FEATURE Map of Ometepe Island.
local group of ornithologists called ‘Loreros Observando y Conservando Ometepe’ (LOCO). The project is responding to the rapid decline of the Yellow-naped Amazon throughout most of its geographical distribution from Mexico to Costa Rica, due to the loss and degradation of its natural habitats and unsustainable exploitation for the wildlife trade. Although island populations of wild species are often more vulnerable to human-induced threats, in the case of Ometepe there is a good chance that its isolation can aid the successful conservation of the amazons. Yellow-naped Amazons are known to be seed dispersers, and therefore important to the health of the dry and moist tropical forests in which they live. Regrettably, this ecosystem value is sorely under-appreciated and, despite that all capture and trade in the Yellow-naped
Amazon has been illegal since 2013 In Nicaragua, these parrots continue to be offered as pets in the domestic market and are also trafficked across the borders with neighbouring countries. Such nest- poaching has also been happening in Ometepe but, most encouragingly, recent population surveys on the island indicate that it supports at least 1,869 individuals, making this the largest and most dense remaining population of Yellow-naped Amazons anywhere. It helps that Ometepe is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the aim of which is to promote a balanced relationship between people and the natural world. Threats to the island’s wildlife and forests include increased demand for new farm land and unsustainable tourism development. Local community organisations are being helped to tackle these threats through targeted
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