The guano islands of Peru: the once and future management of a renewable resource

DAVID C. DUFFY

SUMMARY Anchoveta populations remained low for a decade and the remaining fishery switched to sardina S ardinops T h e Peruvian coastal guano islands and headlands have o cellata, a slightly larger fish that could be canned. Fish­ been among Ihc world’s best and worst managed of ing pressure continued on the anchoveta, supposedly to seabird nesting areas. The islands contained enormous keep it from recovering and ouicompeting the sardina, deposits of seabird excreta or guano which was mined but in reality because fishmeal could be sold for hard for fertilizer in the nineteenth century. In the early twen­ currency on the international market, whereas sardina tieth century, with guano deposits exhausted and bird was sold domestically. Following the collapse of the populations almost exterminated by the exploiters, the anchoveta stock, seabird numbers only partially recov­ Peruvian government nationalized the islands and be­ ered and the guano industry abandoned many islands gan to manage them as a sustainable resource, protect­ and headlands. Money for management sharply de­ ing the birds, im proving their nesting sites, and taking creased as the government has struggled to pay for Pe­ only (he annual accumulations of guano. ru ' s international debt and for a protracted conflict with Populations of the three pnnctpal guano-producing two guerrilla movements. Hyperinflation has further species, the Guanay Cormorant Phalacrocorax eroded the government’s ability to manage its natural bougainvilli, Peruvian Booby Sula variegata, and Pe­ resources. ruvian Brown Pelican Pelecanus ( occidentalis) Ihagus The situation is extremely unpromising, but there recovered sufficiently so that their nesting colonies be­ are three elements that provide hope. First, guano is the came space-limited. The Peruvians responded by fenc­ ideal organic fertilizer and could be sold overseas for ing coastal headlands with predator-proof walls and the hard currency to the large and growing organic farming guano bird population increased ever further. In the muvement, as is being done with Namibian guano. Sec­ 1960s, a commercial fishmeal industry developed for ond, private and local efforts, such as those working to the anchoveta Engraulis ringens, the main food o f the preserve Punta San Juan, a major penguin nesting area seabirds, leading to competition with the guano indus­ in southern Peru, provide a model for non-governmen­ try. Guano harvests fell to low levels. By 1972, the fish­ tal management and protection of nesting areas. Finally, ery hud a vast excess capacity of boats and fishmeal if Peru can overcome its political and security problems, plants and began to collapse because of low returns on it w ill again be a major destination for the nature tour­ investment. The collapse was accelerated by fishing ism industry. The guano islands, only one o f which is during the 1972 El Niño, an oceanographic anomaly presently visited by a tourist boat, could become an im­ linked to reproductive failure of the anchoveta. portant component of such tourism.

HE eastern boundary currents of the world's agement o f natural resources in such areas is subject oceans are among the most productive o f ma­ to conflicting needs by different exploiters (Schaefer Trine environments, originally supporting rich 1970, Butter worth et al. 1988) and to complex inter­ and diverse marine communities (Hutchinson 1950, actions between exploited species (MacCall 1984). Cushing 1971). More recently, these ecosystems have The Peruvian Coastal Current or Humboldt been severely over-exploited by humans, resulting upwelling is an excellent example of the problems in [he collapse of exploited fishery populations. Man­ facing such ecosystems. O riginally endowed with

HirHI ife C onservation Sorieb d QcWl no. 1 : Guano Islands of Peru enormous stocks of marine birds, mammals and fish, ‘guano islands’ , those islands sufficiently large and the upwelling’ s resources were over-exploited, leav­ frequently used by the main guano-producing ing an impoverished resource base that makes a seabirds to merit protection, and ‘ non-guano’ islands, greatly diminished contribution to the national which are either very small or larger, higher, and more economy compared with previously (Schweigger disturbed than most of the guano islands (e.g. El 1964). In addition, the El Niño phenomenon, a tem­ Fronton, a prison island in Callao harbour at Lima; porary collapse of the upwelling’s productivity San Lorenzo, also in Callao harbour; and San Galian, (Walsh 1977), has made management o f resources o ff Paracas). Lobos de Tierra and Lobos de Afuera, d ifficu lt because of the year-to-year uncertainty and both o ff northern Peru, and La Vieja south o f Paracas its damage to the national infrastructure (Caveides also have relatively few guano birds relative to their 1975, del Solar 1983, Am tz 1986). total area, but guano production has been sufficient to merit protection by guards.

ISLAND TYPE AND DESCRIPTION______Terrain, habitats and community Island types With the exception of the larger islands, most of the The islands o f Peru have been discussed by Murphy islands do not have beaches and are cliff-bound, some (1925), Vogt (1942) and Hutchinson (1950), among requiring elaborate gantries to allow access. In other others. There are at least 84 islands (Anon. 1962). as cases, the shores are less vertical but are rendered welt as countless small offshore stacks (Figure 1). inaccessible by oceanic waves and swell. A few is­ Combined with the coastal headlands used by guano lands such as Lobos de Tierra, two o f the Chincha birds, the total nesting area available for birds is 8,116 Island group and one o f the Ballestas have low-en­ ha (Gonzalez 1952), The islands can be divided into ergy sand or pebble beaches. Many of the less dis­ turbed beaches are presently occupied by sea-lions 84° BCT ^ 76° Otaria flavescens. Isolated rock ledges and seacaves are often occupied by southern fu r seals A rcto­ cephalus australis. The surrounding waters are usu­ ally very deep, dropping o ff to hundreds o f metres. ZONES n PAITA V PERU The islands themselves are mostly o f andésite, I 1V2 extensively undercut on their lower portions with fre­ 3 . 4 - y s quent seacaves and tunnels. The upper portions of II 6-11 CHIMBOTE the islands were formerly covered with thick depos­

12-\.13 its of guano (Hutchinson 1950). A ll o f the original guano beds have been removed, leaving bedrock and oV'SpGÄLLAÖ 21-23 --24 gravel and at most two or three years of guano. IV 26-29 (»» Except for Isla Lobos de Tierra in the far north 30,31*.32 where a single Prosopis chilensis tree occurred PACIFIC 333 ? SAN ju a n (Murphy 1925) until about 1978 when it was cut 35” OCEAN II J-x down (pers. obs.) and the high islands o f San Galian, VI 3 8 'V jt-O 39 ^ La Vieja and San Lorenzo where ‘loma’ fog-zone 0 200 40 km vegetation occurs at upper elevations, the islands are ___ i______i—.—-—I------i ------1—„1------1------—j ____ 1______I L virtually devoid of vascular plants (a few exist where 84* SO0 75r 72> w planted and maintained by humans). The food chains Figure 1. Distribution of Peruvian seabird guano is­ are relatively short: detritivores and parasites exploit lands and headlands by zones (after Tovar and the birds or their by-products. The detritivores are Cabrera 1985): Zone I: I. Lobos de Tierra (1 ), Lobos eaten by predatory arthropods including scorpions, de Afuera (2), I. Macabí (3); Zone II: 1. Guñape S. (4), 1. Guñape N. (5), I. Chao (6), 1. Corcovado (7), I. Santa spiders and a lizard, w ith ants being almost com­ (B), I. Blanca N. (9), I. Ferroi (10), I. Tortuga (11); Z one pletely absent (Murphy 1921, Duffy 1983a, 1991). ill: Pta Culebra (12), Pta Colorado (13), Pta Liera (14), The parasites include mallophaga, hippoboscid flies I. Don Martin (15), Pta Salinas (1 6), I. Huampanu (1 7), and ticks (Murphy 1921 ). The argasid tick Ornitho- I. Mazorca (18), I. Pescadores (19), I. lsleta(20);ZONE doros amblus reaches sufficiently high levels o f in ­ IV: I. La Cruz (21 ), I. Palominos (22), I. Cavinzas (23), festation to force birds to abandon their nests and I. Pachacamac (24), 1. Asia (25), I. Chincha N. (26), I. Chincha C. (27), I. Chinea S. (28), I. Ballestas (29); young, and can inhibit breeding altogether (D uffy Zone V: 1. La Vieja (30), I. Sta Rosa (31 ), Pta Lomrtas 1983a). A lizard was introduced to several islands to (32), Pta San Juan (33), Pta Lomas (34); Z one VI: Pta control the ticks (Vogt 1939), but this may be inef­ Atico (35), Pta La Chira (36), Pta Islay (37), Pta Jesus y fective because the breeding seabirds are aggressive Cocotea (38), Pta Coles (39), Morro Sama (40). to lizards and exclude them from the colonies (Duffy

69 D. C. Duffy

1983a). Cats and rats arc known to occur on a number ‘ Saturnalia’ (Murphy 1981), as guano was used to o f islands, but their effect on seabirds is unknown. maintain the productivity of farms feeding the in­ dustrializing cities of Europe and North America. Seabird species and recent changes Guano was mined and the young birds were fed to There are 18 species of seabirds nesting on guano the workers (Murphy 1981). The removal of the islands or along the coast in the upwclling area of guano substrate probably greatly reduced numbers coastal Peru (M urphy 1936). The most important of Peruvian Diving-petrels and Inca Tcms (Hutch­ numerically are the Guanay Cormorant Phalacro­ inson 1950). and probably also Humboldt Penguins. corax bougainvilli and the Peruvian Booby Sula By 1900, there was little remaining guano and variegata which together comprised 92fi of all few birds. The European and North American inter­ seabirds off central Peru in 1977-1978 (Duffy ests that had controlled the islands as surety for Pe­ 1983b). Peruvian Brown Pelicans Pelecanus ru's national debts relinquished most o f them, the (occidentalis) thagus, present onlv in small numbers last remaining in British possession until the early in Central Peru, are more abundant on the northern 1920s. In 1909, the Peruvians made a remarkable islands of I.obos de Tierra and Lobos de Afuera. The decision that stands as one o f the first and most ef­ relative abundances o f the species have varied con­ fective examples o f sustainable exploitation of a natu­ siderably over the past several centuries, in apparent ral population by a government. Peru created a response to human disturbance, excavation o f the national company called La Compañía Admin­ guano layer, and commercial fishing pressure istradora del Guano (The Guano Administration (Hutchinson 1950, Jordán and Fuentes 1966). Company) to manage the islands and to restore guano Other species, present in small numbers compared production. with the cormorant and booby, include: Humboldt Two or four guards were placed on each island. Penguin Sphenisi us humboldti, Peruvian Diving-pet- Their main responsibilities were to keep unauthor­ rel Pelecanoides garnoti, four storm-petrels ized visitors o ff the islands, and to maintain the docks, (Hydrobatinac), Red-legged Cormorant Phalacro­ buildings and equipment. The guards, trained by corax gaimardi , Neotropical Cormorant P. o liv ­ Peruvian scientists, made regular observations, aceous. and Inca Tcm Larosterna inca (M urphy sketching the distribution and breeding status o f the 1936). Blue-footed Boobies Sula nebouxii nest only birds on maps of each island, Those sketch maps were on Lobos de Tierra and Lobos de Afuera in northern then used to make fairly precise estimates o f the Peru (Murphy 1936). amount o f guano produced (Jordán 1960, Valdivia ! 960) and the harvest effort that would be needed to remove the guano. HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS AND To increase llte numbers o f breeding birds, the THEIR SEABIRDS______company began to clear stones and to smooth slopes, The population dynamics of Peruvian seabirds arc building walls to retain guano and increase boohy most affected by two factors: the El Niño phenom­ nesting at c liff edges. The government passed laws enon and human exploitation and competition (Jordán to restrict boat and aircraft operations near islands and Fuentes 1966, D uffy and Siegfried 1987). Dur­ and closed fishery areas surrounding the islands. ing the Inca period, disturbing the guana islands in The islands' infrastructure was elaborate. Most the breeding season was a capital offence (Vogt o f the inhabited islands have extensive housing on 1942), Guano was used as fertilizer by the Incas on their leeward sides (pers. obs.) which was used for the adjacent mainland (Garcilaso de la Vega 1609, administration and housing o f officials during guano Buse 1972), although the extent o f this practice has removal. The guards usually lived in less elaborate been questioned (Vogt 1942). The early Spanish used cabins. During periods of guano extraction, the guano eggs in mortar while constructing the city of Lima workers slept in makeshift tents in the nesting areas, (M. Plenge in Duffy et al. Í9S4). This would have although dormitories were provided on some islands. greatly disturbed breeding at islands near Lima, but Hospitals or dispensaries were staffed during most its effect on the adult birds is unknown. Overall, there guano extraction efforts, although the level of medi­ are three principal determinants of past events and cal care varied widely and was frequently not main­ future prospects for Peruvian colonially breeding tained at the level set by the central administration. seabirds: exploitation (guano industry), competition Water was provided by a tanker which pumped wa­ (commercial fisheries) and policy direction (politics). ter into concrete cisterns as required. Some islands had running water, but the majority did not. Guano industry Guano removal after 1909 occurred only outside In the mid-nineteenth century, the discovery of gua­ the breeding season during winter, even though seas no's value as a fertilizer led to a ‘guano rush’ or are much rougher during that period. Several hun-

70 D. C. Duffy ity woiiid have to be reduced by 50 to 75% and fac­ o f the Instituto del Mar, the national marine research tories by 25%; if not, rising fixed costs of idle ves­ institute, continue to study and monitor the guano sels combined with a reduction in reproductive birds and the anchoveta, despite low salaries and lim ­ success of anchoveta during El Niño would eventu­ ited operating funds. ally cause the collapse of the fishery. In 1972, that dire prediction came true. To salvage the situation, Marine pollution most of the anchoveta fishery was nationalized and Pollution seems to have been relatively unimportant the new public company PESCA PERU began to (D u ffy etal. 1984). There is relatively little river dis­ scrap much o f its newly acquired assets. Peru’s coast charge. Surface transport of waters is generally o ff­ became a graveyard o f fishing boats, either tugging shore, so oil is likely to be dispersed quickly and oiled aimlessly at anchor or arrayed in neat rows in the birds unlikely to be washed ashore on beaches (Vogt desert, waiting to be cut up for scrap. Meanwhile the 1942). The incidence of oil spillage near breeding anchoveta failed to recover and the sardina Sardinops colonies appears to be minor, but may be locally a ocellata became increasingly common (Zuzunaga problem in harbours where pollution controls are 1985). casual (pers. obs.). Persistent organochlorine pollut­ The fishing industry remaining in private hands ant and mercury levels also are low (Anderson et al. was directed by law to fish for food for human con­ 1980, Gochfeld 1980, Risebrougheía/. 1980), prob­ sumption. Unfortunately, such landings were paid for ably also because o f offshore transport. in Peruvian currency which became steadily less at­ tractive because o f inflation. Fishmeal could be ex­ Economics and politics ported and paid for in hard currencies. Private fishing In some ways, Peru’s present problems can be traced ventures soon exploited a government regulation that to the 1972 collapse of the anchoveta fishery and the fish unfit for human consumption could be turned fishmeal industry'. The fishmeal industry had gener­ into fishmeal by the companies. Fishing vessels ei­ ated a new source of income for the country’s ther delayed returning to port or paid grossly economy, 350 million dollars in 1969-1970, not con­ undersalaried fishery inspectors to ‘ look the other trolled by the traditional upper class, but run at least w ay’ . In addition, the government appears to have in part by a new entrepeneurial class (Abramovich had a policy that the anchoveta were deliberately 1973). Jobs for 27,000 people employed by the new overfished to prevent their recovery in the belief that industry absorbed and further stimulated much o f the this would maintain the sardina stock. early migration of Peruvians to the cities from tradi­ The result for the guano birds w as that their food tional Andean fanning communities (Hammergren remained scarce and bird numbers did not recover. 1981). This community became a strong constitu­ The resulting low rate of guano production made it ency for the leftist military government of Velasco uneconomic to continue to maintain guards on many that attempted to revolutionize Peruvian society af­ o f the bird islands. The small numbers of birds that ter seizing power in 1968. did attempt to nest on those unprotected sites fell vic­ The Velasco government decided to modernize tim to eggers and other disturbance, further lim iting Peru through heavy social spending (Tomczak 1981). the ability of their populations to recover. At the This in turn generated a large foreign debt that, be­ present time, the guano administration, now pan of cause o f falling prices for Peruvian minerals and the the national fishmeal company, places guards only sharp price increases in petroleum, could not be re­ on islands with relatively large colonies and contin­ paid without diverting money needed for investment ues to harvest guano. Its managers and the scientists in the growth of Peru’s economy. The promises made

48- 0 1957 1953 1976 1 4 O < m w ANCHOVIES- w o oc at Figure 2. Changes in O z GUANO guano bird numbers < D BIRDS and commercial land­ (d ings of anchoveta in relation to El Niño oc­ 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 currences (after Jordán YEAR 1982)*

72 Guano Islands of Peru by the Velasco government to the Andean campesino ary 1991), restore security, provide real government population would not be kept by subsequent centrist services to neglected Andean regions, repay the crip­ or right-wing military and civilian governments pling foreign debt, and make massive investments which needed further international loans for growth. of funds to stimulate the economy. Even the likeli­ The Andes became fertile ground for the resurgence hood o f progress in any one of these problem areas o f leftist guerrilla groups, the Sendero Luminoso and over the short term seems slim. Tupac Amaru (Bonner 1988). These in turn stimu­ Unfortunately, if the larger problems cannot be lated increased military spending by the government solved, it is unlikely that those o f the guano birds to suppress the movements and to maintain control and their islands can he solved either. The ecologi­ of the country, further reducing the availability of cal crisis of Peru’ s coastal ecosystem is aggravated funds necessary for social programmes and economic by Peru's larger crisis of economic and governmen­ revival. tal collapse. Existing pressures for protein and for­ The penultimate president, the leftist Alan Garcia, eign export w ill continue to ‘ fo rce ’ the use o f suspended payment of foreign debt to restore social management strategies thai may not always be in the spending. He then nationalized the banking industry best long-term interests o f the country, but are a short­ which led to a massive exodus of private capital and term necessity. Successful management o f coastal a collapse of the financial system. Meanwhile, the resources w ill include a broadening of lile forms of Peruvian military, trained basically to fight conven­ exploitation, away from an excessive, sequential re­ tional wars against Chile or Ecuador, blundered liance on a single fish species, so that the economy through the Andes and, through excessive and indis­ is buffered against changes in particular resources. criminate use of force and through 'disappearances' This will require state-1 imitation of exploitation of o f peasants, converted neutral campesinos to guer­ various resources such as purse-seining, and encour­ rilla sympathizers (Bonner 1988). agement of other forms of exploitation such as tour­ The guerrillas acquired control of the coca-grow­ ism and guano harvesting. Regrettably, Peru’s ing areas o f northern Peru and thus had a stable source economic problems and resulting political instabil­ of foreign currency from the protection funds paid ity make it difficu lt to establish a national consensus by the cocaine cartels (Anderson 1990). This financed and to chart a stable management strategy. increased guerrilla violence, much o f it simply ter­ rorism and assassination aimed at any and all social NATURE OF THE MANAGEMENT TASK structures. The military, restrained by President Garcia following particularly brutal actions against The economic and political realities o f present-day prison uprisings (one on the seabird island o f Fronton: Peru make traditional conservation efforts irrelevant see Rivadeneira cl at. 1986). simply stayed in their or at best ineffective. Conservation plans, especially barracks with the result that control o f the country by outsiders, would seem to be mere paper exercises. slipped increasingly into guerrilla hands or into an­ However, there arc a number of things that can be archy (Bonner 1988). done, both lo lessen the damage during the present In 1990 (Guillermopricto 1990), Peruvian voters and to sow the seeds for future solutions on the coast. expressed their disdain with traditional politics by electing a newly established party to form the gov­ What can be done ernment. That government is headed by a newcomer, As in so many cases in developing nations, and in Alberto Fujimori, whose liberal campaign promises Latin America in particular, the problems are not were followed by highly conservative economic ecological, rather they are social. Peruvian scientists moves designed to suppress inflation, which was es­ do not need advice on managing their birds; their timated to be 7,650% in 1990 (New York Times. 14 marine sciences are well developed (Zuta and Flores January 1991). 1980). Peruvians developed methods that proved their Although controlling inflation is an essential first worth in the sustainable harvest o f guano while North step, the Peruvian crisis is so profound and m ultifac­ Americans and Europeans were still market hunting eted thai it resists description and probably defies or indulging in the plume trade (Doughty 1975). In solution. Any solution must address the 80% urban fact, Peruvian managers of renewable resources have unemployment rate, feed the 30% of the population a great deal to teach us. dependent on emergency food supplies for survival, Nevertheless, they need our help. Peruvian sci­ reduce an infant mortality rate that ranges up to 275 entists have minimal resources that must be stretched per 1,000 (Bonner 1988). make it economically vi­ from the beleagured rainforests of Peru to the guano able for coca-growing farmers to switch to other islands o f the coast. They face assassination or m ur­ crops, reducing a cocaine traffic estimated at 1.5 b il­ der by guerrillas and drug lords. Their study sites are lion dollars (U.S.) in 1990 [New York Times, 14 Janu­ often reached on roads that are ‘near-death’ experi-

73 D. C. Duffy enees. They have little access to books (Cooley and ganized a protective wardening system and the main­ Golley 1989) and certainly cannot afford to subscribe tenance of the point’ s infrastructure to protect a breed­ to foreign scientific journals, some costing more than ing colony of the threatened Humboldt Penguin and a biologist's annual salary {D u lfy and Cooley 1990), a major group of fur seals (Patricia Majluf unpubh). Many Peruvian professionals, even university pro­ Given the government’ s lack of resources, such pri­ fessors. earn as little as US$50 a month íGuiII- vate efforts may be the best way to manage and pro­ ermoprieto 1990); many more are perennial students tect many guano islands and biologically significant who earn only a few dollars from a variety o f jobs to sites. Financing might come from a careful, be able to continue their work. Such a lifestyle Is Galapagos-style tourism where visitors are confined common among biologists in Latin America from to paths or view the birds from blinds or hides. Un­ Tierra del Fuego to Mexico, but few have incomes fortunately, formal control o f San Juan has remained and a standard o f living as low as do Peruvians. with the government which has continued to exploit The most important goal o f the international com­ the guano on the headland, causing considerable dis­ munity may be to help ensure that Peru retains its turbance to breeding Humboldt Penguins, which nest resource managers and biologists, by supporting them in winter, the normal period for guano harvesting. through journal exchanges, book donations, travel Leaving the guano unharvested would provide support, fellowships, and cooperative projects substrate for burrowing penguins and other seabirds (Pearson 1985, Cooley and Golley 1989, Duffy which could then be used to attract tourists. This 1989a). We can also pressure international aid or­ means that over the longer term guano may he more ganizations, such as ihe W orld Bank and the Bank valuable to both the local and national economies on for International Development, and bilateral aid bod­ the ground than harvested. Punta San Juan is an im ­ ies such as the U.S. Agency for International Devel­ portant experiment or pilot project for the develop­ opment, to employ Peruvians, especially younger ment of such management. Fortunately the proposed ones, as consultants on projects. That should be done project has received support from international rather than continuing the present practice of relying sources, such as the Noyes Foundation and W ildlife on ‘quickie visits’ from Northern Hemisphere ‘ex­ Conservation International, support that is essential perts’ to assess problems and recommend solutions to obtain governmental agreement. (Duffy 1989b). A consultant’s fee for one month of Finally, guano is a powerful organic fertilizer that work in Peru could support a Peruvian biologist for is already widely sold in Germany (6.95DM or one year or more. Over time, such investments in US$4.50 per kg). Imported guano is ’cut’ or diluted skilled residents w ill produce far more meaningful with the less rich guano o f domestic chickens before and longlasting results for science and development being sold to consumers. Most or all o f the guano on than could be produced by foreign consultants. sale in Germany comes from Namibia, although some We can also support the conservation of Peru’s imports have come from Peru in the past (O. Leo resources by visiting them as tourists. The typical Farje pers. comm.). Given European and North tourist route emphasizes Cuzco and Macchu Pichu American interests in natural ‘chemical-free’ garden­ in the Andes, but the Paracas and Nazca regions, w ith ing, the future market for Peruvian guano could ap­ their mixture of ruins, earth lines, and guano islands proach that of the nineteenth century. Presently, only are also visited. Only a single boat goes lo the lim ited marketing has been done and exports have Ballestas islands o ff Paracas, but there are a number been erratic (Zuta and Flores 1980), Part of the prob­ of other islands that are equally interesting lo visit, lem may be related to reduced supplies follow ing El such as the Chinchas, Isla San Gallan and Isla La Niño. Nevertheless, if Northern Hemisphere garden­ Vieja, as well as whale and seabird watching at sea. ers were to begin demanding guano, this might form Given the strong Peruvian cntrcpenurial trait, such the best and least demanding aid that developed na­ destinations would soon be exploited if demanded tions can give to Peruvian seabirds. by tourists and associated conservation groups. Unfortunately, the increasing possibility of ter­ rorist activity in Peru restricts visits to those regions CONCLUSIONS ______considered safe. The situation is likely to deteriorate Competition with a commercial fishery and political still further over the short term, so expansion o f the changes, most far removed from the Peruvian ’ nature tourism’ industry may have lo await the re­ upwclling ecosystem, have led to a bird community turn of more stable political conditions. that is a frail shadow o f what it was before the 1960s. The Peruvian islands and headlands are presently The clearest lesson from all this may be that biologi­ managed by PESCA PERU, except for Punta San cal and conservation measures, no matter how ra­ Juan. A l Punta San Juan, a private group headed by tional and scientifically justified, may play little role Dr Patricia Majluf of Cayetano University, has or­ in management decisions concerning seabirds, com-

74 Gunno Islands oí Peru pared with economic and political forces. Effective guano birds of Peru. P ro r. U.S. N um . Mus. 56: 449 -5 1 1. conservation will take political and economical re­ C o o l e y , J. H . a n d G o l l e y , F. B. (19891 Restraints to alities into consideration, either working around them communication for ecologists in developing countries. or contribuí ing to their removal. In terms of Peruvian BiaSeienee 39: 805-809. C u s h in g , D . H. (1971) Upwelling and the production of seabirds, we can either save fragments of the eco­ fish. Adv. Mar. Biol. 9: 255-334. system or we can work toward an exploitation of the D o u g h t y , R. W . ( 1975) Feather fashions and bird presets Peruvian upwelling ecosystem that places importance vanon: a study in nature protection. Berkeley: Univer­ on birds. The former may represent only ‘rearranging sity California Press. deckchairs on the Titanic', while the latter is part r>f D ijk f y . D. C. (1983a) The ecology of tick parasitism on a larger solution of which seabirds are only a very densely nesting Peruvian seabirds. E cology 64; 110-119. small part. Although the situation is not a promising D u l l y, D . C . (1983b) The loraging ecology o f Peruvian one, the many young Peruvian biologists and con­ .seabirds. A uk 100: 800-81(1. D u l l y, D . C. ( 1983c) Competition for nesting space among servationists offer us the hope that if something can Peruvian guano birds. A uk 100: 6 80-688. be done, they w ill try to do it. We owe them our sup­ D u e e y, D. C. (1 9 8 3 d ) Environmental uncertainty and port and gratitude. commercial fishing: effects on Peruvian guunu birds.B iol. C onserv. 26: 227-238 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS D u l l y, D . C. ( 1989a) Literature sharing: some eisting pro­ grams. IN I FICOI. Newslett. 19: 2. This paper is dedicated lo (.>. F. Hutchinson whose classic D u f f y, D. C. ( 1989b) Set asides, a means of funding ecolo­ publication The biogeftchrmi\iry of vertebrata excretion gists in developing countries. 1NTECOL Newslett. 19: 3. (1950) forms the basis for all research on the ecology of D uffy, D. C. ( 1991) Ants, ticks and seabirds: dynamic in- guano. I would like to thank ihc many people in Peru who leruclions? Pp.242-257 in J. E. Loye and M . Zuk, eds. have contributed io my education about guano birds, and Bu d parasite interactions: ecology, evolution and about being a scientist in the developing nations. I would beh a vior. Oxford and New Yurk: Oxford University especially like to thank Demosthenes Cabrera, Frank Golley, Press. Coppelia Hays. Patricia Majluf, Enrique Ortiz, Manuel D u f f y , D . C. a n d O ku f :y . J. H. (1990) Ecological litera­ Pleuge and John 'lerborgh. The preparation of this paper ture for libraries in developing countries.BioSciencc 40: was supported hy funds of the Seatuck Foundation. This 8 37-840. paper is Contribution No. 903 from the Marine Sciences D u l l y , D . C. and Siegfried, W . R. ( 1987) Historical vari­ Research Center. State University of New York. Stony ations in food consumption by breeding seabirds of the Brook. Humboldt and Benguela upwelling regions. Pp.3 2 7 -3 4 6 in J. P. Croxall, ed.Seabirds:feeding ecology and role in REFERENCES marine ecosystems. Cambridge. U.K.: Cambridge Uni­

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David C. Duffy Alaska Natural Heritage Program. Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska,707 A Street,Anchorage, Alaska 99501, U.S.A.