Abstract: The Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura), the southernmost species of the Cracidae family, inhabits riparian forestes in southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. The subspecies P. o. obscura reaches the southern limit of its distribution in the Paraná River Delta in Argentina. In this area, the riparian forest is the main habitat of this cracid species. Nowadays, due to a long history of man intervention, this forest is represented in the Paraná River Delta by a complex mosaic of willow and poplar plantations, secondary forests dominated mainly by exotic species and some relict patches of the native forest. Our objective will be to provide undestanding of the nature of the relationship between Dusky-ledgged Guan and its habitat in the "Delta del Paraná" MAB Reserve through the integration of field work, field interviews to local inhabitants and its integration in a Geographic Information System.

Dr. Quintana's project was previously supported by the Zoo's Scott Neotropical Fund in 2004 (view the report).

Project Report: November 2006

Ana and Carlos collecting data

Silvina and Zoppi

The general objective was to evaluate the relationship between the Dusky-legged guan and the different forest types to learn about its habitat use and preferences. The specific objectives of our project were to: a) Estimate the relative abundance of P. obscura in different forest types of the Paraná River Delta as an indicator of habitat suitability; b) Characterize the structure of the different forest types; c) Analyze food habits of Dusky-legged guan throughout the year and d) Promote a communication program in order to educate local people about conservation ethics and sustainable use of cracids and other wildlife species and their importance in the Delta ecosystem. The ultimate goal is to use this information to develop management decisions to improve the conservation of the Dusky-legged guan at a regional scale.

This year we have achieved a number of the objectives set for this project, which incorporated with the previous information obtained, have in great measure improved our knowledge of the situation of the dusky-legged guan with regard to the initial state.

a) Regarding the relative abundance of dusky-legged guan in the Biosphere Reserve to date, we have for the first time established an accurate estimate in each season, and identified water courses with the largest number of individuals and their characteristics. Up to now there was no information about their numbers or distribution on the islands and this information could contribute to analysis of whether the Biosphere Reserve is effectively protecting this species. Part of this information was presented at the XXIV International Ornithological Congress.

b) During 2005, we finished collecting fecal samples for feeding habits analysis and also began the analysis. During 2006, we finished analyzing the material and now we are evaluating the obtained data. At the same time, we began to collect fruit samples in order to determine food quality. At present, we have a collection of the main food items consumed by dusky-legged guans (Ligustrum sinense, Morus spp., Rubus spp., Phytollaca americana, Duchesnea indica and Ligustrum lucidum) according to their contribution to the annual diet of guans. During the second part of the year, we began to analyze carbohydrate and protein contents in some of these fruits and we hope to finish this analysis during the current year.

c) The educational program and communication plan was aimed at offering knowledge on the ecology of the delta islands, their biota and general environment and conservation of the wildlife and their habitats, as well as publicizing this project. All the activities we carried out, as well as the printed material, were centered on the dusky-legged guan and its role as an emblematic species of the "Delta del Paraná" Biosphere Reserve. We continued the educational program activities carried out during 2005, mainly working on increasing the information in the booklets (both, for students and teachers) according to the school curricula of each grade level. We tried to incorporate a more detailed description about the wildlife and plant species present in the Biosphere Reserve plus biological descriptions of living organisms. We also designed new practical activities in order to improve the learning and awareness process in the Delta students. Now, we are preparing some didactic and recreational activities that we will do with students at the end of the year. These activities together with the participation in environmental education and conservation congresses reinforce the program and open new possibilities of future collaborations in this field with other institutions.

The results achieved with each of the objectives have had a significant impact both on the general knowledge about the ecology of the dusky-legged guans and the characteristics of their habitat, particularly because up to now there was a noticeable lack of information about this species not only on the Paraná Delta, but in all of Argentina. The educational program and the participation in scientific and educational meetings helped to make the project and its objectives known, as well as the importance of conservation of the guans and other wildlife species in the Reserve. Our work has also raised people’s awareness of this species and its role within the ecosystem.