January 2003

John Tomasovic

On a mild, but winter afternoon in St. Louis, we were transported to the desert interior of Brazil for a once-in-a-lifetime trip with the Tomasovics.  On a trip last summer, they visited Brazil on a unique eco-tour to observe the rustic wildlife, particularly birds of course, of Brazil.

As John pointed out, Brazil is almost as large, with almost as many people as the United States.  The population is highly concentrated in the eastern coastal areas, leaving huge areas of essentially wild terrain.  The Tomasovics traveled to these natural wonderlands to observe such unbelievable sights as the photo above, flocks of Hyacinth macaws feeding on clusters of palm nuts.

A truly unique aspect of the tour is the transition from wild bird trapper to sanctuary custodian roles for the people involved.  An organization called Bio-Brazil has used the basic laws of economics to turn what were once prime hunting grounds for the capture of wild birds into a managed haven for their preservation.  Through organizing tours such as the one Tomasovics were on, it is now more profitable to manage and develop the wildlife for observation than it is to capture and export it.

We would like to thank John and Pep for their contribution to that effort and for sharing the experience with us.  Feel free to ask them questions at the next meeting...