Les objectifs principaux du projet ARARA AZUL sont de maintenir, à moyen et à long terme, une population viable d’aras hyacinthe sauvages (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) dans leur habitat naturel et d’aider à la conservation de la biodiversité et du Pantanal dans son ensemble. Certains objectifs spécifiques peuvent varier d’année en année, mais l’étude de la biologie de base, de la reproduction, des comportements, des exigences en matière d’habitat, de la gestion et de l’éducation environnementale pour la conservation des espèces sauvages en font partie.
Le projet ARARA AZUL (lien offert en portugais seulement) vise l’étude de la biologie et des relations écologiques des aras hyacinthe et dirige et promeut la conservation des aras bleus dans leur habitat naturel. Le projet s’intéresse aussi à la biologie reproductive des aras rouges, des toucans, des faucons, des chouettes, des pintades et d’autres espèces cohabitant avec les aras bleus dans le Pantanal.
Lancé en 1990 par la biologiste Neiva Guedes, le projet suit l’évolution d’environ 3 000 aras bleus dans la région du Pantanal, où l’on peut retrouver 346 nids naturels et 198 nids artificiels. Le projet a plus que triplé le nombre d’aras hyacinthe surveillés dans la région!
Mark Hagen s’est rendu au Brésil en novembre 2019 afin de visiter l’équipe du projet ARARA AZUL et d’observer quelques-uns de ces nichoirs et les aras hyacinthe qui y vivent.
Rosemary Low (aviculturist, ornithologist, conservationist, writer and expert on parrots), Steve Brookes of Wild Parrots Up Close, Mark Hagen (Founder and Director of HARI) visit the Arara Azul Project.Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus (Hyacinth Macaw) is listed as vulnerable by IUCN and in CITES Appendix I. Blue macaws are economically important to humans in that interest in the bird sparks the tourism industry in Brazil. They are also part of the international live-bird trade. Capture and export of wild birds (although illegal in Brazil) has caused a sharp decline in the population.The Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is the largest parrot by length in the world (100 cm (3.3 ft) long from the tip of its tail to the top of its head and weighs 1.2–1.7 kg (2.6–3.7 lb)).Hyacinth macaws are largely dependent and feed almost exclusively on the nuts of palm trees, such as this African oil palm, but will occasionally feed on small seeds, palm sprouts and snails.Blue macaws feed on eight species of palm nuts, which are rich in nutrients and fat. Those with Hyacinth’s in aviaries must remember that these wild macaws fly around all day and exert their energy, aviary birds should not be overfed nuts.Most of the feeding occurs on the ground, though Hyacinth Macaws use their ability to climb to pick palm nuts from clusters within the trees.Predators include owls and the toco toucan, which likes to steal eggs and chicks with that long, colorful bill of theirs.Pictured here: Dr. Neiva Guedes (President of the Arara Azul Institute), Rosemary Low, Cynthia Mazzi (Field Biologist), Mark Hagen. Dr. Guedes gave a 2-hour presentation on the Arara Azul project to the groupArtificial nests are made, installed and monitored in areas where there is a low availability of natural cavities.Preparing to install artificial nest box sponsored by Steve Brookes of Wild Parrots Up CloseInstallation of artificial nest box.Installation of artificial nest box sponsored by Steve Brookes of Wild Parrots Up CloseSteve Brookes thanking the nest box installer.Around the city of Campo Grande there are a large number of urban dwelling Macaws and Parrots. The Arara Azul Project monitors these nest sites in the city.A Blue and Gold Macaw pair watches over their nest while biologists carefully inspect their nest and chicks.A biologist briefly removes a chick out of its nest in order to record its body size and weight.Getting the chicks ready for their examination.Accurate records and measurements are kept for each of the chicks monitored.Examination of the urban chicks.Two healthy and strong Blue and Gold Macaw parrotsThe Arara Azul Project’s truck.The nests are built on native and exotic palm trees and are located within the backyards of homes or commercial real estate, sidewalks and public walks on avenues and parks. Most registered nests (54%) are in or near a green area.Registered nests are accompanied weekly by photographic records from egg laying to juvenile flight.In one day several nests can be monitored up to 17-20 times. If a nest is at risk of predators or loss of eggs or young, it can be monitored more than once a day or daily.Macaws are successfully breeding in the urban area of Campo Grande.Continued monitoring may determine the factors that influence the reproduction of this species in the city.On average 92.3% of nests with reproductive pairs are successful with egg laying, of which 83.3% are successful with hatching and 81.6% are successful with juvenile flight.Healthy chicks prepare to be returned to their nestReturning the chicks to their nestsArara Azul team with Steve Brookes and Mark Hagen, both of whom sponsored a nest box.The Arara Azul team with Neil & Patricia Rudikoff of The Oasis Sanctuary who also sponsored a nest box.
L’institut HARI financer le nichoir #2088
L’institut HARI a fait un don de 10 000 réaux (environ 3 300 $ en monnaie canadienne) pour financer l’un de ces nichoirs afin qu’un autre puisse être construit. Jusqu’à présent, environ 90 nichoirs ont été installés par le projet ARARA AZUL.
The project is a success with at least half the boxes occupied by Blue (Azul) Macaws. The others by a wide range of species that thus also benefit.
C’est un succès, car au moins la moitié de ces nichoirs sont occupés par des aras bleus (azul), tandis qu’une large variété d’espèces se servent des autres nichoirs.
Hyacinth Macaw Protected Under the Endangered Species Act
Because of a shortage in nesting sites from deforestation and illegal poaching for the pet trade across Central and South America, hyacinth macaws are at risk – only a small population of 6,500 hyacinth macaws remain in the wild. Since 1990 the wild population has shown signs of a recovery and may be stabilizing probably in response to conservation projects, Ecotourism and local support from Ranchers.
Have you ever noticed the sub title of Parrot Life Magazine? While the official magazine of HARI remains popular with the companion bird “spoke” of the avian community, we wanted to expand a little bit on the true meaning of the words : Companionship – Health – Behavior – Aviculture – Conservation.
Nous sommes fiers d’établir les normes de soins des perroquets en captivité et de soutenir des projets de conservation dans la nature. C’est pour cette raison que nous collaborons étroitement avec des programmes reconnus de conservation pour aider à protéger les perroquets et leurs habitats naturels pour des générations à venir.
