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Loro Parque, future strategy on the hold- ing of in all of the European region. July 2008 Loro Parque Fundación is Th e little Lear`s grateful time and again for all donations given to protect (Anodorhynchus leari) which is being hand-reared is still devel- endangered parrots. Mrs Ruth oping very well, and is ready Kühbänder, the public illustra- to leave the nest. Th e breed- tor of the national zoological ing pair had one more clutch, collection in Munich, made and now the next chick has a donation of 650 euros. She hatched out. Because the par- took as an example the type ents appear to frequently break specimen collected by Bap- their eggs, they were given an tist Ritter of Spix on the Rio infertile egg laid by a Blue-and- San Francisco in Brazil, which gave the fi rst description of yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). the Spix`s Macaw ( A Blue-throated Macaw (Ara Cyanopsitta ). Herr Heinz Weschen- glaucogularis) hatchling with spixii the same weight of 21g was felder, producer of the profes- put into the Lear’s Macaw sional incubators, presented empty eggshell and placed the to the Loro Parque Fundación nest of the Lear`s . At a high precision machine for the same time the infertile breeding rare parrots and made egg of the Ara ararauna was by his fi rm. Many thanks to all removed from the nest. Aft er the donors! 4 days, with the weight at 55g Adult Austral Conure (Enicognathus ferrugineus) August 2008 the foster chick was changed for the Lear`s Macaw chick. see these as real parents, too. distance itself from them. Th e Our four young Lear´s Th is shows once again that the Aft er a break of many years aviary, with its size of 10m x Macaws (Anodoryhnchus Lear`s Macaws are best for the we were able to stimulate our 10m and height of 3.5m off ers leari) are developing very well rearing. Austral Parakeets (Enicog- enough space for this. Th ree and have been ringed already. Furthermore another pair nathus ferrugineus) to breed eggs were laid in the nest, two While the fi rst, who was hand- of the Lear`s Macaw started again. Aft er several unsuc- of them fertile. To avoid any raised, is already fl edged and is breeding, and two eggs have cessful changes of aviaries for risk, one of the fertile eggs was trying its fi rst flying exercises, already hatched in the nest pairing, in spring we put the put into the incubator. Now the other three chicks are now of the Green-winged Macaw into a communal aviary, the chick has hatched and it is 4 weeks old. Two are being raised in the nest, one by its (Ara chloroptera) adoptive par- with one additional male Aus- still growing well in the baby ents. One chick is still being tral Parakeet. From the outset, station. From the other fertile own parents and the other by reared by its adoptive parents, three birds formed their own egg the hatched chick is being foster parents (a pair of Green- and the other is being reared group and distanced them- rearing by its parents in the winged Macaws—Ara chlo- by hand. selves constantly from the communal aviary. roptera), and another chick is However, we have not yet other birds there, from the On three days in June, the in the Baby Station of Loro fi nished breeding for this year. pair of Parrots (Eclec- EAZA Meeting took Parque being raised by hand. If we have luck we will get two tus roratus vosmaeri) and from place, hosted by Loro Parque Aft er having received the two more chicks, because the par- Red-vented (Caca- Fundación. Eight interna- Lear’s Macaw pairs in Octo- ents are already occupied with tua haematuropygia). Suddenly tional parrot specialists from ber 2006 from the Sao Paulo their next two eggs. Th is time one pair of the Austral Para- the association for all scientifi c- in Brazil by the Brazil- we leave the eggs in the nest keets showed interest in nest- based European zoos came ian conservation authority with their parents, and hope to ing, and the third had to together to paln a common (Chico Mendes Institute of

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by themselves, whilst the other two young birds were success- fully hand-raised in the Baby- Station of Loro Parque. Th is nearly black parrot from Mad- agascar is not very common in captivity, which is wrong! Th eir interesting reproduc- tion, but also their melodious, almost singing sounds pro- vide suffi ciently interesting featureto keep these parrots, and through captive breed- ing to stabilise the breeding population. A few years ago we got our Pileated Parrots (Pionospitta pileata) to breed successfully for the fi rst time in a bigger group aviary. Today fi ve adult pairs are kept in separated pairs in fi ve side by side enclo- International group of parrot specialists of the EAZA Meeting in the Loro Parque Fundación, Tenerife sures. Certainly the aviaries are separated by visual barriers, Biodiversity Conservation) Following that the young pairs. so that the birds can hear, but that oversees breeding com- Pesquet´s Parrot (Psittrichas A very good breeding year can’t see each other and there- munity, the population has fulgidus) hatched in the spring has taken took place for our fore no mutual disturbance grown, through the last year’s is now independent, another Purple-bellied Parrots (Tri- can take place. Four of the fi ve and this year’s breeding suc- chick has hatched some days claria malachitacea), with four pairs have started to breed this cesses, in less than two years ago, and will be also raised by pairs successful in breeding year, from which one pair pro- to eleven in the Loro hand. Presently Loro Parque is again. duced infertile eggs. Th e other Parque Fundación. Th is is an possibly the only zoo Europe- While our Lesser Vasa Par- three pairs were more success- excellent contribution to the wide that is constantly rear- rots (Coracopsis nigra) still ful and each of them reared conservation of endangered ing these parrots which have haven’t started to breed, our between three and fi ve chicks parrot species and motivates become very rare. We would breeding group of Greater by themselves. the staff of the Loro Parque like to try to build up over Vasa Parrots (Coracopsis vasa) Aft er last year’s breed- Fundación to redouble its the long term a self-sustaining is fi rmly established. Four ing pause our Red-spectacled eff orts. breeding group with several pairs raised their youngsters Amazons (Amazona pretrei)

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Five day old Yellow-tailed Black chick.

were this year successful again. While on the ground. Aft er putting them in the in the incubator for further incubation. two youngsters are being hand-raised up incubator it turned out that both eggs Now the eggs were cold, however in one in the Baby Station of Loro Parque, three were infertile. Th en in 2007 the eggs were of the eggs the embryo was still alive, and youngsters are growing-up with their own laid for the fi rst time in a nest-box, with there was movement, as we found out sev- parents. Th ey are attended very well and an open upper part, and they started to eral hours later. Th e 23rd of August a Yel- have already been ringed. incubate. Both clutches of two eggs were low-eared Cockatoo chick hatched for the again infertile. fi rst time in the history of Loro Parque, September 2008 Th e 2008 breeding year started in the with a hatching weight of 19.8 g. Th e last month’s highlight was with- same way. As before, a clutch of two was Th e chick surprised us with its inten- out any doubt the hatch of a Yellow- produced, which at fi rst were thought to sive yellow down, which is very dense, just tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus be infertile. Th e clutch of two eggs were like chicks of domestic chickens. It is a funereus). Th is species has been held for left initially there for incubation. A nest- very lively and active chick, whose shape many years in the Loro Parque Fundación. check showed the surprising result, that of face shape is similar to a young Gang In 2002 we managed to exchange one of one of the two eggs was for the fi rst time Gang Cockatoo. It begs intensively and our two available males with a female. fertile. Nevertheless we left the clutch till now has been growing very well by Finally we had a pair, and the birds very with the breeding female, but on the 18th hand-raising. quickly got used to each other. However, day of incubation, the female was no lon- Th e Hyacinth Macaws (Anodorhynchus because the female was only two years old, ger sitting on the clutch to incubate. At hyacinthinus) belong to the parrot spe- we couldn’t count on breeding. fi rst we waited, but aft er noticing that cies in the Loro Parque Fundación that Eggs were laid for the fi rst time in she hadn’t returned to the nest-box in the mostly start to breed in the second part of 2006, not in the nest-box however, but last 2 hours, we decided to put the clutch the year. Altogether fi ve pairs have started

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to breed up to now, two pairs having had infertile clutches, and three chicks hav- ing hatched and currently growing in the Baby Station of Loro Parque, or with their parents. Another six eggs are at the moment in the incubator or being incu- bated by their parents. At least two of them have turned out as fertile. And with a little luck, 2008 could be a good breed- ing year, especially because two pairs of the Hyacinth Macaws that until now haven’t had a clutch are very busy with their nest-boxes. Currently the construction work for our new and over 1,000 m2 big walk- through free fl ight aviary in Loro Parque is going forward at full speed. In this avi- ary, which will be inaugurated on the 17th of December 2008, a mixed group of birds from the Australian/Asiatic woman with locally traded Chattering Lories region is planned. Besides the main focus of Lories and other parrot and parakeet that the illegal trade of its endemic par- species, there will also be pelicans, laugh- rots continues, but help is under way. Th e ing Kookaburras, Bali starlings, pheas- situation is reported by Burung (Bird- ants, egrets and others belonging to the Life) Indonesia, the national NGO which colourful new bird community. With from August 2007 has begun a project for 23 m height, and including the natural the protection of the 167,300 ha Aket- trees and bushes growing there, this avi- ajawe-Lolobata National Park, a vital ary will be the new highlight in the bird- site for these parrots to survive. Fund- keeping of Loro Parque, and will set new ing for the project, which comes from the benchmarks. Loro Parque Fundación (LPF) of , In the area of the Parrot Show in Loro assisted by the Zoological Society for the Parque, a new sales outlet of the Loro Conservation of Species and Populations Parque Fundación has been created in the (ZGAP) and the Association for the Con- style of a jungle camp, and which promises servation of Th reatened Parrots (ACTP), an eventful shopping. Lots of plants and a both of Germany, has triggered even more terrarium with chameleons give the visi- funding from the Global Environment tor a feeling of an exotic world. Th e sales Facility (GEF). Loriculus amabilis, Moluccan King Par- revenue of all products, such as T-shirts, Halmahera is a high priority for con- rot Alisterus amboinensis, Red-cheeked books or even postcards, will be used servation. It has nine parrot species, of Parrot Geoff royus geoff royi, Eclectus Par- 100% for the conservation of threatened which two are threatened with extinc- rot Eclectus roratus and Great-billed Par- parrots by the Loro Parque Fundación. tion: the Cacatua alba rot megalorhynchus. Hal- Dr. Matthias Reinschmidt, and the Chattering Lory Lorius garrulus. mahera also supports 24 of the 26 birds Curator, Loro Parque Tenerife Th ese two species are endemic to North endemic to the region. In the early 1990s, Maluku, with their largest populations Halmahera was still around 90% forested, Help for the Endemic Parrots of on Halmahera. Th e other parrot species but subsequent clearance and fragmenta- Halmahera, Indonesia are the Red-fl anked Lorikeet Charmos- tion of forest has accelerated rapidly. As News has just arrived from the island of yna placentis, Violet-necked Lory Eos well as facing loss of their habitats, Hal- Halmahera, in North Maluku, Indonesia, squamata, Moluccan mahera’s parrots are under severe pressure AFA Watchbird 45

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from trapping to supply both the domes- district), especially to monitor the cur- Asociación Armonía tic and international cage-bird trade. rent wildlife trade in North Maluku. In response to these issues, from 1994 Field observations and additional data First protected area established to1999 the then BirdLife International collection have identifi ed parrot trapping for critically endangered Indonesia Programme collaborated with and trading locations in North Maluku, Blue-throated Macaw the Indonesian Directorate General of as well as the points of exit for the par- Th e Bolivian conservation organiza- Nature Protection and Conservation in a rot trade. Th is is happening despite that tion Asociación Armonía, with the sup- project, also fi nancially supported by the the authorities have issued no domestic or port of American Bird Conservancy and LPF, to identify priority areas for parrot export trade quotas for parrot species in World Land Trust-US, has created the and biodiversity conservation on Halma- North Maluku between 1999 and 2008. world’s fi rst protected area, to be named hera. Th is led directly to the declaration Monitoring conducted by the North the Barba Azul Nature Reserve, for the of Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park in Maluku Nature Conservation Founda- Blue-throated Macaw, a critically endan- 2004. tion on the trapping and trade of White gered species with a population estimated However, Aketajawe-Lolobata NP has Cockatoos between 2002 and 2004 at just 300 birds. Th e group purchased an remained a “paper park," with very weak showed fewer individuals of this species 8,785 acre ranch in the grasslands of east- management capacity and few manage- were being been trapped in the wild each ern Bolivia, a site with 20 Blue-throated ment resources, and therefore illegal log- year. Macaws during the breeding season. ging and bird trapping have continued. Th e monitoring will continue, as will “Th is is a huge conservation achieve- Th e current project aims to set up an raising public awareness and support, but ment,” noted George Fenwick, President eff ectively managed protected area that current emphasis has been to determine of American Bird Conservancy. “Th e will secure the long-term future for White training priorities and provide training main threats to the Blue-throated Macaw Cockatoo, Chattering Lory and the other for staff members from the Aketajawe- are capture for the pet trade and habitat threatened and endemic biodiversity and Lolobata NP Offi ce, the Ternate Natu- destruction for cattle ranching, and, until ecosystems of Halmahera. ral Resources Conservation Division and now, the species’ habitat was completely Th is fi rst period of the project has been related partners in North Maluku. Th is unprotected.” important for Burung Indonesia to estab- contributes to the goal of building capac- Th e Blue-throated Macaw is endemic lish communications and collaboration ity for eff ective protected area manage- to savannas in the Beni province of with the Aketajawe-Lolobata National ment, and ultimately to help the parrots. Bolivia, and depends on motucu palms Park Offi ce and the Ternate Natural for nesting. Th ese palms occur in palm David Waugh, Resources Conservation Division (local “islands” embedded in the extensive sea- Loro Parque Fundación sonally-fl ooded grasslands. Th e entire known population of the species exists on private ranches which undergo yearly burning and heavy grazing by cattle. “In the face of this development pres- sure, there is an urgent need to expand the new reserve to conserve a viable popula- tion of this spectacular macaw and the many other vulnerable species within it,” said Byron Swift , Executive Director of World Land Trust–U.S. Th e Barba Azul Nature Reserve also protects excellent Beni savanna habi- tat with good populations of vulnerable species, such as the Sharp-tailed Tyrant, Cock-tailed Tyrant, and Black-masked Finch. Healthy populations of the Near Th reatened Greater Rhea and Orinoco Goose are common in the area.

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