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CNN News |
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A
sprawling rainforest ecosystem home to giant
otters,
tapirs,
macaws and
jaguars has been officially protected by the
government of Peru, the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation
Society announced. The region, which
encompasses the
pristine
Cadamo River
watershed, was added to already-existing
Bahiaja-Sonene National Park, nearly doubling its size to an
impressive 2.7 million acres. In addition, 647,000 acres
adjacent to the park will now be managed as a
buffer zone, while
another 627,000 will become a national reserve.
“This
decision shows the world that Peru is setting new standards in
protecting wildlife,” said Dr. Andrew Taber, director of
WCS’s Latin America Programs. “We’re delighted that the
hard work of the Peruvian government - particularly the
National Institute of Natural Resources - along with the
support from the conservation and business community has paid off.”
WCS
began working in this region in 1989, when Dr. Charles Munn
first went to there to study macaws. Since then, WCS helped
create the original core protected area, while establishing a
series of research stations and ecotourism lodges.
The
recent declaration came after a consortium of oil and gas
companies released the land after conducting a series of tests
to determine its potential for energy exploration.
This
newest protected area adds to a growing list of parks and
reserves that span some 7.4 million acres of this species-rich
region of the tropical Andes. Among them is Alto Madidi National
Park in Bolivia, which WCS helped create in 1995. Alto Madidi
alone contains more than 1,200 bird species — more than any
other park in the world. |
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GLOSSARY |
sprawling:
spread
out irregularly
otter: freshwater mammal (nutria)
tapir: inoffensive nocturnal animal
macaw: long-tailed brilliantly colored parrot (guacamayo)
jaguar: feline of tropical America
encompasses: includes |
pristine: free of contamination
watershed: line dividing two river systems
buffer zone: compensatory area
along with: together with
has paid off: has
yielded a profit, has been positive
released:
gave
freedom to
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