FINAL REPORT BP CONSERVATION PROGRAMME Alder amazon–neglected issue in conservation priorities- defining its population status and distribution. Bronze Award 2003 Team leader: Luis Rivera Team member: Luciana Abendaño Team co-leader: Natalia Politi Team member: Guadalupe Peter E-mail:
[email protected] 1 Alder amazon Project 2003 – BP CONSERVATION PROGRAMME SUMMARY This project is the first contribution to the knowledge of the species' population levels of Alder amazon (Amazona tucumana) throughout its distribution in Argentina. We recorded 5387 individuals in 12 of 18 localities, 7 are new localities for the species. Two areas concentrate 94% of the individuals recorded, one extends between El Nogalar and San Francisco and the other from Sierra (Sa.) de Santa Bárbara to El Rey National Park (NP), these two areas hold the last mature cloud forests remnants as well as continuous forested areas. Long term efforts for the conservation of this endemic species should prioritized on these areas by providing legal protection to remnant forests (e.g., basin-protection forests) and the promotion of the creation of privately-owned reserves (e.g., through tax exemptions). The largest Alder amazon population was detected in Sa. de Santa Bárbara, is not included in protected areas, and is seriously threatened by different human activities. Las Lancitas Provincial Reserve nearby should be extended towards the upper part of Sa. de Santa Bárbara to protect the breeding habitat of the species. The number of Alder amazons recorded represent less than the third part of those exported between 1985 and 1989 (18,641), what demonstrates that those captures had a strong effect on wild population levels; this information contributes to evaluate future trends of the species.