preventing extinctions
Yellow-eared Parrot:
the power of the public
Once common amidst the cloud forests of Ecuador
and Colombia, by the 1990s the Yellow-eared Parrot
Ognorhynchus icterotis had disappeared altogether
from Ecuador, and scientists feared it might be
extinct in the wild. The reason: deforestation of its
home tree, the Quindio Wax Palm. For centuries,
wax palm fronds had been used to adorn the Palm
Sunday celebrations by the Christian community,
causing wild stocks to dwindle.
And then, in 1999, 81 birds were discovered in a
remote area of the Colombian Andes. Conservation
groups launched a large-scale publicity campaign,
including TV and radio appeals, a music concert and
the highly popular “Parrot Bus”. Backed by popular
support, local organisations were able to install
nest boxes, plant trees and promote sustainable
alternatives to the problem palm. The Yellow-eared
Parrot’s population is now 1,000-strong and growing.
And just in case you were wondering, its yellow
feathers do indeed extend to its ear coverings.
Lear’s Macaw:
nobody’s property
Joao
This Brazilian bird was known to the rest of the world
as a captive pet long before any wild populations
were discovered. By the time wild populations were
found, it was clear that the unregulated wildlife trade
had sent them into freefall: by 1983 there were just
60 Lear’s Macaw Anodorhynchus leari left. Its habit
of nesting in large colonies made it all the more
simple to capture in swathes. CITES (the wildlife
trade convention) stepped in to end the trade, but
populations failed to bounce back. With its semi-
desert habitat degraded by farming, it was clear the
species needed a little more help.
And so, scores of organisations banded together
to protect the habitat, educate the local community
and make sure anti-hunting laws were strongly
enforced. Undercover agents even infiltrated trading
networks to stop the practice at its source. The bird’s
future now looks as bright as its plumage. The most
recent count found 1,294 individuals.
A cause for hope
These stories show us there isn’t a catch-all solution: every bird is different. But it’s rarely too
late to turn things around. To read more about the work we do to save Critically Endangered
birds, head to www.birdlife.org/worldwide/programmes/preventing-extinctions ■
jul-sep 2018 • birdlife
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