Rare Bird Discovery Inspires Remarkable Conservation Success

A conservation initiative inspired by the discovery of a rare bird has restored forests, protected endangered wildlife and created local employment opportunities across Ecuador.

“The power to restore what we have lost is in our hands,” says Dr Martin Schaefer, chief executive of the Jocotoco Foundation, established in 1998 after the discovery of the rare jocotoco antpitta.

The foundation now manages 19 nature reserves covering about 50,000 hectares, along with another 82,000 hectares of privately and communally owned land. Together, these areas support more than 1,350 bird species, representing 80% of Ecuador’s birdlife. At the Canandé reserve, formerly deforested land has recovered 90% of its original animal biomass and species richness within three decades, demonstrating the potential of long-term ecological restoration. By combining habitat protection, reforestation, ecotourism and local employment, the initiative offers a model for biodiversity conservation worldwide.