Neotropical Environmental Education Program

in Neotropical Program:

Status: Complete. 2002 – 2009

Goals:

Change negative human attitudes toward birds of prey, especially Harpy Eagles, to reduce persecution and help conserve their habitat and the biodiversity it contains.

Background:

The greatest immediate threat to Neotropical raptors is human persecution. In the longer-term, habitat loss and fragmentation are the main concerns. Species conservation cannot ultimately succeed unless we are successful at changing human behavior. The most successful approach to eradicate negative human behaviors toward Neotropical raptors and their habitats is to implement a comprehensive public education and awareness program that addresses local concerns. An educational program of this kind is expected to have short- and long-term impacts. A program that addresses issues related to the habitat of Neotropical raptors and their prey base would contribute to conservation in two other significant ways. First, because these raptors require large tracts of forest with a suitable prey base, their protection will effectively become the protection of habitats and other wildlife in the most species-rich environs of the planet. Second, the preservation of Neotropical raptor habitats translates into the preservation of forests and watersheds that could have far-reaching social and economic benefits.

In 1998, The Peregrine Fund released captive-bred Harpy Eagles into the forests of Panama for the first time. Of the five that were released, two were shot and one died of undetermined causes. As a result, we realized that it would be necessary to change human behavior toward birds of prey in Panama in order to ensure the success of the Harpy Eagle Conservation Program by giving the eagles released from our captive propagation the best chance to survive until adulthood and breed in the wild. We thus started an Environmental Education Program to disseminate accurate information to the public about Harpy Eagles, other Neotropical raptor species, and their habitat.

Final Summary:

This successful project was concluded in 2009. We list the highlights below:
  • Designed an education plan for rural and indigenous communities around release sites for captive-hatched Harpy Eagle chicks, and the Darién region. (2002)
  • Helped legally declare the Harpy Eagle as the National Bird of Panama. (2002)
  • Provided international environmental education training to biologists from the Dominican Republic working with the endangered Ridgway’s Hawk. (2004)
  • Hosted first annual Harpy Eagle Day – 500 participants. (2005)
  • Drafted and signed a cooperative agreement with Panama’s Ministry of Education to help expand raptor environmental education on a national scale. (2005)
  • Published the Environmental Education Guide Birds of Prey and with the approval of the Ministry of Education, hosted four teacher training workshops in the use of the guide. (2006)
  • Hosted second annual Harpy Eagle Day – 600 participants. (2006)
  • Hosted five teacher training workshops in the use of the Environmental Education Guide Birds of Prey. (2007)
  • Co-hosted third annual Harpy Eagle Day Festival “FestiArpía – 3,200 participants. (2007)
  • Started working with students training to be teachers, in their last year of university to also train them in the use of the Environmental Guide Birds of Prey (2007)
  • Visited Belize, Guatemala, and southern Mexico to work with communities near where our released Harpy Eagles had dispersed. (2007)
  • Hosted three teacher training workshops in the use of the Environmental Education Guide Birds of Prey. (2008)
  • Co-hosted fourth annual Harpy Eagle Day Festival “FestiArpía – 6,000 participants (2008)
  • Graduated all communities from the education program, and concluded work. (2009)

Future Plans

This project has been successfully concluded. However, we will continue raptor conservation education efforts as a part of other Neotropical projects, such as the Harpy Eagle research and conservation project, Harpy Eagle experimental restoration project, and the Ridgway’s Hawk conservation project in Dominican Republic.

Challenges:

Project Links:

Project History (no field notes)
Publications and Data (no misc. information)
Photos and Videos

Location Note:

Panama

Species involved

People involved in this project:

Marta Curti Biologist
Kathia Herrera
Saskia Santamaria
José de Jesús Vargas-González Biologist
Rick Watson Ph.D. Vice President and Director of International Programs

Cooperating Partners:

  • Academy for Education and Development (AED)
  • American Zoo Association Conservation Endowment Fund
  • Colegio Brader–Misión: Águila Arpía
  • Comarca Emberá/Wounaan
  • Comarca Ngobe-Bugle
  • Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
  • Ecological Police
  • Environmental Authority of Panama (ANAM)
  • Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INAC)
  • Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
  • Panama Ministry of Education (MEDUC)
  • Parque Metropolitano
  • Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)
  • Soberania, Chagres, and Camino de Cruces National Parks
  • Tierras Colectiva Embera y Wounaan
  • U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation