I'd Love to be this guy!

[Birdman666]

Check out what he has perched on his arm!

Those are the new batch of Spix macaw chicks, all growed up!

Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation

If you didn't know, this is one of the best captive breeding facilities in the world!

One of our Aussie members interned at this place... That would be amazing!

Total DECLARED number known to exist: 75. 69 of them were captive bred. (i.e. all but six of the remaining Spix's in the world.) 51 of them came from this place! (All but 18 of all known captive bred Spix's anywhere anytime.) And they are getting between 3-7 chicks per year! Of course, there "may" be an "undeclared" flock of a dozen or so more existing in a "private collection" somewhere, which may or may not show up as an inexplicable "feral flock" of established wild spix's here in the States someday... nobody knows how they got there. (Rachel!) but that's IT for the entire world! http://awwp.alwabra.com/?p=910

When these 50 reach breeding age, they could be on pace to breed 100 or so chicks per year. At that rate, in a decade, you could have enough to establish a wild breeding colony.

IT WORKED FOR THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR!

THEY DO AMAZING WORK!

 

[Christinenc2000]

That is such a beautiful bird. I want one

 

[Christinenc2000]

I just read they are They are critically endangered

 

[Birdman666]

I just read they are They are critically endangered

They have gone extinct in the wild. This place has set a goal of re-establishing a wild breeding colony.

And they have an established breeding colony of Lears Macaws as well.

They also have blue throats, thank god! Those could be the next to go... couldn't imagine a world without BTM'S!!!

 

[Christinenc2000]

I found them on Facebook. Amazing work they are doing.

 

[Minimaker]

You know I recently read this article about the blue spix that upset me:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140629-spix-macaw-presley-rio-parrot-brazil-science/

They had this super rare macaw in a zoo for years and only tried to breed him unsuccessfully once to a single female bird the whole time. And then acted upset that they couldn't artificially inseminate other birds with his DNA to avoid some of the inbreeding health problems happening in the last of the species because he died? What were they thinking? I think I know what they were thinking actually, and that's what upset me. "Let's keep this really rare bird in our zoo so it'll draw people in/make us money and forget about the fact that his DNA would be of great service to the breeding efforts happening other places that keep this species from complete man-made extinction. He's rare so we're keeping him no matter what." I'm pretty sure that's what they were thinking...what a wasted chance Even a single bird could help somewhat eliminate health issues stemming from an extremely limited gene pool.

 

[Akuma]

I totally agree with you. Their work is amazing.
You can also check one of the amazing sanctuaries in sir bani yas island in Abudhabi and see their wonderful efforts in this regard.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Now, the fewer than 100 remaining Spix's macaws are cloistered in captive breeding programs and refuges throughout the world—and the small population is vulnerable to genetic defects caused by inbreeding. Presley offered the opportunity to inject some much-needed genetic diversity into the population.

Because he was unrelated to the females, Presley could have added some crucial genetic diversity into the mix.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...razil-science/

Interesting. Such a pretty Bird.

 

[JerseyWendy]

WOW!!! That was my face when I clicked on the link ---->

 

[Birdman666]

WOW!!! That was my face when I clicked on the link ---->

I know right?!

Did you check out the facebook link to the captive breeding facilities they built both in Quatar and in Bahia?!

Absolutely wonderful stuff! The little guy in the back has spikey hair just like a certain BTM we know and love...

Looking at the pictures of them, they remind me a lot of red fronts and blue throats in their mannerisms...

I've never played with a lears, but based on the pics they are shrunken Hys...

 

[Birdman666]

i totally agree with you. Their work is amazing.
You can also check one of the amazing sanctuaries in sir bani yas island in abudhabi and see their wonderful efforts in this regard.

THIS is God's work... It really is!!!

Taking what man has destroyed through greed and ignorance, saving it from extinction, and putting it back where it belongs... that is quite a legacy to leave behind.

 

[Birdman666]

Well the Brazillians had a breeding colony, but through a combination of bad luck, bad management, and bad birdkeeping, they lost them all...

Al Wabra didn't give them any of their chicks until they had the infrastructure in place to manage it properly. The Brazillians were initially quite displeased about it, but AL WABRA WAS RIGHT, AND THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

The Brazillians couldn't be trusted to manage it properly, and I still have my doubts. (I lived there, and married into that culture.) Hopefully this works. But in the next decade or so, we may see "extinct" birds come back...

THINK ABOUT IT - WE WERE DOWN TO ONLY SIX OF THESE LITTLE GUYS LEFT WHEN THE SHEIK GOT AHOLD OF HIS BREEDING STOCK!!! But for that there wouldn't be any...

It's really quite remarkable.

 

[Terry57]

Mark, thank you so much for sharing this...my mouth also hit the floor, and it literally brought tears to my eyes.
Wow.

 

[thekarens]

The guy that ran that died not that long ago.

http://dohanews.co/former-qatar-culture-minister-avid-art-collector-dies-london/

 

[denaz101]

Thanks everyone for making me aware of this beautiful birds plight

 

[Terry57]

The guy that ran that died not that long ago.

Prolific Qatari art collector, former culture minister dies in London - Doha News

I am so glad that it seems that the work lives on. He died quite young

 

[Emilymaggie]

You know I recently read this article about the blue spix that upset me:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140629-spix-macaw-presley-rio-parrot-brazil-science/

They had this super rare macaw in a zoo for years and only tried to breed him unsuccessfully once to a single female bird the whole time. And then acted upset that they couldn't artificially inseminate other birds with his DNA to avoid some of the inbreeding health problems happening in the last of the species because he died? What were they thinking? I think I know what they were thinking actually, and that's what upset me. "Let's keep this really rare bird in our zoo so it'll draw people in/make us money and forget about the fact that his DNA would be of great service to the breeding efforts happening other places that keep this species from complete man-made extinction. He's rare so we're keeping him no matter what." I'm pretty sure that's what they were thinking...what a wasted chance Even a single bird could help somewhat eliminate health issues stemming from an extremely limited gene pool.

It feels so weird - I am always reading everyones posts for advice and I finally have something that could be beneficial to tell you! In zoological institutions it is actually incredibly difficult to have an established breeding program for such critically endangered animals. If not many zoos have the species, even less have the correct gender, at breeding age, that are not already paired off. When you do find the right animal, no matter how deep your pockets are there is literally nothing you can do to speed the process along. Contacting the place, filing requests, getting approval, shipping, etc. It isn't just a yes or no, a lot of people are involved. And I have only seen AI in primates, but I can imagine it would be incredibly stressful on an animal, as would introducing it to a new partner after an unsuccessful previous pairing. Also, it sounded like they weren't expecting him to get sick and pass so suddenly. They may have been working further towards breeding him when he got sick.
Hope this sheds some light from the other side of things!