Parrot News
13 October 2008
Why volunteer on the Macaws of the Peruvian Amazon
Macaws, the brilliant, long-tailed parrots of Neotropical forests, are seriously threatened by both forest clearing and poaching for the pet trade. Young macaws sell for thousands of dollars, if they survive capture. Poachers cut down nesting trees for chicks and lurk at clay licks, where macaws and parrots congregate by the hundreds. Although increased ecotourism focused on watching macaws has helped reduce poaching, it may be causing its own problems by disturbing these birds that require century-old trees for nesting and have a slow reproductive rate. The data volunteers help collect will help prevent these magnificent birds from being driven to extinction.
The information collected by the Tambopata Macaw Project over the past ten years has resulted in many useful publications that have helped the conservation of these special birds not only in Peru, but across South America. We provide opportunities to local students to help participate in research and experience the ecotourism industry that helps highlight the plight of these beautiful birds. Insights from our research have helped conservation efforts as far away as Brazil, Costa Rica and Indonesia.
Today the region is threatened by a rapidly increasing colonization along
the Interoceanic highway that connects Brazil to the coastal ports of
Peru, exposing thousands of hectares of forest to imminent destruction.
Our research with radio-collars has already shown that macaws are flying
long distances and crossing this road into unprotected areas. By aiding
sustainable economical activities, like ecotourism, we do our bit in holding
back the tide of threats that will negatively impact the parrot communities
of Tambopata, and maybe see more species join those already on the endangered
list like, Blue-headed macaw and Amazonian parrotlet. We can’t do
this without you, please support our project and experience one of the
last remaining uninhabited rainforests in the world.
White-eyed parakeet (Aratinga leucophthalma) flock, southeastern
Peru. A.Lee