Introduction
In 2008, biologist Alexandra Pires had just completed her doctoral thesis, which described how agoutis, a large guinea pig-like rodent, were important for the regeneration of plant species in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. When she told this to Ivandy Castro-Astor, a researcher at Tijuca National Park, in the hills outside Rio de Janeiro, she learned that the rodents no longer existed there. Proof of this were the abundance of seeds from a tree known in Brazil as cutieira or “agouti tree” (Joannesia princeps), which were rotting on the forest floor.
“How can there be no agoutis in Tijuca National Park?”, Pires recalls thinking at the time, to which Castro-Astor replied: ‘I think you should release some agoutis there!’” Eighteen years later, visitors to Tijuca can now observe red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina), along with brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba) and yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulata). Their presence in the forest is the result of the reintroduction program carried out by Refauna, an initiative of which Pires is the scientific director, with support from the Brazilian government’s Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
The Reintroduction Program
In early January, it was the turn of blue-and-yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) to make a comeback. Extinct in Rio de Janeiro for 200 years, today they’re once again flying in the skies over the city. Refauna’s goal is to put an end to what’s known as empty forest syndrome, a concept identified by U.S. conservationist Kent Redford in 1992. In such forests, while the trees and other vegetation appear intact, the animals essential for maintaining the ecosystem are absent.
Challenges and Perspectives
The Refauna reintroduction program faces significant challenges, including the need to ensure the safety and well-being of the reintroduced animals, as well as the protection of the forest against threats such as deforestation and illegal hunting. However, the results so far are promising, and the initiative has the potential to serve as a model for other conservation efforts around the world.
Conclusion
Rewilding Rio is an inspiring example of how conservation and restoration of nature can be achieved through dedicated and scientifically-based efforts. Refauna and its partners are doing fundamental work to restore the Tijuca forest and promote biodiversity in the region.
Source / Reference: Mongabay