Critically Endangered macaw afforded protection

30/08/2018

A site holding the largest known Blue-throated Macaw population has been turned into a nature reserve. With roughly 300 individuals left in the wild, the species is Critically Endangered, and so the protection of the 680-hectare site in Beni savanna, central Bolivia, is positive news for their future. Formerly a cattle ranch, the reserve is home to an ongoing artificial nest box programme, launched in 2005 to boost the macaw's population. 

The potential of the area and the nest box programme to assist with the recovery of the species is clear, with no less than 51 macaws fledging from the reserve in the last fourteen years. Furthermore, in 2017, a pair that had previously fledged from the nest boxes returned to breed. The land was purchased by Bolivian conservation organization Asociación Armonía, with support from American Bird Conservancy, the International Conservation Fund of Canada, IUCN Netherlands, and World Land Trust.

Blue-throated Macaw has declined throughout the past century, with habitat destruction a key factor behind this drop in numbers, including the removal and burning of large trees suitable for nesting. Illegal capture for the international pet trade has also had an impact. Asociación Armonía has named the reserve the Laney Rickman Blue-throated Macaw Reserve, in tribute to Laney Rickman, founder of the charity Bird Endowment. Since 2006, Rickman expanded and supported the macaw nest box program since, in partnership with Asociación Armonía. 

The new reserve, together with the existing Barba Azul Nature Reserve, unifies a total area of protected land for the Blue-throated Macaw of 11,680 hectares. Rodrigo Soria, Executive Director of Asociación Armonía, said: "Increasing the Blue-throated Macaw population is more likely now that Armonía has secured this important site as a reserve. This acquisition means that we can continue the successful nest box programme without the worry of changing land ownership and management."

Continued  

Critically Endangered macaws are learning to trust artifical nest boxes

This year, nine Blue-throated Macaw chicks have successfully hatched from nest boxes erected by Armonía (BirdLife in Bolivia) - including the first-ever second-generation nest box fledging.

Found only in the Llanos de Moxos - a tropical savanna in northern Bolivia - the striking Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis was nearly trapped to extinction as a result of demand for the cage bird trade, until 1984, when live export of the species from Bolivia was banned.

But while that threat has been reduced (if not entirely eliminated), the remaining Blue-throated Macaw population, estimated to be in the low hundreds, faces a significant hurdle in its attempts to rebound. The entirety of its known breeding range is situated on what is now private cattle ranches, and the resultant tree-felling and burning has left the Blue-throated Macaws - picky nesters by necessity - short on viable options.

Blue-throated Macaws prefer trees with spacious cavities to nest in, but 150 years of cattle-ranching has resulted in the clearing of most of the larger trees in the region. The beleaguered species has been recorded to suffer a high rate of nesting failures in recent years, with predation from species such as Southern Caracara Caracara plancus and Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco cited as one of the main factors.

However, since 2006, Asociacion Armonía (BirdLife in Bolivia), the Blue-throated Macaw Species Champion, have been working to boost the species' nesting options. With support from the Loro Parque Fundación, Bird Endowement – Nido Adopito – El Beni-Factors ™ and the Mohammed bin Zayed Conservation Fund, Armonía has erected numerous next boxes across the southern part of the Blue-throated Macaw's breeding range, to great effect. In the eleven years since the programme has been running, 71 chicks have successfully hatched - a significant number for a species with such a tiny (50-249) estimated adult population.

Continued

Safe haven for rare parrots doubles in size

A coalition of conservationists has bought nearly 15,000 acres of land in Bolivia, more than doubling a key habitat for the critically endangered blue-throated macaw.

The blue-throated macaw is one of the most endangered birds on Earth, down to an estimated 120 survivors in the wild. Any new refuge for such a rare bird is a welcome surprise, but this brightly colored Bolivian parrot just hit the conservation jackpot.

Continued

‘Endangered’ Label Restricts Sales of Blue-throated Macaw

Selling blue-throated macaws across state lines will be outlawed as of Nov. 4, three weeks after the bird was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

The rule is part of an effort by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to save a parrot species whose numbers in its native Bolivia are estimated at less than 500. Opponents, however, argue that the sales restrictions will have no impact in Bolivia given that the South American country already bans the bird’s capture and export.

Not all movements of the blue-throated macaw will be illegal in the United States. Private and commercial breeding efforts and the bird’s sale to a resident of the same state may continue unabated, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council reported.

Blue-throated macaws, like other parrot species, are monogamous and tend to mate for life, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service pointed out it its report.

In addition, a permit may be issued for a bird’s sale or commercial use if the activity is for scientific research or to enhance "the propagation or survival of the species,” the Fish & Wildlife Service stated.

The blue-throated macaw is both rare and expensive. Breeders and pet stores typically price individuals at $2,000 or more.

Read on

Rare macaws bred in Cornwall to be flown to Bolivia

The trust said about 130 blue-throated macaws survived in the wild

Six rare parrots which have been bred in Cornwall are being flown to a new life in the wild in Bolivia.

The Blue Throated Macaws are heading to South America, 6,000 miles away (9,660 km) from their home at Paradise Park in Hayle.

It is part of a project to re-populate parrots in the wild organised by the World Parrot Trust based in Cornwall.

The trust said current figures show up to 120 Blue Throated Macaws live in the wild in Bolivia.

The numbers have reduced by more than 50% compared to 2007, when there were 250 in Bolivia.

Earlier figures show there were 1,000 of the birds living in the wild in 1980.

'Quite a boost'

They are now only found in Llanos de Mojos in northern Bolivia.

David Woolcock, the curator of Paradise Park, where the trust is based, said: "I can't emphasise enough how rare these birds are.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21598587