Eliana Montenegro
- Project name: A community-based research approach to conserve the endangered Banded Ground-Cuckoo in Ecuador
- Project site: Canande reserve, Canton Quinindé, Ecuador
- EDGE species: Banded Ground-cuckoo Neomorphus radiolosus
- Active: 2018 - 2020
Biography
Eliana first became interested in the Banded Ground-cuckoo after learning about the elusive bird when visiting the remnants of the Chocó rainforest in Ecuador. She has previously worked with the Jocotoco Foundation on a reintroduction project of Great Green Macaws.
Eliana hopes to learn many new skills through the EDGE Fellowship which will allow her to become a future conservation leader and pass her experience on to local people directly affected by deforestation.
EDGE Project
Eliana’s project aims to identify key strongholds and preferred habitat of the Banded Ground-Cuckoo in order to expand the Canande reserve in a way that maximises benefits to the species. She plans to achieve this through the following objectives:
- Assess the population size of the Banded Ground-cuckoo by monitoring point transects in the Canande reserve and the surrounding unprotected forests.
- Characterise microhabitat preferences of the Banded Ground-cuckoo.
- Train local residents and park guards to conduct monitoring.
- Promote the importance of conserving the Banded Ground-cuckoo by organising workshops in local communities.
- Implement a feeding station to give national and international
visitors the chance to observe the species.
