Story
Since 2002, the focus of WPT's fieldwork has been to better understand the species’ ecology and to develop strategies to aid its long-term survival. The project is a complex conservation programme: it combines population surveys and searches for additional Blue-throated Macaw sites with components of habitat investigation, direct protection of wild nests and outreach with local and national groups.
Current and future efforts include:
- Managing wild populations by monitoring breeding pairs, protecting nests and nestlings
- Aiding breeding by installing artificial nest boxes
- Conducting habitat surveys to determine use by birds
- Determining wild bird movements using telemetry and satellite tracking
- Conducting genetic analyses of captive and wild populations
- Identifying and eliminating ongoing threats affecting the wild populations
- Releasing captive raised birds into areas where extinction has occurred
- Building a captive breeding program for the birds in Bolivia
- Investigating habitat management and restoration techniques
- Discouraging use of parrot feathers for traditional ceremonies
Progress: The project has made significant strides in discovering many of the factors limiting the species' recovery, and is implementing hands-on solutions to address them. The work will continue using conservation methods and criteria that have been determined over the decade to save endangered species of parrots.
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https://www.facebook.com/parababarbaazul/