Asociacion Armonía working to save Red-fronted Macaw
The Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys) is endemic to the Inter-Andean dry valleys of the Mizque, Caine, Pilcomayo and Grande River systems in the departments of Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí and Santa Cruz. This is a small area on the eastern slope of the dry Andes in south-central Bolivia. These macaws are locally common at a number of sites, but overall they are declining throughout their range.
The global population of Red-fronts is estimated at less than 1,000 mature individuals and is listed as “critically endangered” in the 2009 Bolivian Red Book of endangered species. The main threats to the Red-fronted Macaw are illegal trapping for the pet trade, habitat destruction, extreme overgrazing by goats and persecution as crop pests. As their natural food plants become increasingly scarce, these macaws often resort to sourcing agricultural crops such as peanuts and corn, especially outside the breeding season.