Conservation Value:

Cerro Chucantí is an isolated massif in southern Panamá that rises from sea level to 1,444 m in elevation and sustains a diverse cloud forest tropical ecosystem. Its geographic isolation has allowed its fauna and flora to differentiate considerably over millennia. As a result, Cerro Chucantí is home to many endemic and threatened species of reptiles and amphibians, plants, birds and mammals (see Conservation Value, below).

Threats:

Over the last two decades there has been increased pressure to clear the land around Cerro Chucantí for cattle ranching.

“…what struck me as sad was that even at such a remote location there was ongoing slash and burning of the rainforest, and most of the land around my campsite had already been cleared for cattle ranching. On a subsequent visit to Cerro Chucantí, I once again saw more rainforest cleared and burned to ashes nearby.  That is when I couldn't take it anymore, and decided that I had to do something to stop this madness!”  -- Guido Berguido

Actions & Results:

In 2016, ICFC and Rainforest Trust supported the purchase of three properties totaling 105 hectares to expand  the Reserva Natural Cerro Chucantí to ~6 km². In addition, a donation from an ICFC donor enabled the down-payment on a fourth property (64 ha), and that purchase was completed in 2017 (thanks to IUCN Netherlands).

In 2018 ICFC supported a socioeconomic study as required by the Panamanian Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) for official protected area designation of the Cerro Chucantí Massif Protected Area..

In 2021, thanks to an ICFC donor, ICFC is supporting one full-time ranger for nine months at Cerro Chucantí.  His duties include regular patrols and educating neighbours and community members about applicable environmental laws and regulations, and the need to enforce them.

In 2022, with ICFC’s support, ADOPTA was able to maintain its ranger patrol and surveillance activities to protect the rich biodiversity found at Cerro Chucantí.

In 2023, with ICFC’s support, ADOPTA made repairs to the reserve's main field station and significantly improved its ridgetop campsite located at 1,300 masl.  It was also able to deploy more than 20 camera traps throughout the reserve and maintain a permanent park ranger presence that guarantees the protection of Cerro Chucantí against poachers, loggers, and potential squatters.