BirdLife The Great Green Macaw is classified as Endangered Zoom In

New hope for Great Green Macaw

29-07-2005

The Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment has signed a decree putting into effect a conservation strategy for the Great Green Macaw Ara ambigua.

The Great Green Macaw is classified as Endangered and numbers fewer than 2,500 individuals in Central and South America, with just 60-90 individuals of the western Ecuadorian guayaquilensis race known, in Esmeraldas and Guayas Provinces.

The conservation strategy was drawn up following a September 2003 workshop organised by Fundaciòn Pro-Bosque, and supported by the Neotropical Bird Club and Zoo des Sables, involving Ministry of the Environment and NGO staff from Ecuador plus staff from a Great Green Macaw project in Costa Rica.

In January 2005 a working group was formed consisting of representatives of the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment, Municipality of Guayaquil, Fundaciòn Pro-Bosque and Fundaciòn Rescate Jambelí. Initially the group will focus on a field census and monitoring programme and protect any nests that are located. Future actions will concentrate on habitat protection and restoration through the creation of protected areas and conservation agreements with relevant private land owners.

For more information, please contact Eric Horstman