Dear Supporter ,
January 30th was a special day for all of us at The Ara Project; the release of 13 Scarlet Macaws in Punta Islita!
Not only the huge relief of seeing them successfully fly out, for us it was also an accentuation of our joined efforts as a whole. It was the dedication of our skilled team at the breeding center who prepared these birds to be 100% fit and who turned them into athletes at flying. Then to ensure a successful survival, our field team was handed the torch to continue to monitor the birds’ next steps into the wild. And finally but most importantly, it is because of incredible supporters like yourself who have helped these efforts and continue to support our breeding and field programs. With a special thanks to our dedicated monthly supporters who enable these ongoing efforts – You are Amazing!
In this first newsletter of 2018, I would like to give you a sneak peek into these and other highlights. Our ongoing efforts are crucial to a bright future of Costa Rica’s Macaws and we’d love for you to find out more. If you haven’t visited us yet, you are missing out! Come experience the joy of free-flying beauties in their natural habitat, whilst absorbing all that Costa Rica has to offer.
I hope you enjoy reading this first Newsletter edition of 2018!
Best wishes,
Sarah Williams
Development Director
The Ara Project
P.S. By joining our Monthly Donor family, you can play a central role in these continued efforts.
Three is a magic number [Breeding Update]
It’s breeding season for the Scarlet and Great green Macaws in Costa Rica! Our field team are following their activities up close and we are hopeful for a successful year.
It takes countless hours and patience in the field to locate possible nests. The team’s hard work and determination have paid off, a further three eggs have been found around the Scarlet Macaw release site in Punta Islita. Unfortunately, just like Mary-Ann’s parents, who laid a clutch of three eggs earlier this season, this pair also nested in a dead palm tree.
These palm trees are not ideal nests, but with the landscape only just recovering from years of deforestation, there are few natural nest cavities left.
To help the population we supplement artificial nest boxes to help the released birds breed. This season we are piloting a project by supplementing the older pairs with artificial palm trunks that can sustain bad weather.
In the meantime, to keep an extra close eye on the currently active nests, the field team are using a new and innovative way of monitoring the progress of the eggs, with the “GO Pole”. This is simply a GoPro sports camera on a long stick to capture footage from the nest without distressing the parents or compromising the structure of any precarious trees.
The team at our Manzanillo release site have also found three eggs laid by a pair of our previously released Great green Macaws. The eggs are laid in one of the renovated artificial nest boxes that our generous supporters have helped us to provide.
I can’t wait to share more exciting breeding news later in the season.
Flight to Freedom [Release Video]
Update: On January 30th we successfully released 13 Scarlet Macaws! They joined a group of 37 previously released Scarlet Macaws at our release site and headquarters in Punta Islita. The newly released Macaws can be found following the older more experienced birds, curiously learning and flying further each day, building their flight muscles.
To take an exclusive first look yourself, please watch our new video HERE. You’ll get a behind the scenes peek into all the preparations needed and the ongoing support for these thirteen Scarlet Macaws in their first flights to freedom.
The Joy of Flying [Volunteer Blog]
“As the birds tip-toed to the edge of the freshly-opened aviary and paused with the forest before them, I glanced around at the staff, volunteers, and supporters who quietly looked on in anticipation. Each of our backgrounds, origins and personal reasons for why we came to the project varied, but on the morning of January 30th we showed up together for the birds and the stories they will write as they fly free.” Continue reading…
Brittany is part of our second year’s Apprentice Program at the Punta Islita Breeding Centre. Her first blog of the season gives you an insight into the first accounts of when 13 Scarlet Macaws flew free. Her honest and heartwarming words will be sure to transport you to that very moment and experience it through her eyes. Find the rest of Brittany’s entrancing blog here.
Painting for Parrots [A Community- integration Program]
We aim to inspire local communities to share our love for Macaws through various outreach programs. One program that has been developed is facilitating local communities to generate an income through protecting the Macaws. We do this through an Art-Program which was first set up in 2015 at the Punta Islita Headquarters. A group of mostly stay-at-home-women was inspired by the beauty that our released Macaws brought to their village, where they had disappeared for decades. A collaboration was formed and we now facilitate the sales of the unique art they produce.
Over the years, we have been investing in their skills by providing them with free art workshops so that they would continue to grow as an artist and increase their incomes. As I am sure you would love to own a piece of this unique art, I am afraid I will have to disappoint you that they are only available in Punta Islita.
Yet another reason to Come visit!
Parrot Partner in the Spotlight
Our partners at Centro Cientifico Tropical (Tropical Science Centre) are a Non-profit organisation. Their commitment to facilitating coexistence between humans and the tropical forest has them involved with several biological corridors. One of those is San Juan-La Selva biological corridor (593’052 Acres) that extends from the North of Costa Rica into the South of Nicaragua. Through their participation in biological corridors, they protect the landscape and key habitats for the conservation of tropical biodiversity. One of the main objectives of this corridor is to protect the habitat of one of the last stronghold population of the endangered Great green Macaws.
The CCT’s research on both species found an important connection between the Great-green Macaw and the Mountain almond tree. It has been found to be their top choice for both feeding and nesting. Unfortunately, due to its hardwood, the Mountain almond tree has been logged heavily. As a result of the research conducted by the CCT, it officially became illegal to harvest the tree in 2008, a major milestone in the protection of these magnificent birds!
As part of their continued efforts, people can adopt a Mountain almond tree. This adoption program has proven an effective method against illegal harvesting of the tree, which is still very prevalent 10 years after the legislation was put in place.
CCT works with local communities to protect tropical biodiversity. Ulises Aleman Zelaya, who is on the local committee of the San Juan-La Selva biological corridor, is CCT’s main field staff working with the wild Great green Macaws. Together with his wife and three kids, he resides in the heart of the Macaw’s stronghold in the North of Costa Rica where he has dedicated the best part of 35 years to the protection and survival of these endangered Parrots. Originally from El Salvador, he migrated to Costa Rica 38 years ago in search of a new home. As soon as he saw the Great greens’ vibrant colors fly over his head, he felt an internal motivation to learn more. Since then he has spent countless hours in the field collecting data and recording their movements within 148’263 Acres of their range in the North of Costa Rica.
We are excited to be joining CCT and Ulises to increase data collection and gain a better understanding of the conservation strategies needed to protect the last remaining stronghold of these endangered Parrots.
Led by director Sam Williams, our field biologist Jack is already in the heart of their range in North of Costa Rica, helping to monitor over 100 possible nests. These fieldwork activities have been launched this breeding season as part of our Great green Macaw recovery program. The program is put in place by Dr. Williams to ensure the long-term survival of the Great green Macaw.
Scarlet Macaws @ Ara Project. Photo © Stephanie Cope