EUCALYPTUS PLANTATIONS THREATEN MANED SLOTH WITH EXTINCTION

The Maned Sloth (Bradypus torquatus) endemic in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, this highly threatened.

The aim of the Center led by Vera Lucia Oliveira is recovering Sloths confiscated from hunters and ilegal traders. With the specimens obtained, it is possible to observe and study aspects of bio-ecology, anatomy and physiology of Bradypus torquatus to assist in their preservation for subsequent reintroduction into the Atlantic Rainforests.

The Jequitinhonha River separates the area of occurrence of Maned Sloth that is from Canavieiras to Salvador and Common Sloth, from Belmonte to Teixeira de Freitas, Bahia. The occurrence of the total area of Maned Sloth is Bahia, Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, only a few areas because of deforestation of those areas for eucalyptus monoculture and intensive livestock grazing.

Common Sloth is invading the area of Maned Sloth because of the food, that is not anymore found in their area because of these eucalyptus plantations that are invading also the area of Maned Sloth.

The Maned Sloth lives in the canopy of a very few trees on which leaves they feed as they are very selective in nature.

The analysis of blood from terminals specimens close to eucalyptus plantations have a high rate of malnutrition and low levels of genetic variability.

The Federal Court judge in Eunapolis sentenced in 2008 to Veracel to pay R$ 20 million for environmental damage caused by its eucalyptus plantation in the remaining area of Atlantic Forest, and was also condemned to remove the eucalyptus forest in four counties, Santa Cruz Cabrália Belmonte and Porto Seguro Eunápolis. TheVeracel Celulose had to regenerate the area with native vegetation of the Atlantic Rainorest within one year, but did nothing until now.

We ask for law enforcement and for inmediate demarcation of the area of eucalyptus monoculture to prevent their indiscriminate planting in areas of Atlantic Rainforest, destroying all its Biodiversity.

Contact and get involved:


bradypus_verinha@hotmail.com



RESERVA ZOOBOTANICA DO BICHO PREGUIÇA

Km 22 Rod. Ilheus/ Itabuna
(73)32143228
BAHIA- BRAZIL

Video by Alicia Pakareu
svisualproducciones.com/

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• sloth
• maned sloth
• atlantic forest
• eucalyptus
• veracel
• bahia
• brazil
• extinction
• endangered animals
• celulose
• MONOCULTURE
• PLANTATION
• THREATEN SLOTHS
• ecology
• conservation

[rowleyjones]

so sad that this only has 229 views while a video showing one sloth getting picked up and put on the other side of the road while exposed to countless photographs and obviously under high stress levels has over 1.5 million, not that I think the other video is bad, the help that the sloth recieved does send the right message but it is not as strong or interesting as this.

[TreMuch]

Are they smiling? haha