New Cerro de Arcos reserve to protect the Blue-Throated Hillstar!

We are very excited to announce that, on August 18th, Fundación Jocotoco acquired 110 acres (45 ha) to establish our new Cerro de Arcos Reserve, in El Oro province, southern Ecuador. With this acquisition the total of protected areas of Fundación Jocotoco now tallies more than 58.000 acres.

This new reserve will protect high altitude habitats, locally known as Andean páramo, critical to the survival of the Blue-throated Hillstar (Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus). This hummingbird was discovered in 2017 by Francisco Sornoza et al. and described new to science in 2018. This stunning bird is endemic to Ecuador and has a highly restricted range. With an estimated population between 250 and 750 individuals, it is one of our rarest birds, and certainly one of the rarest hummingbirds in the world!

The páramo at Cerro de Arcos is highly threatened by burning for pastureland and conversion to exotic pine plantations. The current project is a joint effort by Fundación Jocotoco, Rainforest Trust, and American Birding Conservancy (ABC), and aims to protect at least 616 acres of this area, by the middle of 2021, with an ultimate goal of 1,235 total acres.