Conservation Value:

Sand beaches along the river Juruá are important for the reproduction of threatened or overexploited species, including the giant South American river turtle (Podocnemis expansa), yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), and six-tubercled Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis sextuberculata). These fluvial beaches also support breeding areas for the Orinoco goose (Neochen jubata), black skimmer (Rynchops niger), large-billed tern (Phaetusa simplex),  migrants such as sandpipers and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and other specialty species.  Indeed, this is a proiority area of the Amazon for many resident and migrant bird species.  

The many oxbow lakes provide critical habitat for the reproduction of fish, notably pirarucú (Arapaima gigas), and feeding sites for turtle hatchlings and waterbirds. Other large aquatic vertebrates that we are protecting are black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), and amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)

Threats:

Illegal fishing and poaching are the main threats.

Actions & Results:

ICFC’s project with Instituto Juruá is building on accomplishments made since 2013 by the Medio Juruá Project and since 2018 by Instituto Juruá:

• Through a strong partnership with local associations Instituto Juruá has supported 21 protected fluvial beaches that ensure successful reproduction of aquatic species.
• Through fishing agreements Instituto Juruá, with local communities and organizations, has achieved spatial zoning of around 120 protected lakes, benefiting more than 40 rural communities.
• Instituto Juruá has implemented community-based management of pirarucú in more than 18 communities.
• More than 85 local people, including ~50 women, have received training to strengthen management of pirarucú.
• Acoustic biodiversity and threats monitoring is occuring in more than 30 oxbow lakes.
• Intelligence gathering assists anti-poaching activities and ranger patrolling of the 21 fluvial beaches and more than 100 oxbow lakes.
• Instituto Juruá launched a Forest Scientist Program, which has trained 40 youth in scientific protocols, interview techniques, and data collection analysis. The program includes their local ecological knowledge perspectives in regard to natural resource management.
• The Instituto Juruá podcast “Vozes do Juruá” was launched in November 2022 with five episodes on pirarucú management. The podcast averaged 50 listeners per episode, plust 182 people tuning in via WhatsApp.

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