Figure 12.6. Distribution of radio-tagged Resplendent Quetzals in 1989 (stars),
1990 (circles), and 1991 (triangles) on the Atlantic slope during the second part of
their migration. The quetzals' locations, which were determined from a combina-
tion of aerial reconnaisance and ground verification, represent areas that they used for
about three months. Life zones (Holdridge 1967), or habitats occurring in altitudinal
bands, are numbered and represented by different hatching patterns: (1) premontane
wet, (2) lower montane wet, (3) lower montane rain, (4) premontane rain, (5) premon-
tane moist transition to rain, and (6) tropical wet forest transition. Arenal National Park
(ANP) and the International Children's Rainforest administered by the Monteverde
Conservation League (MCL) were recent expansions. From Powell and Bjork (in press).To maintain populations of elevational migrants in
the preserve, efforts must be taken to expand the pro-
tection of Pacific slope habitats either through their in-
clusion in the preserve or through cooperative forest
conservation programs with land owners (Powell and
Bjork 1994). Because most of the forest that remains on
the Pacific slopes adjacent to the preserve is in the form
of remnant forest patches (see Guindon, "Importance of
Pacific Slope Forests," p. 435), it is unlikely that exten-
sive tracts will be incorporated into it. The most viable
option for protecting sufficient habitat within these life
zones may be to work with land owners in collabora-
tive agreements to conserve existing forest fragments.
That action, which is being successfully pursued by the
Monteverde Conservation League (see Chap. 10, Con-
servation Institutions), coupled with selective purchase
of the most critical fragments and selective habitat res-
toration, may provide a model for protecting critical
tropical habitats in fragmented landscapes.
The future conservation of biodiversity, particu-
larly in tropical environments, will soon depend
largely on well-designed protected natural areas. The
complexity of seasonal movements by Resplendent
Quetzals is one demonstration of the challenge to en-
sure that protected areas are well designed. Our find-
ings call for prompt concentrated efforts to identify
conservation priorities before remaining unprotected
habitats are eliminated.441 Conservation Biology