FROM CAGE TO FREEDOM UNEXPECTED ALLIES HELP ENDANGERED BIRD René Laing follows the journey of the Spix's macaw, also known as the little blue macaw, one of the world's most endangered parrot species. Once declared extinct in the wild in Brazil, conservation efforts may provide new hope for this iconic bird.
P icture a bird so breathtakingly beautiful that every collector feels compelled to own one - or several - in their collection. This scenario often unfolds with rare birds, where those with the means acquire them from regions lacking conservation measures. The iconic Spix’s macaw ( Cyanopsitta spixii ) is a prime example.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF A SHEIKH They were scarce, even when Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix encountered the first individual. Reports suggest it took another 84 years before the next sighting. It was not until the 1970s that serious studies of the species began, but The species persisted in captivity, even as Spix’s macaws vanished from the wild. One influential player in their reintroduction efforts was the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation in Qatar, founded by the late Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Thani. Originally renowned as an art collector, Sheikh Saud shifted his focus to wildlife conservation in the 1990s. In a 2009 interview with Mongabay, Dr Sven Hammer, Al Wabra’s director of Wildlife and Veterinary Services, revealed a widespread practice among wealthy This iconic bird once inhabited the dry forests of the Curaca region in Bahia in northeastern Brazil, but conservationists declared it extinct in the wild in 2000.
Gulf sheikhs of keeping illegally sourced wild animals. Determined to change this, as he no longer found it acceptable, Sheikh Saud shifted from collector to protector, transforming Al Wabra into a world-class wildlife preserve committed to ethical care and conservation. The Sheikh grew interested in Spix’s macaw conservation, and upon realising the dire situation, Al Wabra then played a pivotal role in consolidating the remaining population under managed care. They acquired birds from private collectors and several birds from Birds International in the Philippines, the largest commercial parrot breeding facility in the world, to establish another breeding population. by then, habitat degradation and illegal trade had decimated their numbers and continued to do so. Yet, thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, wild populations are returning. A significant contributor to this resurgence was an unexpected ally - a former wildlife collector turned conservationist.
CRITICALLY ENDAGERED The Spix’s macaw’s conservation status 1819
Consolidating the Spix’s macaws under the intensive management of Al Wabra was crucial to the species’ survival. Al Wabra’s expert veterinary team and encouragement of natural breeding behaviours led to increased fertility and survival rates of the Spix’s macaws. Since 2000, Al Wabra has successfully bred and raised more than 50 chicks. The preservation also maintains detailed studbooks to monitor genetic diversity and guide selective breeding decisions. Meanwhile, Al Wabra also became involved in Brazil, paving the way for reintroduction. In 2008, Al Wabra purchased the 2 200-hectare property in the historical range of the Spix’s macaw.
The year German naturalist Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix collected the first specimen in the wild, already rare at the time. The species was described in 1832. 2000 The year the bird was officially declared extinct in the wild. HABITAT LOSS
The Spix’s natural habitat shrank due to agricultural expansion and grazing. COLOURFUL PETS
The Spix’s macaw was captured from the wild for the pet trade. 2022 The year of the first releases back into the wild. More reintroductions will follow in the coming years.
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