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| Your gifts helped protect endangered Salvadoran spider monkeys. Thank you!
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Your support is helping expand habitat for El Salvador's critically endangered spider monkeys!
During the last few years, donors like you have helped community rangers to conduct conservation outreach in their communities and to prevent wildfires and hunting in the dry tropical forest surrounding the Olomega lagoon. This geography hosts El Salvador's most significant spider monkey population, rediscovered only 5 years ago.
Much of the spider monkey's habitat is privately owned, and it's important that sufficient habitat is set aside for conservation. That is why, late last year, donors like you and our partners at Zoo Boise helped us to negotiate the use of a 70-acre property. Now we have a deadline in which to raise the funds to purchase it. You are welcome to contribute here.
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Similar to our Mono Bayo Reserve in Nicaragua, the property will serve as a hub for environmental education activities. It will also host researchers seeking to study the local spider monkeys. Through your help, Paso Pacífico's long-term goal is to register the area as a government-sanctioned private reserve and to partner with local nonprofits to establish a research station in the OBFS network of international research stations. Management of this property can give leadership opportunities and boost local capacity for nature conservation.
Your support made it possible to take the first steps toward building a reserve to protect and study spider monkeys.
Thank you!
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Thank you for paving the way for
a new nature reserve in El Salvador!
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A forest cat in Central America is giving thanks today because it has a better chance to thrive thanks to a donor like you! We are pleased to inform you that our year-end campaign raised over $61,000, which was more than 80% of our goal. Already, the resources are being deployed in Central American forests.
If you would like to make a gift to help save a forest cat and assist us in reaching our goal, you can donate here.
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Over the past year, Andrew Seligman has joined our team as a regular volunteer at our Ventura office. We are so fortunate to have a person like Andrew on our team. He understands the nexus between conservation and development through industries like tourism.
Andrew met his wife when he was doing development work in Nicaragua four decades ago and then made a career as an international travel agent, for which he still consults. In 2023, he helped plan and execute World Ocean Day Ventura and our recent donor trip. We recently started utilizing his talent for writing and invite you to read his blogs.
Andrew grew up in Wales and we are delighted that he brings his love of tasty apples and his British sense of "humour" to the office each week. Thank you, Andrew!
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| Your contributions helped nature and communities!
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Our donors are our friends, and their support for our mission makes our world go 'round. This is why we felt especially fortunate to share a week of adventure and learning with ten loyal supporters late last year. This was our first donor trip to El Salvador, and the trip offered a first look at Paso Pacífico projects that ranged from wildlife protection to plastic-catching river barriers, a community ranger team and sea turtle conservation.
Paso Pacífico took 10 of our loyal supporters to El Salvador in late October to inspect the projects we are working on there. A late season tropical storm changed our itinerary a little, but everyone took things in their stride and were keen to meet our partners, share their life experiences and immerse themselves in the country.
We are grateful for the time we got to share with our donors on this trip, and of course we are thankful to all of you for your support.
As a supporter, you are welcome to join us in the future. If you would like to be the first to hear about the next donor trip, then send us a quick note.
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| The Nicaraguan grackle, whose habitat you helped protect, inspired a costume worn by the 2023 Miss Universe. |
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In November, the Miss Universe pageant was held in El Salvador for the first time. The event is widely popular in Central America, and we saw many Salvadorans work very hard to prepare for it. The winner of the Miss Universe pageant was Miss Nicaragua, who was the first Central American woman to wear the crown. Miss Nicaragua's win prompted waves of joy and pride throughout the region.
You might appreciate Miss Universe's grackle-inspired national costume. The Nicaraguan grackle (Quiscalus nicaraguensis), known locally as 'El Zanate,' is an endemic bird that is in danger of extinction due to habitat loss. The Nicaraguan grackle has a shrinking range and small, declining population. Your donations help protect and restore parts of the grackle's habitat, and also help shift youth culture toward birdwatching instead of using slingshots.
We are happy for the new Miss Universe, for Nicaragua, and for El Salvador. Our team is especially pleased that Miss Universe featured a threatened endemic species. Thank you for your support in helping preserve this special bird.
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PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE
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Our work in El Salvador is only possible thanks to the true conservation heroes who are our partners! They make your contributions go twice as far.
During the 2023 donor trip, the La Geo geothermal plant welcomed our visitors. This power plant provides sustainable electricity. Our group also visited its wildlife rescue center, which is managed by a fantastic team of veterinarians and wildlife technicians. The rescue center received a gift (above) of gently used stuffed animals to be used for wildlife enrichment activities. These toys were donated by compassionate students at Oak Grove School in Ojai, California.
Bongo Experience, an ecotourism enterprise that has started a sea turtle nursery in partnership with Paso Pacífico, also hosted us. Our group released baby sea turtles and caught glimpses of the spectacular coastline of Oriente Salvaje, the site of a proposed world surfing reserve! This reserve initiative is made possible through our partnership with ADETCO and Sociedad Salvaje Salvadoreña.
The trip culminated with a visit to a river intercept system that was made possible by support from the World Surf League. Managed by ADETCO, the system catches floating trash, keeping it from entering the ocean.
These community members and organizations are just some of the fabulous local partners who made the trip possible and are moving our conservation programs forward. We are deeply grateful for each. Thank you for your partnership.
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| Thank you for your support! |
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| Thank you to all the photographers who contributed photos used in this e-newsletter. These include but are not limited to José G. Martínez-Fonseca, Oswaldo Saballos, Esmée Van de Ven, Andrew Seligman, and Sarah Otterstrom. |
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