10 Apr 2018
Although it’s in critical danger
of extinction, there’s hope for the Blue-Throated Macaw. A series of
conservation initiatives have led to record numbers of the bird being seen this
past November.
By Samantha Moreno
When Tjalle Boorsma, a reserve
coordinator at the Barba Azul Nature Reserve, surveyed the number of
Blue-throated Macaws Ara glaucogularis this past November he
counted 155, a new record.
The finding is significant
because Blue-Throated Macaws are Critically Endangered, with just 250 to 300
left in the wild according to BirdLife. The population was initially decimated
in the 80s when wild birds were caught and sold as pets. Live export of the
parrots was banned in 1984, leading to a dramatic reduction in trade. However,
the species did not bounce back, largely due to a lack of habitat and suitable
breeding spaces.
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