View allAll Photos Tagged savethechoco
This O. sylvatica was found early in the year but remained my favorite find of 2016. Check out how we are trying to protect O. sylvatica at www.savethechoco.com.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
One of the best specimens of this species I've encountered.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
These are the most common glass frog you will come across on the western slopes. I didn't have my camera with me but I finally witnessed two males fighting. The one individual ended up dangling from the other frogs leg, eventually to be kicked off.
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
Please check out www.savethechoco.com to find out more about what we are doing to try to help protect amazing amphibians like Hypsiboas picturatus.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
A big adult male Jesus lizard found in the streams of the Canande reserve in the Choco forests of Ecuador.
Here is one last look at H. aureoguttatum's transparent ventral surface. You can clearly see its heart, lungs, and intestinal tract. These little frogs are one of the many fascinating creatures that call the Chocó home.
#savethechoco #amphibians #conservation
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
(Corallus blombergi) An endangered species according to IUCN. It is an endemic species found only in the Choco Rainforest of Northern Ecuador.
Listed vulnerable (Ecuadorian Red List, IUCN criteria) #savethechoco #nocropsgiven
MUCHMOREDESIGN.COM
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
A park ranger started screaming from the edge of the jungle for us to hurry over quickly. He was working in a small garden and was almost bitten by this snake. He was cutting back some vegetation and he hit it with the machete and it struck at him. Lucky for the snake and the ranger neither ended up with severe injuries. The snake was only brushed by the knife and lost a scale or two. We relocated it after a quick examination and some pics.
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
Thalurania furcata
One of the 800 bird (conservative estimate) species that call the Chocó home.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
An eyelash pit viper found in the Tundaloma lodge in the Ecuadorian Choco while working for Tropical Herping!
An interesting animal looking for some bananas close to the bird feeders of Masphi lodge. Picture taken while assisting the great Greg Basco and Nick Hawkins.
One of the rarest vipers in the continent and one of the most venomous ones too! This animal was so calm and beautiful it allowed me to take several shots using multiple flashes without striking!!
A juvenile of a Fer de Lance found by Lucas Bustamante while walking back to our cabin in Mashpi lodge.
Worked on my wide angle shots a bit more this trip. It was very refreshing to step away from the 100mm.
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
This non venomous snake looks menacing but it is gentle natured and extremely slow moving. It is found in the Chocó regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
This species is endemic to Ecuador and endangered.
#savethechoco
MUCHMOREDESIGN.COM
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
A strange leaf mantis that looks like a dead leaf. Found in one our night hikes in Masphi lodge with Mathew Cicanese and the Masphi staff for the local photography book project.
The Bush-Anoles are Latin America's answer to chameleons. These lizards are perfectly adapted to life in the canopy, with an exceedingly long tail and a laterally compressed body, just like chameleons.
We spotlighted this individual along a road in some lowland rainforest in the Ecuadorian Chocó. Like all other tropical rainforests, the Chocó is getting chopped down at an alarming rate to make way for palm oil plantations. Check out www.savethechoco.com if you're interested in helping out! These guys buy up areas of land to safeguard them from logging and to integrate them into existing reserves and national parks.
I've run into this species a couple of times on the western side of the Andes. It is definitely one of the more beautiful snail-eaters I've encountered.
#savethechoco
MUCHMOREDESIGN.COM
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
It was an O. Sylvatica year. More to come from the Chocó in 2017. I wish everyone the best of luck in 2017.
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
A female howler monkey shows me her tongue while she scratches her tail. This picture was taken in the road to the Canande reserve in the Ecuadorian Choco.
Rufous-crowned Antpitta
Pittasoma rufopileatum
One of the most sought after birds in the Chocó is Pittasoma rufopileatum . It is often referred to as the flagship species of the Chocó. This beautiful bird is unmistakable but seldom seen. It rarely leaves the forest floor and lives in very wet lowland rainforest making it very difficult to find. It is currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN because of severe deforestation within its elevational range.
Alejandro Solona, a local bird guide, conservationist, and award-winning chocolatier, had a vision. He bought an old dilapidated farm 5 years ago with the idea of growing cacao. Being a birder and conservationist, he wanted to make sure his vision was beneficial to the earth. When his group first arrived, they recorded 54 species of birds on the grounds. 5 years later they have 156 recorded thanks to the reintroduction of native plants and trees. One of the most important finds on Alejandro’s property is the Pittasoma rufopileatum . For the last year and a half, Alejandro has been working on building a relationship with these birds. Each morning he collects insects in a jar before starting his hike up the hill behind his farm. When he gets to the top he calls for the birds hoping to get a response back. When he does, he then has to locate where they are calling from, eventually making his way to the birds. If the day is a success, the bird will pop out, grab a couple of insects and then vanish back into the understory.
Alejandro understands the value of nature. He decided to build a local business with the environment in mind. Not only has his vision produced amazing chocolate, fruit, vegetables, and provided locals with jobs. It has also provided a glimpse into the world of a bird that very poorly understood. Alejandro and team have also been working with local farmers to protect the remaining forest in the area to build a corridor up the Mashpi Lodge reserve. I highly recommend paying Alejandro a visit. Bird or not you'll still walk away with some amazing chocolate. I walked away excited to see such a bird but even more excited to learn about Alejandro's passion for the Chocó.
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.
This small species of salamander is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Check out www.savethechoco.com to learn more.
#savethechoco
copyright James H. Muchmore Jr.