It's unbelievable!

Tambopata - Perú

It's been over a month since I first heard of this. It all began as a rumour of a project of law in Peru to reduce the size of the National Park Bahuaja Sonene, and it's heart Candamo, to let oil companies search for the black gold.

After some more reading I found out that it wasn't only a rumour, if they pass this law, the park will be reduced in 209,000 hectares! The Agriculture Ministry let former INRENA excecutive Luis Alfaro go because he wouldn't accept the proposal.



Madre de Dios is the peruvian region where Tambopata and Bahuaja Sonene are located, and as I found out, there are 615 listed birds in that area alone!
Ecotourists arrive to Madre de Dios every year to view the incredible spectacles of hundreds of parrots and macaws at clay licks. This is also one of the last strongholds of the world's largest otter (the Giant otter), jaguars, and other large wildlife.



I really recommend reading more about the subject on oil companies and conservation, like the info on Oil Crisis, and more specifically on these parks at sites like Amazon Watch or Park's Watch 2002 report to have an idea of what is this all about.

I tried to learn more about it and to find info on the other side of the coin, but it wasn't easy. I only found a few articles on the news mentioning president Alan Garcia's plans to overcome poverty on BBC News.

Please take your time to get informed and leave your mark in the world, personally I don't believe money (for just a few pockets) instead of life is a fair trade. I am not an expert, but I do care.

There are two sites that are currently collecting signatures to stop this project to become a law: Salvemos Candamo (with a section for foreign voters with more information on the laws, links to news, maps, etc) and on Care2 Petition Site.

Maybe it is because I miss home...


Less than a couple of months ago, Promperu, the Government Office that should promote all the wonders of my homeland, changed the old microsite dedicated to birding they used to have on their website for a brand new one, that can be accessed from Peru Birding Routes and has details on birding routes (printed screen here shows the map of the country divided in North, Center and South), they also have a multimedia section with pictures, audios and videos and a section they call utilities, with their publications, bird listings, links, forum, postcards, etc.

Last September 2007, Peru organized its very first International Birdwatching Fair (International Nature Bird Fair), trying to promote its wonders, in an effort to place the country among the favorite destinations, specially for extreme birders, as many services to make the regions "visitor's friendly" are not yet adecuate.

Anyway, it's great to know that finally someone saw the potential of the region, let's just hope that it grows without damaging the enviroment and involving the native communities in the development of projects and education for conservation.