2013

San Lorenzo
and the
Pastaza River

Prospecting the Rio Pastaza in search of the White-Masked Antbird, which was described there for the first time at the beginning of the 20th century and then never seen again on the rio Pastaza. At the time of the expedition, the White-masked Antbird was only known from 3 other locations (including 1 imprecise one), all in Peru.

DETAILS .

Participants: Fabrice Schmitt, Raphaël Sané, Christophe Gouraud, Rodrigo Barros, Fernando Diaz, Marc Thibaut, Gabriel Velazquez.
Partners: Museum of Natural History of Arequipa.
Main results: discovery of a new site for the White-masked Antbird; range extensions for several species; several data of rare species; contribution of data for the taxonomic case study (antwren of the genus Epinecrophylla ).
Follow-up: designation of 53,000 hectares of forest as a municipal reserve for the protection of the antbird and development of ecotourism in San Lorenzo.
Communication: publication of a scientific article in the international journal Cotinga; publication of an popular article in the French journal Espèces ; publication of a popular article in the Neotropical Birding journal; several conferences given at St-Etienne-les-Orgues and Mane in Provence, on board Ponant ships and on the annual meeting of the Neotropical birding club in London.