Dear Supporter ,
December is an inspirational month. We take the time to spend time with loved ones and share tasty food. As they are getting ready for another breeding season, the Macaws also like to cuddle up, preen and feed each other.
At the end of the year we tend to reflect and evaluate and then make great aspirations for the new year to come. Thanks to incredible supporters like you, we are reflecting on a very successful year. Our aspiration for 2018 is to continue this trend of growth and further increase our impact for Macaws and their conservation.
In this last Newsletter of 2017, I’d like to take you through some of this years’ successes and explain how you have been a key part of this and how we hope you can continue to be for the year ahead.
With festive and joyful greetings,
Sarah Williams
Communications Director
The Ara Project
2017’s Macaw Chicks are doing well!
There is hope! The 2017 breeding season has been very productive and a big success for Great- green Macaw conservation. With 9 chicks fledged from our re-introduction site Manzanillo and 6 chicks at our breeding centre, we will be adding a total of 15 Macaws, which is approximately 5% of the total population in the wild.
At the Punta Islita Breeding Centre all 6 chicks at the breeding centre have been moved into a social group and have their own aviary. Their parents are back in their breeding aviaries with fresh nest boxes.
At the Manzanillo Great green Macaw Release Site 9 chicks have fledged and are currently exploring the Caribbean rain forests. The team are enjoy their daily adventures as they monitor their first flights into the wild.
Social study guiding new Education program
Changing behaviour is key in any conservation success. The Macaws’ main threats are the illegal pet trade and habitat loss, both caused by humans. To fully understand people’s attitudes and behaviours towards the Macaws and their threats, a social study was conducted around both The Ara Project’s release sites and in the North, where there is the last Great green Macaw population. We thank Indianapolis Zoo for their support to making this happen.
Some of the findings are:
1. Nearly everyone knows that it is illegal to poach and have parrots as pets, but 50% of people know someone with a pet parrot!
2. Most people think that continuing deforestation is the biggest threat to parrots which isn’t the case, poaching is.
3. A higher education level has a positive influence over peoples attitude towards nature and more specifically parrots.
This study has been key to the development and implementation of an improved and targeted education program. In collaboration with other conservation organisations we will target both children and adults to address the misunderstandings as mentioned above. And finally, we will be monitoring the progress and assess our success in changing behaviours.
Baby Macaws are getting New Homes!
Because of all the generous supporters from our Baby Macaw campaign in August, our initial goal of $6,500 was hit within a week and by the end of the month we reached an incredible $13,000! This meant that not only were we able to repair and build all the nestboxes needed for this year, it also made it possible to care for the chicks as they are taking their first flights into life.
Both teams in Punta Islita and Manzanillo have been working around the clock to get all these nests ready in time for the breeding season. The good news is, they are ready!
If you would like to know more about how these new homes will be monitored and protected over the next breeding season, please click here to read Meg’s latest blog.
These are two of our new, innovative designs which will be tested this year:
1. Some of the released Scarlet Macaws prefer dead palms, but these tend to fall over, often with eggs or chicks inside. This artificial palm nest will prevent that.
2. Toucans are big predators of Macaw eggs in the Caribbean. We hope that this extended entrance will prevent
them from entering the nests.
Great-green Macaws represented at the Wildlife Conservation Network
The WCN fall Expo attracts over a thousand conservation enthusiasts and heroes every year. This year, we had the privilege to join this fantastic event. We hosted an informational booth and we also gave a presentation.
Our very own Dr. Sam Williams presented the struggle that the Great-green Macaws are facing and how there is hope. If you couldn’t see his presentation, don’t worry, we have a recording for you. Just scroll all the way down to watch his fun, yet emotional presentation. Sit back and enjoy!
Here’s how you can Give Hope to the Macaws!
As we reflect on the year and enjoy the Holiday Season, our excitement to jump into the new year builds. But….
… wild Macaws and their babies are still in trouble and they need your help. Our conservation efforts are not possible without the incredible support you give.
You can help make 2018 as inspirational for the Macaws as 2017 was.
Please consider making your Holiday Gift today and helping these magnificent species thrive once again.