BLUE THROATED MACAW CONSERVATION EFFORTS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED AFTER 10 YEARS?

BERKUNSKY, IGOR; DIAZ LUQUE, JOSÉ ANTONIO; KACOLIRIS, FEDERICO PABLO; DANIELE, GONZALO; MILPACHER, STEVE; GILARDI, JAMES D.

San Antonio, TX

Conferencia; 38th Annual Convention of the American Federation of Aviculture; 2012

AFA

The Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a rare, critically endangered and endemic macaw of savannahs in northern Bolivia. The species was discovered in the wild in 1992, and during the last decade intensive conservation work was carried out by World Parrot Trust biologists in order to identify and solve the critical parameters delaying the population?s recovery. Field conservation actions were aimed at increasing nest site availability, protecting active nests against predators, increasing nestling?s survival and establishing protected areas. We evaluated the performance, limitations and costs of these field conservation actions; and we analyzed the information documented by this long-term study related to occupancy, density, and breeding success of Blue throated Macaws in northern Bolivia. The application of these actions resulted in higher nest success and higher nestling survival. Despite this reproductive improvement, the breeding population is not yet recovering. The number of macaws at each breeding site has been stable or decreased; and at a few sites, local extinction has taken place. As the Blue throated Macaw is currently a conservation dependent species, we also consider the costs and benefits of other conservation options such as the reintroduction of captive-bred birds into select portions of the species´ former range.