hello tweets,

another bird species bites the dust. very sad, very sad, indeed!

regards,

Deborah Wisti-Peterson, PhD Candidate nyneve at u.washington.edu
Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash, USA
Visit me on the web: http://students.washington.edu/~nyneve/
Life is better when you are reading a good book -- Author Tim Green



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 08:02:40 -0600
From: Natasha Schischakin=20
Subject: Fw: The Last Spix's Macaw Disappears

THE LAST SPIX'S MACAW " THE WORLD'S RAREST PARROT "
DISAPPEARS FROM THE WILD

December 1, 2000, Brasilia =96 The Brazilian Institute for the Environment =
and
Natural Renewable Resources (IBAMA) has informed the conservation community
that the last known wild Spix=92s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) has disappeare=
d.
The Spix=92s Macaw (also known as the Little Blue Macaw) is considered one =
of
the world=92s most endangered species. Until its disappearance, only one
remaining male was known to exist in the wild =96 only in one small arid
region of savanna scrubland in Northeastern Brazil known as the =93caatinga=
=94.
It is estimated that the last Spix=92s Macaw is approximately 19 years of a=
ge,
so there is great fear that he might have succumbed to a predator or died o=
f
an age related illness. He had been observed avoiding hawks in the past
year. It is not known how long this species lives in the wild. But, if its
disappearance is confirmed, the Spix=92s Macaw will once again be considere=
d
extinct in the wild.

This individual specimen has contributed much to what is known about this
species in nature. The re-discovery of this last single bird in 1990 gave
researchers a second chance to study this species, as until then, little wa=
s
known about the Spix=92s Macaw in the wild. Also at that time, the Brazilia=
n
wildlife authorities formed the Permanent Committee for the Recovery of the
Spix=92s Macaw. The Committee is a diverse group comprised of government
officials, ornithologists, zoo specialists, as well as national and
international holders of birds in captivity. The mission of this Committee
was to save this species from extinction and coordinating the field and the
captive breeding program.

The Ararinha Azul Project (Little Blue Macaw Project) was established by
this Committee to develop the field conservation effort. Researchers of the
project have been monitoring this bird for the last ten years, studying it=
s
natural history and working with the local community in conservation. They
last reported seeing the bird (which is a male) 56 days ago. On a positive
note, it appears that there might have been a sighting of this magnificent
blue bird less than a month ago by a local farmer. As this is the dry
season, there is a possibility that he might have moved to another area in
search of food. Therefore, IBAMA and researchers of the project are mountin=
g
an intensive search of the region. Three teams made up of researchers and
local woodsmen known as =93mateiros=94 will search the area for information=
and
sightings of this last bird.

The last Spix=92s macaw had come to symbolize the region and the people of
this area. The conservation program has developed into a model of community
conservation in this economically distressed region, incorporating local
needs with the conservation effort. Projects supported by the Committee hav=
e
included the building of rural schoolhouses, a hunger relief campaign durin=
g
a severe drought, range and livestock management extension courses, and eve=
n
the restoration of a century old theater. Because of this positive communit=
y
support, it is believed that if the last wild bird disappeared, it is due t=
o
natural biological causes and not to trappers.

With only a single bird in the wild, the recovery of the Spix=92s Macaw has
always depended on the success or failure of the captive breeding program.
Through collaboration between the participants throughout the world, the
population has steadily increased to sixty birds (fifty-four are
captive-hatched). The program is administered as a single global population
with five breeding facilities throughout the world.

The information that the field researchers gathered by studying the last
wild bird will be critical to eventually reintroducing captive-bred birds t=
o
the area. Therefore, even if the last wild bird is lost, he will have
provided much information and insight into how this species survives. This
knowledge should help researchers eventually establish a new wild
population. With the support from the captive-breeding program, a
reintroduction effort is planned for the near future. There is still hope
that the bird known as the Spix=92s (Little Blue) macaw will once again fly=
in
the wild =93caatinga=94 habitat of Brazil.

xxx

Major funding for this program has been provided by the Brazilian Institute
for the Environment and Natural Renewable Resources (IBAMA) in Brazil and
the Fundacion Loro Parque of Spain. Support is also provided by the America=
n
Federation of Aviculture, Ara Brasil Institute, the Houston Zoo, =D3 Botica=
rio
Foundation; ASHOKA Foundation; Herbert Levy Institute; WWF-Brazil; Birds
International, Inc.; BirdLife International; AZA Brazil Conservation Action
Partnership; Funda=E7=E3o Parque Zoologico de S=E3o Paulo and many individu=
als
involved in the program.

For further information contact:

Brazil: Yara de Melo Barros, Coordinator of field program and the Projeto
Ararinha Azul, Brazil. Phone: (55) 48-233-6542 or (55) 48-9973-7036. E-mail=
:
arabrasil at globalite.com.br or Maria Iolita Bampi, Chief of Wildlife, IBAMA=
,
Brasilia. Phone: (55) 61-225-8150, E-mail: mbampi at sede.ibama.gov.br

USA: Natasha Schischakin, Coordinator of the Captive Working Group for the
Spix=92s Macaw, Conservation and Research Office, Houston Zoo. Phone: (1)
713-284-1386; E-mail: conservation at prodigy.net

Europe: Yves de Soye, Scientific Director, Fundacion Loro Parque, Tenerife,
Canary islands, Spain. Phone: [34] 922-37-40-81, E-mail:
dir.cientifica at loroparque-fundacion.org