There are various reasons why the Red and Green Macaw populations have been affected over time, with illegal trafficking being one of the main direct causes. Likewise, the degradation of habitats, mainly due to the advance of the agricultural frontier and deforestation for the sale of wood, is one of the most serious causes of destruction of South American forests, which has a negative impact on the habitats where they live.
Thanks to the reintroduction efforts of this species in Iberá Park carried out by the Rewilding Argentina Fundation with the support of institutions such as Ecoparque, the possibility arises that a new population of this species will again have distribution in our country.
Through this Program we seek to:
Consolidate the breeding stock of individuals present in Ecoparque, through the formation of new breeding pairs of the Red and Green Macaw species.
Carry out cooperative management of the species with public and private institutions in the country that have individuals of the species under human care, and are interested in participating in the Program.
Contribute to both in situ and ex situ conservation projects, through the contribution of juvenile individuals, in order to generate self-sustaining populations of the Red and Green Macaw species that inhabit areas previously selected for their suitability.
Contribute to comprehensive research of the species in areas related to biology, ecology, genetics, reproduction, for ex situ management and in situ conservation of the species.
Institutionally position Ecoparque as a platform for raising awareness of the problems that affect the Red and Green Macaw in Argentina, its ecological and cultural importance for the country, as well as the problems and possibilities of ecosystem sustainability corresponding to their historical distribution.
Position Ecoparque as a recipient institution of individuals from illegal trafficking, providing accommodation, rehabilitation and subsequent release into their natural habitat, if possible, or otherwise, their potential incorporation into the breeding group of individuals in Ecoparque.
Contribute to the possible construction of a National Action Plan for the species so that it can be implemented and function as a useful tool for institutions with Red and Green Macaws under human care.
The aforementioned reintroduction actions are those that contextualize and justify breeding under human care in Ecoparque in order to provide individuals to these processes. In this sense, it is worth mentioning that the institution has been part of the ex situ conservation plan for the Red and Green macaw since 2017, having already contributed 14 individuals of the species for subsequent reintroduction, to The Conservation Land Trust SA - Rewilding Argentina Foundation´s "Threatened Fauna Recovery Program" in Corrientes.
Likewise, this Program is a pioneer in the breeding in human isolation of the species, for which puppets are used, designed with the aim of emulating the natural parental figures and covering the hands and forearms of the operators, thus avoiding human imprinting while the chicks are raised. The successful breeding of 13 Macaws has been carried out so far, 2 of which have already been translocated to Corrientes to be trained for their release.
In September 2021, four (4) Red and green Macaws were translocated to Ecoparque from the Province of San Luis as a rescue, in order to carry out their rehabilitation. They are being raised artificially through the use of puppets, in order to avoid human imprinting.