Transcript Title

Saving the Wild Chinchillas
Ecosystem Restoration NorthCentral Chile
Peter Riger
Chair
AZA Rodent Taxon
Advisory Group
Amy Deane
President
Save the Wild Chinchillas Inc.
www.wildchinchillas.org
[email protected]
Overall Objectives
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Main goal - to ensure that endangered longtailed chinchillas (C. lanigera) do not become
extinct.
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Ecosystem restoration - propagating native
vegetation, some of which are threatened,
around existing chinchilla colonies.
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To benefit other dependent fauna, which are
endemic.
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To help curb grazing and other habitat
degrading activities.
Overall Objectives
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To actively involve the local people in restoration
efforts.
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To promote environmental awareness amongst
the local public, especially children.

Working towards establishing a field school that
ensures sustained protection of this ecosystem.
Ecosystem Restoration & Alternative
Agricultural Resources in North-Central Chile
Project Goals
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Recreate essential habitat for
endangered chinchillas
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Recreate other natural vegetative
communities (e.g. creek
vegetation that enhances a cooler
environment for chinchillas
upslope, aids in combating global
warming on a chinchilla scale)
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Facilitate exclusive livestock
grazing areas
Project Goals
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Habitat being defined by vegetal studies in
existing chinchilla colonies (30 years of studies)
Focus on species that we know chinchillas
consume within these colonies (30 years of
knowledge)
 Emergency care until we can determine the
nature of chinchilla habitat before severe human
induced landscape changes
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Wild Chinchillas
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Once believed extinct, the only known wild
Chinchilla lanigera exist in north central Chile
(Jiménez, 1995).
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This endemic species experienced dramatic
decrease in its population and range
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An estimated 21 million were killed in less than 60
years for the fur trade and the population has yet to
recover (Albert, 1901; Jiménez, 1996).
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Chinchillas are endangered and protected by CITES
(Glade, 1988; IUCN, 1972).
Wild Chinchillas
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Population estimates vary from 3000 to
approximately 5000 (Jiménez, 1995; Mohlis, personal
communication, 1999).
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Over 17 years (1983-1990), a dramatic decrease in the
spatial coverage of colonies occurred (Mohlis 1983
and Jiménez 1995).

Previous researchers identified the distribution and
characterized typical habitat for chinchillas (Mohlis
1983, Jiménez 1990, 1995, Deane non-published
data).
Chinchilla brevicaudata
Critically Endangered
 Shorter ears and tail than
C. lanigera
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Chinchilla lanigera colony, R.N.
Las Chinchillas, Aucó, IV Región
Problems
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Uncontrolled chinchilla hunting until believed
extinct
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Estimated 21 million animals killed in 60 years
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Population not able to recover due to natural
history traits
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Reproduction of Chinchillas long gestation (110
days), small litters (1 or 2), sexual maturity (8
months)
Desertification
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Fuel wood use, ore processing, and agriculture
in the past
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Current mining and agricultural practices
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All areas have been severely affected by resource
exploitation.
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Many hill slopes have little vegetation and hardly
any native tree species can be seen.
Agriculture as a Human Land Use
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Abandoned farms and mines
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Continued firewood collection for heating,
bathing and cooking by the poorest people in
Chile (IV Region)
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Free ranging livestock: Decrease in livestock
(9000 animals in 1983 to 1800 in 2000), and farms,
but no one has tried to restore native vegetation
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Introduced rabbits and hares consume
vegetation essential for the native fauna
especially endangered long-tailed chinchillas.
Habitat Fragmentation
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Isolating not only chinchilla colonies but has
created isolated patches of habitat for all wildlife
species
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Small populations and limited mobility have a
higher probability of extinction
Restoration
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Creating habitat by growing native plant species
that serve as food, cover and shelter for chinchillas,
also aids in the conservation of other plant and
animal species in the community such as Degus
(Octodon degus), the Chinchilla rat (Abrocoma
bennetti), and Cururos (Spalacopus cyanus) that
only occur here in central Chile.
Restoration
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Many of the plant species are also of conservation
concerns and by collecting seeds from different
locales, we are ensuring genetic diversity.
Las Chinchillas National Reserve
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Formed in 1983 – covers 4,229 ha
15 species of predominant mammals and 35 species
of avifauna including:
Chinchilla Chinchilla lanigera
 Pampas Cat Felis colocola (endangered)
 Leaf eared Mouse Phylottis darwinii
 Little Grison Galictis cuja
 Coruro – Spalacopus cyanus
 Tinamou – Northoprocta perdicaria
 Giant Hummingbird – Patagona gigas
 Andean condor – Vultur gryphus
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Las Chinchillas National Reserve
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Darwins Leaf-eared
Mouse Phylottis
darwini
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Cururo Spalacopus
cyanus
Las Chinchillas National Reserve
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Pampas Cat
Felis colocolo
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Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
North American Zoo Population (ISIS)
 Chinchilla
brevicaudata 12.12.2 in 12
institutions
 Chinchilla lanigera 118.109.28 in 95
institutions
 Equal to 300 individuals with a large
percentage maintained in education
programs
 Domestic pet trade: possibly tens of
thousands in private hands
Plants, Seedling and Seed Sources
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Our Nursery
The Local Community (friends, farmers & workers)
Road cut collecting
Road cut collecting
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Along the dirt roads many species of concern to
us, germinate and grow only to be cut down
when the dirt roads undergo repairs
We collect these seedlings and use for
restoration
BONUS - very cheap financially and ecologically
– we don’t have to collect seeds and grow the
plants from germination
– we don’t waste time, space, soil, or water
resources on seeds that wouldn’t have
germinated
Our Nursery
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Seed collection from different drainage basins
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Creating and maintaining seed beds
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Seedlings transplanted into plastic bags or
modified bottles that promote high root to shoot
ratios & deep root development (bottles donated
from Coca-Cola in Illapel, Chile - surplus nonreturnable bottles, disposed bottles)
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Can be used in nursery for the same seedling for
a few years
Our Nursery
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Decrease heat in the nursery because the bottles
are transparent
Commercially available black plastic seedling
bags add heat and deteriorate in two years
Our Nursery
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Water source is a perennial contour canal that
runs along the nursery
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The bottles are placed into square depressions
into the soil - irrigate by filling the square hole
until the area is full (five feet square and 1 foot
deep)
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Water is absorbed by the roots bottom of bottle
to the top thus ensuring the entire soil area is
irrigated
From Nursery to Restoration Site
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In some areas we built fences when funding helps exclude livestock (goats, sheep cows,
horses and donkeys)
Holes dug a little deeper than seedling container
size (~ 1.5 feet) - dug with a large crowbar and a
tuna-can
A little soil is backfilled, a handful of topsoil is
added, with/without natural fertilizer
Water is added before seedling is sown; this is
covered with soil before adding more water and
moist soil
From Nursery to Restoration Site
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A dirt semicircle that collects rainwater surface
flow
Rock mulch is used from nearby
– Adds shade to the seedling
– Accumulates condensation- natural irrigation
Each seedling has a protective fence
– majority of grazing by exotic (non-native)
rabbits and hares
As of 2004, plants are currently being measured
and tagged to quantify establishment, growth,
and survivorship
Restoration Sites
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Habitat creation - establishing a new area for
chinchillas that exist between colonies or
suitable habitat
Habitat extension - expanding currently
occupied areas in hopes of expanding chinchilla
colonies
Corridors - areas connecting existing chinchilla
colonies and with abandoned/extinct colonies to
promote dispersal and colonization of new areas
Project Progress
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Began in year 2000 with funding obtained for a
nursery in November
Learned the nature of local plant species - their
successful germination and sustenance
(problems with Ephedra and Puya spp.)
Learned what species need what kind of
protection from predation
Have planted approximately 4000 seedlingsthree expansion areas, two new habitat areas,
and one corridor
Project Progress
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Many plants need years to grow before are
suitable for chinchilla habitat ~Vslow growing
desert species
However, some plants have gone to seed in the
second year. And these do serve as food.
Grass species are usable within the same
planting season and chinchillas preferred food.
Project Progress
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Gained community support and assistance donations of tools, time and seedlings from local
farmers
Our project takes place on communally owned
lands.
We hire within this community for help in this
project!
Raised $24000 for this project ($14000 in the last
couple of months)
Area near Aucó
Chinchilla feces indicate their presence
The Puya plant under which the
chinchillas spend their daytime
A Puya bloom
Support
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Act for Nature (Monaco)
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Conservation Technology Support
Program (CTSP) (United State of America)
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Lemmon Foundation (United State of
America)
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Rufford Small Grants(for Nature
Conservation) (RSG) (United Kingdom)
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Zoological Society for the Conservation
of Species and Population (ZGAP) (Germany)
Contact Information
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SALVE LAS CHINCHILLAS SILVESTRES
SAVE THE WILD CHINCHILLAS, INC.
Amy Deane
Casilla 302, Illapel
IV Region, Chile
www.wildchinchillas.org