Armonia The Ecotourism Cabin is situated near the steep-sided river cliffs in which the parrots nest and roost. Zoom In

Rare parrot draws in celebrities at ecotourism centre launch

31-01-2007

Miss Bolivia 2006 was among those attending celebrations for the opening of a new ecotourism centre in the country. The centre is part of a conservation program focusing on the Red-fronted Macaw Ara rubrogenys, being undertaken by Armonia (BirdLife in Bolivia).

The centre, or Ecotourism Cabin ‘Paraba Frente Roja’ (Red-fronted Macaw), is part of a conservation programme developed by Armonia. The programme is working in a variety of ways to help conserve the macaw; offering technical advice to farmers, drawing up agreements to protect important habitats and working to promote environmental education, in this case through ecotourism.

"We have been working towards finding a way in which the Red-fronted Macaw can live alongside the livelihood activities of the communities in the area. The Ecotourism Cabin will provide us a great opportunity to do this." —Abraham Rojas, Red-fronted Macaw conservation programme coordinator, Armonia

At the launch, Miss Bolivia, Jessica Jordan, outlined her support for the Ecotourism Cabin in front of 45 attendees, many of whom were from nearby communities and the municipality of San Carlos.

Of the programme, Abraham Rojas, Red-fronted Macaw conservation programme coordinator at Armonia said: "We have been working towards finding a way in which the Red-fronted Macaw can live alongside the livelihood activities of the communities in the area. The Ecotourism Cabin will provide us a great opportunity to do this. It will offer sustainable support to the local community, while giving long-term protection to this threatened Endemic species in Bolivia."

Red-fronted Macaw is listed by BirdLife International as Endangered due mainly to habitat degradation in the country. The distribution of the bird is split into a number of vulnerable subpopulations, spread over the Misque, Caine and Pilcomayo rivers in the inter-Andean valleys.

The Ecotourism Cabin is situated in one of the natural habitats of the parrot, alongside other endemic birds like Cliff Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus luchsi  and Bolivian Blackbird Oreopsar bolivianus, both of which breed on the cliff face with Red-fronted Macaw. The Cabin will offer visitors a chance to see and learn more about the birds and their habitats at close quarters.

The Ecotourism Cabin, was built with support of Naomi Lupka Trust – Ben Olewine, Conservation des Espèces el des Populations Animales – CEPA and The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.