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One last day, one last push!

Today is the last day of our campaign.

We could not be more thankful to all our supporters; people who helped our project either by spreading the word or by giving a voluntary donation. People, you rock!

Little "Aroha" hiding under its big sibling. These guys were the first brood we manipulated this breeding season. Ahora hatched 5 days after its sibling and would have died by starvation without our intervention.

So far, we have placed six chicks in nests. Three of them came back to their original families and three were placed in foster families. All of them were successfully accepted by the parent macaws.

All of them were given a second chance, a chance to live…. Thanks to you.

Proud big sibling "Pancho", the first chick from the nest Franz and the third chick we manipulated this breeding season. Without our intervention, just one chick in this picture would have survived.

We still have three more chicks in the nursery and we are working against the clock to place them in their new homes. Our team at the research centre are happy but exhausted. Taking care of babies is not an easy job and macaws are not an exception! Macaw chicks need to be fed often and their new homes must be prepared properly with video systems as well as observation points to help monitor the translocation process. Our team must climb up 30 meter trees to check our little guys in their new homes, rain or shine. Lately, it's more rain because we are in the middle of the rainy season in Tambopata and well…it rains in the rainforest….it rains A LOT!

Flooding this season has been making work more challenging than normal. The humidity is also damaging our equipment, meaning we have to replace video cameras and wiring.

Two days ago, our camera systems in the field started failing due to high humidity conditions. We spent a whole day worrying because we didn't have video data in one of our foster nests. Even if we have someone observing the nest on the ground, without a working video system we had no idea what is going on inside the nest. Stressful moments for our team in the field for sure. Besides, our one car battery charger broke and our refrigerator (where we place macaw chick formula and food) is pretty much dead. We haven’t budget for these two big losses so we are a bit nervous about how we are going to buy new ones and get them into the rainforest. We still need your help friends. Just one last push!!

Please, share our campaign or one of our Lab Notes. Please, help us spread the word.

If you have been thinking about helping us but you were a bit hesitant…today is your last chance. Don’t let this opportunity to help increase knowledge to save a declining species pass! Don’t let the chance to directly help macaw chicks that would have otherwise died by starvation to have a second chance and fledge. You can be 100% sure that your donation will be used wisely.

Mario is growing up. His crown feathers are forming and his primary and secondary feathers are just starting to show. He was the fourth chick we placed back in a wild macaw nest. In his case, his little sibling hatched 5 days after him and without our intervention, it would have died by starvation in its natural nest.

We will keep posting updates about how our last three translocations go and let you know when all the nine chicks that we have helped fledge!

Our hearts are full of gratitude and joy!

Thank you all!!!

Donald B. and Gabriela V.


1 comment

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  • C Rogers
    C RogersBacker
    You guys are wonderful! Thank you so much for your extraordinary and inspiring efforts. I will gladly send another donation. Congratulations on your fine work to date, best of luck ongoing, and thank you. Please keep us posted on your lovely dependents!
    Jan 07, 2018
  • Shannan Courtenay
    Shannan CourtenayResearcher
    Thank you so much!
    Jan 07, 2018

About This Project

Wild Scarlet Macaw populations are declining due to the illegal trade and habitat loss. Although Scarlet Macaws lay 2-4 eggs, macaw parents will only feed the 1st and 2nd chick, while the others starve to death. We will develop techniques to increase survival of these chicks by moving them into new nests with no chicks, or only 1 chick. Our research suggests that the new parents will adopt and care for their new chicks, allowing them to reach maturity and fledge from the nest.

Blast off!

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