The planet’s oceans are teeming with fascinating creatures but few capture our imaginations as whales have. These gentle giants travel great distances each year and can be found in all of the world’s oceans. The sight of a massive whale breaching the surface is breathtaking whether you’re seeing it on video or firsthand. One species of whale known for this breaching behavior is the humpback whale. The species’ history can...
Each holiday season, poinsettias adorn our homes, workplaces, and parties with their vibrant red and green leaves. They are the world's most economically important potted plant, and our holidays are more joyful thanks to this gift from the forest. Here are some ways that wild populations of undomesticated poinsettias play a crucial role in protecting both the species, the poinsettia industry, and our holiday season: Genetic diversity: Wild poinsettias harbor a...
When El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) contacted us in 2022 and asked for help in caring for captive spider monkeys, we knew right away we would call on the experienced animal keepers at Zoo Boise. El Salvador has a big problem with animal smuggling. Poachers will target any exotic animal to sell as a pet to the overseas illegal trade in endangered species. Often, they will...
Are there jaguars in El Salvador? On a recent trip to El Salvador with Paso Pacífico, I listened to a local farmer proudly naming the jaguar as a local species. I didn’t like to contradict him, but the outside world says that nobody has seen one in decades, and jaguars are now officially extinct in El Salvador. Still, there are many cases where locally extinct species reappear after decades of...
by Nicholas Bridgman At Paso Pacífico, we talk a lot about wildlife corridors like the Paso del Istmo Wildlife Corridor. What is a wildlife corridor? A wildlife corridor is a network of larger areas of wildlife habitat linked by another passage of habitat. Its goal is to counteract habitat fragmentation, a main cause of biodiversity decline. Fragmentation, such as by human development, leads to smaller and smaller islands being created,...
If you are a supporter of Paso Pacífico, you are already aware of the vital importance of healthy forests to the environment of our whole planet. A large part of our work involves protection of forest habitats and re-forestation projects. So we were pleased when at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Scotland, 145 countries pledged to halt and reverse land degradation and forest loss by 2030. (Glasgow Leader’s Declaration). ...
The world is full of wonderful animals you’ve likely never heard of. The yawaum'di, gato colorado, gato moro, león breñero, leoncillo, tigrillo. The eyra, gato-mourisco, gato-preto, gato-vermelho and maracajá-preto. Actually, all those are the same thing — known to English speakers as the jaguarundi. Read on to learn more, such as what it has in common with ocelots, weasels, and tayras. Jaguarundi kitten photo by MARN Distinctive Characteristics of the...
Well, the superhero in the movies probably isn’t. But the black panther is a real animal. Some jaguars and leopards have a black pigmentation, but if you look closely, you can see spots and patterns which identify them as jaguars or leopards. Let’s delve into the fascinating reality behind these mysterious creatures. Jaguars and Leopards: The Real Black Panthers Contrary to common belief, the difference between a black panther and...
The great false vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum) is the largest bat in the New World, and the largest carnivorous bat in the world. It can look scary when its wings are extended. Kim Williams-Guillen and Merlin Tuttle hold a great false vampire bat Notice the word “false”? Because this bat doesn't suck blood, it’s not a true vampire bat. But it is carnivorous, which means that it can eat a LOT of...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sarah Otterstrom Phone: +1-805-643-7044 Email: sarah@pasopacifico.org Paso Pacífico Commits to Launch Machete Project for Forest Restoration A youth-led, farmer-centered solution to address climate change New York, New York, Sept. 22, 2023 Paso Pacífico and its partners announced a Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2023 Meeting. Paso Pacífico will launch its open-source digital platform, the Machete Project, to catalyze forest restoration by connecting 300,000 youth with...
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