Aves Endémicas de Puerto Rico

Historical distribution and current status of the
mangroves in the IBA PR004 Caño Tiburones
in Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Caño Tiburones 1887 map
Drained Caño Tiburones by 1995
Pressure factors
Illegal hunting
Water treatment plant
Water treatment plant
AEE plant
Battery recycling plant
“Water level
controls”
Constructions
Pharmaceutical complex
Landfill
Incinerator
Previous conservation efforts
 Law number 314 of December 24, 1998 declaring
Caño or CiénagaTiburones a Natural Reserve,
including all areas historically drained by man.
 Law number 147 of october 17, 2001
Ammended article number 2 from Law number 314
prohibiting all hunting activities on all lands
owned by Land Authority and contained
within Caño or Ciénaga Tiburones boundaries.
Intended vs. final delimitation
As per law 314
Current Reserve
SOPI at Caño Tiburones
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Education
Audubon CBC
CEBF
Wetland Day
Current Project
Current project
 Inventories of flora (12 areas) and fauna
(birds; 9 areas)
 Included plots outside the Reserve limits
 Education for community
 Research on CT history
Output: as of June 8, 2013
309 species of plants
Dominance of Laguncularia racemosa
First record in CT for Pterocarpus officinalis,
Bontia daphnoides, and Oxicarium cubense
Invasive Mimosa pigra identified
June 8, 2013 Conference and field trip
Lessons learned
 Other associated vegetation may not be recorded
 Invasive flora issues need urgent attention
 Resilience of residents within the CT area
 To establish presence in the community helps
SOPI to be linked to CT conservation
 Long-term and well planned study is needed
 Other biotic components and their relations to
the mangrove community need to be studied
Achievements
 New associated flora identified for CT
 Bird list for CT goes over 240 species
 Integration of government agencies (DRNA, Tourism)
 Creation of supporting local group Amigos de Caño
Tiburones
 Integration of other conservation groups
 Educational outreach to surrounding associated
communities and other similar areas in Puerto Rico
Recommendations
 Workshop for partners on developing sustainable
economy for communities depending on mangrove
services
 Real case studies that can help us bring in
decision-makers to join our conservation efforts
 Workshops for partners’ volunteers on current field
techniques for reliable scientific data collection
 Share on-site experiences from other partners
Conservation of mangroves
means opportunities for birds