Saving One of the World ’ s Rarest Birds The Araripe Manakin
Water is life . In the hottest and driest biome in northeastern Brazil , there is a distinctive region of shrubland and thorn forest known as “ Caatinga ,” a Tupi word meaning “ white forest ” or “ white vegetation .”
“ The trees here shed their leaves to preserve moisture and the animals have evolved to adapt to conditions . Water is never taken for granted .”
weber girão , associação de pesquisa e preservação de ecossistemas aquáticos ( aquasis )
This is the 2.4 million-acre Araripe Plateau , which lay beneath an ocean many millions of years ago and is known for its ancient fossils dating back to the age of the dinosaurs . Though the salty oceans receded , an ancient freshwater aquifer creates unexpectedly lush pockets of rainforest fed by streams flowing down the steep slopes of the Araripe plateau . Clinging to life in the tall , closed canopy among vines and bromeliads , one of the world ’ s rarest birds , with a population estimated at only about 800 individuals , survives on remnants of its rare habitat .
The Critically Endangered Araripe Manakin is a striking bird , with black-and-white males sporting a prominent , bright red helmet-like crown that inspired the nickname “ little soldier of Araripe .” In contrast , the females and young are mainly olive green with pale green upperparts . degraded by spreading agriculture and housing developments crawling up the slopes of the plateau for the growing nearby town of Crato . The bird ’ s remaining habitat is estimated to be only about 7,000 acres .
Rainforest Trust has partnered with Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos ( AQUASIS ) to safeguard 52 % of the Araripe Manakin ’ s global population by protecting 1,231 acres of its fragile home in a new reserve . This area is adjacent to the existing Oasis-Araripe Reserve , and will create an important corridor between the manakin ’ s feeding areas upstream and breeding areas downstream .
Our partner has been working in the region for 18 years , documenting and amplifying the Araripe Manakin ’ s plight with such success that the bird , virtually unknown beforehand , has become a symbol in the region for water conservation as a “ guardian of the waters ” and is now a source of local pride .
The endemic Araripe Manakins only nest above year-round running streams and require exactly the unique forest habitat that exists only here . The oldest — and ongoing — threat to their habitat comes from the piping and channeling of water for agricultural irrigation and urban supply . But now , the manakin ’ s forested breeding habitat is being destroyed or
The Araripe Manakin Oasis Reserve will protect springs that are vitally important to more than 1 million people in this dry region .
Special thanks to Weber Girão , Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos ( AQUASIS ) for providing information for this article .
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