Ceiba’s wildlife cameras in the Lalo Loor Reserve picked up a video of a curious Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) strolling the trail system, in the middle of the day. It seemed curious about our camera, and gave it a sniff or two! These medium-sized, spotted jungle cats are key predators of rodents, snakes, and ground birds, and their presence signals that the reserve’s forest is being successfully protected.
Amid the gradual loss of forest on the coast of Ecuador, the Ceiba Foundation and the Lalo Loor Reserve continue the struggle to protect the unique and beautiful species that call this region home. Ceiba recently helped establish a four-county Conservation and Sustainable Use Area that encompasses over a half-million acres in total, including over 200,000 acres of forest. Our goal is to link regional forests into a Coastal Conservation Corridor.
Please consider donating to support establishement of this corridor, and Ceiba’s sustainable development programs with communities in the region. Together, we all can save critical habitat for species like the ocelot.