata National Reserve and its buffer zone. Agreements have also been signed with the Association for Research and Sustainable Development (known as AIDER) who are a not-for-profit organisation responsible for planning and overseeing all research and environmental monitoring work in the Reserve.

The project aims to minimise its own impacts on the forest and wildlife by ensuring any animals that are temporarily captured, for identification, measurement and photographic purposes, are released as quickly as possible and at the site of capture. We are careful to dispose of plastics, batteries and other non-biodegradable materials in the right way, and endeavour to use as little paper as possible, preferring to communicate with as many people as possible electronically.

"I dreamed about going into the rainforest my whole life and the project fulfilled that dream. All of the sightings and experiences gained were beyond my imagination." - Martina Jurcovicova (Czech Republic)

Before arriving in Peru I prayed my experience on this project would be so great, so memorable and so unique that afterwards I wouldn't be able to imagine my life without it. My prayers have been answered. - Terry Burwell (USA)

Like other species in its former genus Agalychnis, these frogs choose to lay eggs above the water source that will be the tadpole's home in a sticky mass that waits for the best conditions of abundant prey and lack of predators. Many frog species can't breed in large permanent water bodies as they will be eaten by the various predatory residents. So tree frogs of this subfamily choose temporary water bodies, and further hedge their bets by letting their eggs develop outside of the water, hatching and dropping in later. The catch is: there are predators outside the water as well, always searching for juicy frog eggs. - Brian Crnobrna (USA)

This project isn't just another gap year programme - this is the real thing so if you're faint hearted and afraid of a challenge stay away. Everyone else will have the time of their lives! You will see and do things you won't believe and come away with stories you couldn't make up. This is not only an exclusive and prestigious experience to have completed, but it's as exciting and as genuine as volunteer projects come. - Nella Beavor (England)