Very recently, the world has received some astoundingly optimistic news: the Spix’s Macaw, also known as the “Little Blue Macaw” is no longer considered extinct in the wild, and numerous macaws have been released to help the population rebound and flourish.
One may not think that they have ever heard of a Spix’s Macaw, but any person who has watched the movie “Rio”, by Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation, knows these creatures well. The fantastical, animated movie did have some truth to it: it was produced to raise awareness for the highly endangered Spix’s Macaw. Unfortunately, about two decades ago, the last Spix’s Macaw in the wild perished, causing the death of the wild population. Before the death of the last male macaw in the wild, a female pet macaw was released near him in the forests of Brazil, and the two miraculously met. Unfortunately, the female died soon after, most likely at the hands of poachers. The male passed soon after, and the Spix’s macaw population fizzled out.
One of the main factors contributing to the extinction of the wild population was poaching. These macaws gained a reputation for being one of the most elusive and mysterious creatures of the forest, particularly in lush Brazilian forests. This image painted onto the Spix’s Macaws made them a target for poachers and hunters. With the work of poachers and rampant deforestation through the advancement of society, the wild population of the macaws dwindled down to zero—until the wonderful news that arrived recently.
When the macaws were declared extinct in the wild, there were about a dozen macaws kept in captivity by animal keepers and zoos. These people worked together over the years to build up more of a captive population of Spix’s Macaws, until there was a number stable enough to start releasing them into the wild. Less than a year ago, the milestone was finally reached as macaws were released into safe, protected forests of Brazil. The keepers started by releasing only eight, then released 12 more once the first group was established in their habitat. As the world watches on, they wish these Spix’s Macaws well with the rebound of their wild population.
With the rampant rates of habitat loss and species extinction in our developing world, nearly every species of animal has reason to fear for their established populations. Extinction rates are reaching levels of a mass extinction event, and animals such as the Spix’s Macaws must be safeguarded to prevent the loss of any more precious creatures. For now, the good news of Spix’s Macaws bouncing back from extinction brightens the world and gives the hope that people can begin protecting animals more diligently.
