Crax blumenbachii

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GALLIFORMES	CRACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Crax blumenbachii

Species Authority:

Spix, 1825

Common Name/s:

English	–	Mutum, Red-billed Curassow, Red-knobbed Curassow
Spanish	–	Muitú Mamaco, Pavón Piquirrojo

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,v);C2a(i);D ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Bianchi, C., Develey, P.

Justification:
A successful reintroduction programme has helped to partially offset an ongoing decline in this species. The range and population are very small and severely fragmented. It is very close to qualifying as Critically Endangered, but two subpopulations consist of more than 50 individuals. It is therefore listed as Endangered.

History:

2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Critically Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Crax blumenbachii was formerly widespread in east Brazil, from Bahia south through Espírito Santo and east Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro. Wild populations are currently known from eight reserves, with strongholds of considerably more than 60 birds in Sooretama Biological Reserve, over 100 birds in the adjacent Vale do Rio Doce Natural Reserve (formerly Linhares Forest Reserve) in Espírito Santo, and 35-40 birds (in 2003) in Descobrimento National Park, Bahia⁴. It may be extinct in Monte Pascoal National Park, Bahia, and Rio Doce State Park, Minas Gerais where it has not been reported since the 1970s⁴. Other recent records come from Ituberá, Serra do Conduru State Park, Pau-Brasil National Park, Una Biological Reserve and Serra das Lontras, all in Bahia⁴. A census of Una Biological Reserve and the nearby private reserve of Fazenda Capitão in 2005-2006 found only five individuals in 430 hours of observation along 329 km of transects⁶. There have been no confirmed records of wild birds from Rio de Janeiro since 1963 and none from Minas Gerais since the 1970s, however birds have now been reintroduced at sites in both states⁴. A successful captive-breeding and reintroduction programme has boosted numbers in the wild^1,2,5, including 28 released and radio-tracked between August 2006 and September 2007 at REGUA, Rio de Janeiro (of which 9 had died by September 2007)⁵. The total population remains extremely small.
Countries:	Native: Brazil
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Minima of 60 birds in Sooretama Biological Reserve, 100 in Rio Doce State Park and 35 Descobrimento National Park, with recent sightings of small numbers at five other sites in 2003 (Silveira et al. 2005).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is largely terrestrial in tall, lowland humid forest, although recent records from Serra das Lontras suggest it may also occur in montane forest above 500 m⁴. The diet consists of fruit, buds, seeds and arthropods. It may be polygamous, but this observation may result from differential hunting pressure between the sexes. Males boom mainly in September-October with young hatching in the next couple of months. Typically two (range 1-4) eggs are laid.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is largely terrestrial in tall, lowland humid forest, although recent records from Serra das Lontras suggest it may also occur in montane forest above 500 m⁴. The diet consists of fruit, buds, seeds and arthropods. It may be polygamous, but this observation may result from differential hunting pressure between the sexes. Males boom mainly in September-October with young hatching in the next couple of months. Typically two (range 1-4) eggs are laid.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species has suffered chronic habitat loss and hunting pressure. Virtually all lowland forest north of Rio de Janeiro is within actively protected reserves or has been completely converted to plantations and pastureland. Even in Monte Pascoal National Park, habitat loss continues as a result of conflicts over the land rights of local people. Hunting and capture for the bird trade persist in reserves and are likely to have a severe impact on such fragmented populations.⁴

Major Threat(s):

The species has suffered chronic habitat loss and hunting pressure. Virtually all lowland forest north of Rio de Janeiro is within actively protected reserves or has been completely converted to plantations and pastureland. Even in Monte Pascoal National Park, habitat loss continues as a result of conflicts over the land rights of local people. Hunting and capture for the bird trade persist in reserves and are likely to have a severe impact on such fragmented populations.⁴

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and protected under Brazilian law. It is largely restricted to reserves, with Sooretama and Linhares the most effectively protected. Over 600 birds are present in captivity at at least 15 locations⁴. Since the first releases in 1991 four reintroduction projects have taken place in Minas Gerais (at Fazenda Macedônia Private Reserve, Fechos Reserve and Peti Environmental Station)^2,3,4, where introduced birds are periodically monitored, have a high survival rate, and there are now second generation offspring^1,3. In Rio de Janeiro state reintroductions began in 2006 at the REGUA reserve in the Guapi Assu basin⁵. Birds here are radio-tagged and their survival and movements are monitored. Conservation Actions Proposed Survey Monte Pascoal, Rio Doce and other localities where the species has been recorded in the past to assess its current status at these sites, and conduct ground surveys of areas identified as potential localities from which the species is not yet recorded. Survey known populations to obtain population estimates and more information on ecology and habitat use patterns. Ensure the de facto protection of all reserves with known populations. Patrol reserves to prevent hunting and trapping. Create private reserves protecting forest remnants within the species's range. Continue the reintroduction programme, managing captive stocks to avoid loss of genetic diversity, increasing the number of institutions breeding the species and integrating all captive populations within a common management and breeding protocol. Identify further potential reintroduction sites, continue long-term monitoring of released individuals and ensure effective protection of localities selected for reintroduction. Establish environmental education programmes in communities living around protected areas, focusing these on the issue of hunting. Lobby for the unauthorised killing, capture or trade of C.blumenbachii to be made offences subject to prison without bail.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and protected under Brazilian law. It is largely restricted to reserves, with Sooretama and Linhares the most effectively protected. Over 600 birds are present in captivity at at least 15 locations⁴. Since the first releases in 1991 four reintroduction projects have taken place in Minas Gerais (at Fazenda Macedônia Private Reserve, Fechos Reserve and Peti Environmental Station)^2,3,4, where introduced birds are periodically monitored, have a high survival rate, and there are now second generation offspring^1,3. In Rio de Janeiro state reintroductions began in 2006 at the REGUA reserve in the Guapi Assu basin⁵. Birds here are radio-tagged and their survival and movements are monitored.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey Monte Pascoal, Rio Doce and other localities where the species has been recorded in the past to assess its current status at these sites, and conduct ground surveys of areas identified as potential localities from which the species is not yet recorded. Survey known populations to obtain population estimates and more information on ecology and habitat use patterns. Ensure the de facto protection of all reserves with known populations. Patrol reserves to prevent hunting and trapping. Create private reserves protecting forest remnants within the species's range. Continue the reintroduction programme, managing captive stocks to avoid loss of genetic diversity, increasing the number of institutions breeding the species and integrating all captive populations within a common management and breeding protocol. Identify further potential reintroduction sites, continue long-term monitoring of released individuals and ensure effective protection of localities selected for reintroduction. Establish environmental education programmes in communities living around protected areas, focusing these on the issue of hunting. Lobby for the unauthorised killing, capture or trade of C.blumenbachii to be made offences subject to prison without bail.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Crax blumenbachii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 February 2012.
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