SCARLET MACAW CONSERVATION PROJECT UPDATE, August, 2010

BEFORE Scarlet and military macaws received during the March confiscation

AFTER two months of care at the Rescue Center. Good work Fernando, Alejandro and volunteers!

One of the most endangered species in the Mayan Forest is the scarlet macaw. Early settlers reported large flocks not only in Peten but in other parts of Guatemala. Today, per-country estimates are 103 in Belize, 137 in Mexico and 159 in Guatemala (Wildlife Conservation Society, [WCS], 2008). This is truly a critically-endangered population, especially considering that the scarlet macaw’s historic range stretches from the southern US to southern Brazil, and includes a Pacific coast population that has nearly been extirpated in Central America. The following is an update on ARCAS’s scarlet macaw conservation activities in Guatemala, including activities carried out at the central office in Guatemala City and the Rescue Center in Peten. These activities form part of the broader Macaws Without Borders (GSF for its acronym in Spanish) effort, a consortium of macaw conservation groups working in Peten, Belize and Mexico for the conservation of these symbols of the Mayan forest. Scarlet macaw trafficking control activities ARCAS supports wildlife trafficking control activities carried out by its government counterparts, the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Guatemalan green police (DIPRONA). Responding to a request for help from CONAP, ARCAS took part in a confiscation of 81 wild animals of 21 different species from a house in the Zone 2 area of Guatemala City. Among the animals confiscated were 12 scarlet and 5 military macaws. All the macaws were in very bad condition, with missing feathers and other signs of stress and one of the scarlet macaws was found with a bird ring identifying it as having been robbed from the local IRTRA zoo. All these macaws but the IRTRA macaw were sent to the Peten Rescue Center. Please see attached press release. An additional scarlet macaw was confiscated in the Zacapa area of the country. Captive breeding activities in Peten Thanks to the support of the Cincinnatti, Oregon and Heidelberg Zoos, as well as Jacob Frost, ARCAS was able to improve and expand its captive breeding program. There is a total of seven breeding cages, though only 5 are active, and in 2009, a perimetral fence was built to improve security and reduce the exposure of birds to visitors. Fernando Martinez and Alejandro Morales continue monitoring chick growth and improving nest designs and diets. The offspring from these captive breeding activities will be used to augment depleted wild populations in the Mayan forest. In the 2010 breeding season, a total of 5 eggs hatched, of which 3 chicks fledged. One chick died of a congenital deformation of the crop while another died from burns to the crop. The nearby Villa Maya Hotel has one breeding pair which laid three eggs, one of which was pulled and raised by hand at the ARCAS Rescue Center due to the fact that third chicks rarely survive. In 2011, ARCAS hopes to begin breeding the military macaws that were confiscated in March.

Nest Hatchings Fledged

1 1 1

2 0 0

3 2 1 *Died from congenital deformation of crop

4 1 1

5 1 0 *Died from 3rd degree burn in the crop

comedor 0 0

TOTAL 5 3

MACAWS RECEIVED IN THE RESCUE

CENTER

Date Origin Quantity ID

09/05/2010 Zacapa 1 ARCAS 1522

29/05/2010 Villa Maya 1 ARCAS

13/06/2010 Guatemala 11 ARCAS 1508-1519

TOTAL 13

MACAWS RECEIVED IN THE RESCUE CENTER AS OF JAN-AUG,

2010 16

Support to El Peru and El Burral Macaw Nesting Site GSF partner the Wildlife Conservation Society continues its nest protection and research activities in the El Peru and Burral sites in the Laguna del Tigre Park, two of the few remaining macaw nesting sites in Guatemala. ARCAS staff has given assistance in monitoring the health of macaw chicks in wild nests, and the giving of treatment against parasites, as well as assisting in fire-fighting activities. Forest fires and poaching are major threats to the scarlet macaw in the area. ARCAS and WCS hope in 2011 to be able to build breeding and/or pre-release cages in the park to begin releasing captive-bred birds in the area. Many thanks to the Columbus, Oregon, Cincinnati and Heidelberg Zoos, as well as Jakob Frost for their support in these scarlet macaw conservation activities.

FOTOS

Dr. Martinez examining a chick

Breeding enclosure. Chicks are raised by parents and so are not imprinted on humans and thus more suitable for release back into the wild.

Chicks are weighed weekly to monitor their growth rate. If there are problems, they may be pulled and raised artificially. Just like humans, there are good parents and bad parents. Some parents have to be closely monitored, while others successfully raise three chicks. Katy Exact formula is used to raise macaw chicks.

ARCAS has experienced thefts of animals in the past, so this perimetral security fence

was built around the scarlet macaw breeding area. The fence is also important to reduce exposure to visitors. Deer were also moved to this area for security reasons.