Cotton top tamarin of Columbia, South America

  These cute and charming primates are about the size of a squirrel with a shocking tuff of white hair. Due to deforestation and illegal pet trade, the cotton top tamarin is critically endangered in Columbia and numerous efforts are being made to conserve them. One of the biggest conservation dedicated to them is Proyecto titi.

Like many other conservation organizations, Proyecto titi knew that the best way to ensure the cotton top tamarin’s continuing survival is educating the public and ensuring the economic independence of rural communities that live around the forests where the cotton top tamarin lives.

 

Deforestation is one of the many threats to the Cotton top tamarin.

Because the forest is the source income and resources for these communities, the forests surrounding these villages are in danger of being depleted and destroyed. One big resource is wood for fuel. The average family uses 15 logs of wood a day for cooking.

Through trial and error, the people at Proyecto titi built a small cook stove made out of clay called a binde. Traditional bindes are made from termite mounds, but these are difficult to harvest and have the potential of destroying the eco system. Clay was used as a substitute instead.

With the clay bindes, the usage of wood is cut down dramatically. Instead of 15 logs a day, a family uses only 5! Another advantage with the clay bindes is the ability to use other material as fuel, such as corn husks, coconut shells, etc.

Clay bindes. Photo courtesy of Proyecto titi.

 Trying to find other ways of improving the quality of life and enabling economic independence, Proyecto titi works with local villages to put a new spin in something traditional: Eco-mochilas. 

 

Echo mochilas, plastic bag style. Photo courtesy of Proyecto titi

Mochilas are traditional bags made in Columbia. But Eco-mochilas are unique, they are made from recycled plastic bags which women villagers collect from the rainforest, roads, etc. Besides making these bags, the women take the role as teachers as well, educating others about the critically endangered cotton top tamarin and the importance of conserving them and the rainforest.

           

Money made from these bags are given back to the community, enabling the women villagers to continue to educate, support their families and communities, and reducing their dependency on the forest!

So check out and support Proyecto titi and learn more about what they do, how to build your own binde, and Eco-mochilas: Proyecto Titi: Conserving the Cotton-top Tamarin in Columbia

If you have time, do check out this great presentation of Proyecto titi at the Wildlife Conservation Network 2012 expo: http://vimeo.com/55315132