 Ariane Alvarez
Brazilian children learn about Red-billed Curassow with the help of a painting by local artist Reginaldo Souza
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SAVE Brasil’s Red-billed Curassow campaign goes to school
05-12-2008
The Endangered Red-billed Curassow Crax blumenbachii is endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which once covered 1 million km2 of Brazil, but has been reduced to isolated fragments, mostly along the coast of Brazil.
Because of its large size and attractive appearance, Red-billed Curassow is hunted for food and the bird trade. It is estimated that no more than 250 individuals remain in the wild, mainly in Sooretama Biological Reserve and Vale do Rio Doce Natural Reserve (state of Espírito Santo), and Descobrimento, Monte Pascoal and Pau Brasil National Parks (all in Bahia).
In 2004, the BirdLife International Brazil Programme (forerunner of Birdlife Affiliate SAVE Brasil), and Brazil's Federal Environmental Institute, IBAMA, developed a national action plan for the conservation of Red-billed Curassow. This describes 32 actions in five thematic lines: public policies and legislation, species and habitat protection, scientific research and reintroduction, management of populations in captivity, and environmental education.
A key area for action is the Descobrimento National Park, in the municipality of Prado, Bahia, although it doesn't have the Management Plan and suffers from fire and logging pressures. Every week, SAVE Brasil's team, in partnership with ICMBio-Prado (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Brazil's national protected areas agency), surveys the population in and around the park, to assess whether the curassow is surviving despite continuing illegal hunting and to provide a reliable population estimate increasing knowledge on this threatened species..
"Now, everyone...knows what this bird is, what it represents to the forest and what we need to do to save it" —Ariane Alvarez, SAVE Brasil
In November 2008, SAVE Brasil launched its environmental education campaign, "Save the Red-billed Curassow", in Prado. "Surveys revealed that a great part of the local community does not know the bird," said Ariane Alvarez, Coordinator of SAVE Brasil's project for the conservation of the Red-billed Curassow. "The aims - and challenges - of the campaign are to make the Red-billed Curassow known and raise awareness on the local community about the importance of its conservation. Considering that this species is rarely observed in the wild and to overcome this lack of images, SAVE Brasil developed communication materials with photos of the bird, and stickers and t-shirts with the campaign logo.
The first activities were at Anísio Teixeira Municipal School, with the support of Descobrimento National Park warden/guard Carlos Mendes and the school director. Approximately 500 people, including pupils, teachers, school coordinators and rural workers, took part. Educational activities included drawing and writing contests with the theme "How to save the Red-billed Curassow?"
"In the beginning, students did not know the Red-billed Curassow was a bird, they thought it to be another animal like a snake or a butterfly", said Ariane Alvarez. "Now, everyone in the school knows what this bird is, what it represents to the forest and what we need to do to save it".
Activities ended on a high note when local artist Reginaldo Souza Santos painted a picture of a male and female Red-billed Curassow on the school wall, representing the importance of the bird to Prado, and the commitment of students and teachers to conserve it.
Managing and safeguarding the remaining fragments of Atlantic rainforest is one of 10 Key Actions to prevent extinctions that BirdLife has highlighted in Critically Endangered Birds: a global audit. To find out more and to download a copy of this publication click here
The conservation of Red-billed Curassow project is supported by BirdLife International, World Pheasant Association, Bromley Foundation, North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Van Tienhoven Foundation for International Nature Protection, The Golden Bottle Trust, CRAX Brasil, CBCC vzw and CRAX International.