Biodiversity Assessment Phase 112

The Biodiversity Assessment Project surveys of phase 112 have again produced some good results. We have had a total of 85 surveys on 6 survey sites across 4 trails.

The top species, always the cause of fun guessing at the final presentations evening, for each trail are as follows;

North to 15 – Eyelash Palm Pitviper

North to 16 – Central American Spider Monkey

South - Striped Basilisk

South Boundary – Slender Anole

North Boundary – White-collared Manakin

Coconut Plantation – Variable Seedeater.

This shows a distinct difference in the trails, especially the survey species which we find there. The Boundary trails for example have denser vegetation than the other trails which is one of the reasons less is seen and more is heard; the White-collared Manakin is the top species for the North Boundary Trail due to the sound it makes clicking its elbows, which sounds like marbles clacking.

We have encountered some new notable sightings on the BAss walks. These include; Crested Owl, which was spotted in the first few metres of the North Boundary Trail.

We have also had several mammals recorded; Tamandua, Tayra, Peccaries and Coatis. Six Coatis were seen at one time on the North Trail and followed the team along the trail a few meters in for about 20 meters.

All in all, this has shown us that no matter how often you go out on a BAss survey and no matter the number of times that you have walked the same trail, there is always something new to be found.

Biodiversity Assessment Phase 112