Tag Archives: Young Rangers

Black-fronted Piping-guan project update – September

On September 14th and 15th the Black-fronted Piping-guan Project Team was at REGUA, one of the sites where the species will be reintroduced, to conduct several activities.

Young Rangers
Young Rangers (©REGUA)

On the 14th, the Project was presented during a meeting of the Rural Development Municipal Council.   Twenty-six participants attended, among them council members and guests.    Later that day, the 11th activity of the Guide for Practices and Experiences with Nature (available in Portuguese for download: http://goo.gl/XqcF56) was held with 13 of REGUA’s Young Rangers.

The following day, the Project was presented in Bacia do Rio, Macacu Permanent Preservation Area with the presence of the Area Manager, REGUA’s vice-president Raquel Locke, and the 5th UPAm (Environmental Police Unit).

In total, 18 participants attended, all of whom are important partners in the species’ protection network.  Without the support of the local people and the REGUA team this project would not be possible.

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Macacu Permanent Preservation Area Attendees (© REGUA)

The reintroduction of Black-fronted Piping-guan at REGUA  is now expected for the first semester of 2016.

Alecsandra Tassoni
Project Co-ordinator

Young Rangers prepare for Black-fronted Piping-Guan Re-introduction

Following on from the great news that a reintroduction programme for the Black-fronted Piping-guans (Aburria jacutinga) is to take place, the young rangers have been keen to find out more. The Black-fronted Piping-guans belong to the cracidae family (the same family as the Red-billed Curassow, the subject of an earlier re-introduction at REGUA) and they are very similar looking birds. The Black-fronted Piping-guans can be recognised by their white quiff, white spots on their wings and blue and red wattle.

Like all re-introduction programmes the re-introduction of the Black-fronted Piping-guans must be accompanied by an awareness programme, and who better to take the first step than REGUA’s Young Rangers.

Making Black-fronted Piping-guans
Making Black-fronted Piping-guan models

Various activities will be taking place; learning about the species, walks in the forest, art and craft activities.   One of the first exercises in getting to know about the Black-fronted Piping-guan was to make papier-mâché  models of the birds, using recycled newspaper and card.   The Young Rangers were supported in this by REGUA Volunteers Katerina Samara and Emma Louise Smith.

The eagerness and interest the youngsters have shown in the bird is a breeze of excitement about their arrival at the reserve.

Soon there will be a team of papier-mâché Black-fronted Piping-guans waiting to welcome their real-life counterparts back to nature.

Katerina Samara