One
of the most endangered species of wildlife in the Mayan Forest is
the scarlet macaw (Ara macao). Early settlers reported large flocks
not only in Peten but in other parts of Guatemala. Today, per-country
estimates are a mere 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 been nearly extirpated in Central
America.
The Wildlife Rescue and Conservation
Association, with the support of zoos and other donors around the
world, is contributing to efforts to save the Mayan macaw. The Cincinnatti,
Oregon and Heidelberg Zoos, support ARCAS’s scarlet macaw breeding
program at the Rescue Center in Peten. This breeding program has
the aim of using offspring to augment existing wild populations
and to reintroduce scarlet macaws into areas of the Maya Biosphere
Reserve where they have been extirpated. Since 2004, ARCAS has successfully
fledged 36 macaws.
ARCAS also assists the Wildlife
Conservation Society in its nest protection and research activities
in the El Peru and Burral Mayan sites in the Laguna del Tigre Park,
two of the last few remaining macaw nesting sites in Guatemala.
ARCAS staff assist in monitoring the health of chicks in wild nests,
treats them against parasites, and assists in fire-fighting. ARCAS
and WCS hope in 2011 to build breeding and/or pre-release cages
in the park to begin releasing captive-bred birds in the area.
ARCAS is also supporting wildlife
trafficking control activities carried out by its government counterparts,
the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Guatemalan
green police (DIPRONA). In March, 2010, it took part in a confiscation
of 81 wild animals of 21 different species from a house in 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 stolen
from the local IRTRA zoo. With the support of the Humane Society
with funding from the CAFTA free trade agreement (CAFTA/DOS/DOI)
it carried out anti-wildlife trafficking media activities, including
billboards, newspaper advertisements, posters and radio spots.
The
scarlet macaw is an emblematic species of the Mayan Forest, as important
for its cultural symbolism as an indicator of health for one of
the last wild places in Central America.
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