CONSERVATION DONATIONS

 Any profit from my trips and talks goes towards the PARROTS OF REGUA project and currently it has achieved a number of things

1                    Subsidising the initial parrot survey in November/December 2008. Please see short summary of the report on Parrot Survey page .

2                    Creating and developing a website www.theparrotsofregua.co.uk which will be going live shortly and show all the results of our parrot survey.

3                    Funded a book to enable all guests at Regua to enter their parrot encounters. These entries will be added to our existing statistics and go towards a fuller picture of Regua’s parrots.

However to help with our ongoing parrot surveys at REGUA we require donations towards a number of items which are listed below but are in no particular order of priority

1                    An observation tower similar to the existing tower on the wetlands is required to enable a better platform to study the parrots on the ridge at Casa Anibel. This tower will cost in the region of £1200. at the moment from the Marias Trail looking up to the ridge is very awkward allowing very little cover from the elements as well as the parrots being able to see us very easily.

WETLAND OBSERVATION TOWER

2                    Making Casa Anibel into a research station including bedrooms and a small kitchen as well as reinstating the toilet and shower facilities. This will enable anyone to be able to stay at Casa Anibel meaning that observation times will increase and be more useful. To do the initial survey we camped at this location and although this was a really good experience and we achieved some great results it was cramped conditions. Total cost about £3000.

CASA ANIBEL

3                    Making and installing artificial nest boxes to encourage the Blue winged Macaws (Propyrrhura maracana) and other parrots to nest on the protected land of Regua instead of migrating away to nest on less secure lands. Regua having been selectively logged in the 1800’s has lost most of its big trees therefore some of the parrot species migrate away during breeding season. Artificial nest boxes are better than waiting for the existing and newly planted trees to develop as by then we may have lost the parrots for good. Cost in the region of £500 to set up making, installing and monitoring them.

BLUE WINGED MACAWS

 4                    Replacing the existing wooden trail markers with Perspex markers. The wooden ones have been very useful but in the climate are rotting away very quickly making this a constantly ongoing project. These trail markers are essential not just for parrots but for any other studies being carried out at Regua whether it is trees , plants, orchids, birds, mammals, etc. because it is very relevant to know where these sightings have been to see if there is a pattern such as altitudinal etc.   GPS including altitude locations of all markers (currently every 50 metres along every trail) are being taken so we know exactly where anything has been seen by just making a note of the nearest marker. This makes it easy for any guest with or without a guide to make a note without having to take a GPS with them. For this project we are looking for a sponsor to come forward to produce these markers. Should you know any company that would be willing to donate their services then please get in touch with myself  for more information.

TRAIL MARKER

5                    Building a scaffold tower at the campsite near the end of the black trail on the green trail. This tower would enable us to see above the canopy and study the parrot movements better. On the initial survey we were only able to monitor the parrots through their sounds as they moved above the camp site but we were not always able to identify them or see how many were in each group but we know they use this ridge a lot having 93 groups or individuals of parrots either stopping off or flying over in one days survey. However parrots are not vocal all of the time so there was probably more. This appears to be a very good food source area so this too could be studied better. Unfortunately the cost for this individual project would be in the region of £20000 but a very useful contribution to the parrot conservation.

SCAFFOLD TOWER (similar to the one we require at REGUA)

6                    Revamp of Waldenoors home to convert into a research station. Although only recently becoming part of Regua it is quite evident that this is another parrot hot spot. An area where we saw 4 species of parrot including Blue Bellied Parrot (Trichlaria malachitacea) in the few hours that we were there so a research station would help to see why this is the case and see if we can replicate it across Regua land. Total cost approximately £5000.

WALDENOOR'S PLACE

All these projects have been put forward to initially help the parrots but they will help other species as well as aid the ecotourism at Regua which in turn creates more revenue to go back into Regua so that it can buy more land, furthering its whole conservation initiative and securing its future.

If you would like to donate towards any of these projects then please contact me Steve Brookes at steve@wildparrotsupclose.co.uk  or steve@theparrotsofregua.co.uk or phone me on +44  (0) 7766 303836

I would like to thank everyone for their donations however large or small it all helps.