Dear Parrots magazine,
A marvellous thing to do
I recently came across your website and found the April 2020 issue featuring the Spix’s Macaw on the cover. I found it so encouraging at the way these amazing macaws are now being released to re-populate what was once their natural habitat in Brazil.
Reintroducing rare species back into the wild is a marvellous thing to do and I applaud those who must have put so much energy into such a valuable project. With the continuing destruction of our world, such releases are so important to re-wild the growing number of parrot habitats that are under such threat from human demand.
However, I fully understand that releasing captive-bred species back into the wild has with it many risks and potential problems. It all sounds great, but we must be aware that parrots bred in captivity will not have learned from wild parents so will be at risk of the natural hazards that the wild produces. I have read about many release programmes that have not been successful, but hope that this one with so much input about the Spix’s will help to encourage others to do the same.
There clearly has been a great deal of planning and insight into this project and that should bring success to all the hard work that has been put in. Also of course, we want to see these Spix’s flourishing in their natural homeland.
Eric Washington, USA, by email