Validating the Presence of Jaguars and Pumas

As top predators, carnivores are the keystone of any healthy ecosystem, but hunting and habitat loss threaten their survival in Nicaragua. Over the past few months, local farmers have reported numerous jaguar and puma sightings to Paso Pacifico biologists, while Paso Pacifico staff have directly observed large cat tracks and sighted smaller carnivores such as Ocelots and Jaguarundis.

This year, Paso Pacifico will be working to validate the presence of Jaguars and Pumas in the Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor through targeted interviews and field surveys. The Paso del Istmo Biological Corridor borders the Jaguar Conservation Unit, which is a high priority within the regional Jaguar Conservation Initiative. As the Paso del Istmo and Jaguar Conservation Unit are not separated by any major geographic barriers, the Conservation Unit has the potential to serve as a 'source' for the recovery of the jaguar population in Nicaragua.

Meanwhile, Paso Pacifico is also working to reduce the number of large cats that are killed by farmers through public awareness campaigns such as movie nights in remote villages, which bring communities together to watch educational films while learning about the negative impacts of wildlife trafficking. By rebuilding forest habitat, creating new protected areas, and educating the local communities, Paso Pacifico is building a space for the safe return of the jaguar to the Paso del Istmo.

Team Member Spotlight: Claudia Perla

A dynamo in the field, Paso Pacifico's Forester Claudia Perla manages the reforestation plans for Paso Pacifico's nine Return to Forest plantation sites, where over 200,000 native trees have been planted since 2007.

When on site, Claudia has a reputation for being "tough as nails," frequently spending the entire day in the field, braving the elements and the mud, and managing her numerous male counterparts. Her no-nonsense approach combined with her energy and excellent work ethic have helped make our Return to Forest program such a success.

LAND

We've just received this trailer for a forthcoming documentary on "the tumultuous topic of land ownership and development in politically volatile Nicaragua" in the year 2006 (and leading up the Ortega's re-election in 2007).

"The only thing we have is land," says a man at the outset.

In a story of tourism vs. terrorism, one is never quite sure who has the upper hand nor if anyone is telling the honest truth.

It's feature length and it should be interesting.

Plastic Pollution: Good News & Bad News

The bad news is Nicaragua is a hotspot for plastic bottle pollution. The good news is that our outstanding community of coastal cleanup volunteers did an excellent job of picking them up at our coastal clean up last fall. This serves two purposes: first, volunteers got the plastic away from the coastline; second, knowing where the garbage is can help prioritize global cleanup efforts.

From the International Coastal Cleanup Report:

One item collected in large numbers in a particular region can point decision-makers towards specific solutions, as in Nicaragua where volunteers found over 70,000 plastic bottles during the 2009 Cleanup—an average of 11 plastic bottles per volunteer. To put the Nicaragua statistic in perspective, only the United States picked up more bottles as a country, and the much larger US has 28 times more volunteers cleaning its shores.

Earth Day at G2 on Abbot Kinney

Earth Day with Rob Caughlan

Celebrate Earth Day's 40th Anniversary with environmental advocate and filmmaker Rob Caughlan, who will discuss A Brief History of the American Environmental Movement. Rob has been riding the waves of social change for 45 years. He co-founded Friends of the River and was the first President of the Surfrider Foundation.

Ocean Conservancy Report

Trash in Our Ocean has Become One of the Worst Pollution Problems We Face Threatening Ecosystems, Wildlife, and Coastal Economies

Data collected during the 24th annual International Coastal Cleanup provide the only global snapshot of the marine debris problem; 500,000 volunteers around the world removed 7.4 million pounds of trash from our ocean, lakes and rivers

Washington, DC – Today, Ocean Conservancy releases Trash Travels: From Our

Hands to the Sea, Around the Globe, and Through Time – the only global snapshot of

the marine debris problem facing wildlife, economies and marine ecosystems. Nearly

500,000 volunteers around the world combed their local beaches and waterways

collecting trash and recording the data during the 24th annual International Coastal

Cleanup – the largest volunteer effort of its kind. Volunteers removed and recorded 7.4

million pounds of trash in 108 countries and locations, 45 US states and the District

of Columbia. The report features Ocean Conservancy’s annual Marine Debris Index –

the world’s only country-by-country, state-by-state analysis of trash in our ocean and

waterways. Trash Travels also shines a spotlight on the growing threat of marine debris

– one of our greatest global pollution problems.

...

Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup engages volunteer organizations

and individuals to remove trash and debris from the world’s beaches and waterways; to

identify the sources of debris; and to change policies and behaviors that cause marine

debris in the first place. Visit www.oceanconservancy.org to download the report and

to find out what you can do to make a difference - including signing up for the 25th

International Coastal Cleanup to be held around the world on September 25th, 2010.

EL DlA DE LA TIERRA 2010

ECO TALLERES EN ALTERECO

CELEBRANDO EL DlA DE LA TIERRA 2010

Carla taller es de 12.30 a 2 pm
Almuerzos a precios cómodos estarán disponibles

Del Hospital Monte España, 1c y media a llago, pegado a Mama Delfina

15 Abril
Jardines FeIices con Abono Orgánico y Lombrices
Kevyn Wightman y Ligia Belli
Vivimos diariamente el problema de la basura. Desechamos una gran cantidad de residuos que se podrían aprovechar para producir un abono orgánico de alta calidad. Aprendamos aprovecharlos y devolverle algo a la tierra que tanto nos da. Tengamos "Jardines Felices con Abono Orgánico y Lombrices".

22 Abril
Paso Pacifico: Promoviendo una sociedad Nicaragüense responsabll con la Fauna Silvestre Liza Gonzalez
Presentación de un video educativo sobre la problemática alrededor de comercio ilegal de fauna silvestre en Nicaragua, sus impactos en la reducción de las poblaciones de muchas especies y un llamado a la sociedad nicaragüense a ser parte de la solución no comprando animales ni productos de fauna silvestre. Además, se presentaran productos altemativos elaborados por artesanos nicaragüenses.

Global patterns of marine turtle bycatch

A new study published in Conservation Letters provides the first global perspective of fisheries bycatch for marine turtles.

According to the study, which is based on data collected across all methods of fishing around the world from 1990-2008, the total reported bycatch over the same period was approximately 85,0000 sea turtles. The authors acknowledge that, due to under reporting in smallscale fisheries, the actual number is likely higher. Smallscale fishing operations are common along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua where we do our sea turtle conservation work, presenting an opportunity for us to learn more about this threat to sea turtle populations.

Wings Across America: 2010 Conservation Awards

International Cooperation Award:  Bird Conservation Partnerships for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability in Mesoamerica

Starting in 1996, the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry started training Nicaraguan university students and aspiring biologists, local NGO staff, and local community members in bird conservation methods and sustainable community-based tourism. The emphasis has been on migratory birds and tropical resident species, and the surrounding forest ecosystem. Programs have been designed to conserve cultural and biodiversity resources, to enhance local community and economic development, and to provide a high quality visitor experience.

The major work has taken place in across many part of Nicaragua, but smaller projects have taken place across the Caribbean and Mesoamerica. Many habitat types have been addressed including: marine, coastal and interior wetlands; dry, moist, wet, and cloud forest; elfin woodland; and coffee plantations in Nicaragua’s North and Central highlands, the endangered dry forests, costal estuaries, and marine habitats in the southern Paso del Istmo Green Corridor.

Paso Pacifico is pleased to be a part of this award-winning team led by the US Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry.