BirdLife Community

A last chance for High Andean Grebes?

The wetlands of the High Andes are an evolutionary hotspot for the grebe family (Podicipedidae). This unique diversity is, however, rapidly being lost: in the past 30 years, 2 species have gone extinct and another 3 species are on the verge of extinction. Here we report on efforts to save three of these species, the [...]

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Lake Junín: protection and sustainable use of high Andean ecosystems

More efficient cooking stoves were designed for communities around Lake Junín as a way of encouraging a better use of the high Andean peatland, or champa, an important habitat for migratory birds. Certified models of the cooking stove, adapted to local conditions, were built by members of the Management Committee and the local community. To [...]

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Refuge for fauna in the high Andes: Lake Poopó and Uru Uru

Lake Poopó’s area has decreased by 50% in the last 25 years, with serious consequences for the populations of resident and migratory waterbirds. The reasons for this decline are still being studied. An Action Plan for the integral management of the Ramsar site is being prepared, based on factors which affect, or could affect, different [...]

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New Protected Area in the Argentinean Puna: Campo de Piedra Pómez

The creation of the National Protected Area, ‘Campo de Piedra Pómez’, was formalised on 11 October 2012, with the signing of the formal decree. The new protected area, in the province of Catamarca, Argentina, has an area of 75,489 ha and includes Laguna Purulla, among other wetlands. It is the only site in Argentina where [...]

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Reactivation of Junin Lake Management Committee gives hope to threatened species

Lake Junin or Chinchaycocha is located in the Peruvian Central Andes, more than 4,100 meters above sea level. This ecosystem has unique and threatened endemic bird species worldwide such as Junin Grebe and Junin Rail and it is an important stopover site for migratory species.

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