Believed to be extinct in the wild, the critically endangered Spix’s macaw will soon make its debut at the Jurong Bird Park. Also known as the little blue macaw, the Spix’s macaw is the smallest in the family of blue macaws and the same species that inspired the Rio animated movies.
Home to the Three Remaining Species of Blue Macaws
Together with the Spix’s macaw, another endangered species of blue macaws, the Lear’s macaw, will also be introduced to Jurong Bird Park.
There are only just over 100 Spix’s macaws under human care worldwide. Jurong Bird Park will receive two Spix’s macaws and four Lear’s macaws. They will go on display from end November 2017 onwards.
Currently, Jurong Bird Park already has one species of blue macaws, the Hyacinth macaw.
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With the introduction of the Spix’s macaws and Lear’s macaws, Jurong Bird Park will be the only public zoo in the world where visitors can view all three extant species of blue macaws.
The last member of the blue macaw family, the Glaucous macaw has not been seen since the 1960s and is believed to be extinct.
Playing a Part to Protect Blue Macaws
This initiative follows Jurong Bird Park’s July 2016 Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of the Environment of Brazil, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, the Association for the Conservation of Threated Parrots, Parrots International and Fazenda Cachoeira to provide funding and support to establish a viable population of Spix’s macaws under human care and eventually return them to the wild.
The Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, His Excellency Flávio Soares Damico, said: “In 2017, we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Singapore and we are very proud of the strong bilateral ties uniting us. Bringing both countries even closer together, we are happy to be part of the effort to introduce two birds native to Brazil to Jurong Bird Park—the Spix’s and Lear’s macaws. We look forward to the continuation of this initiative that will allow for the re-introduction of the two species in their natural habitat. This will be an important mark of this golden jubilee. Singapore has every reason to be proud of Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s commitment towards the protection and conservation of biodiversity. The macaws are in very good and able hands. I am sure that the public will enjoy this very welcome addition to the park.”
Mr Mike Barclay, Group CEO, Mandai Park Holdings, said: “The Spix’s and Lear’s macaws are excellent emblems of our commitment to do our part to protect and conserve global biodiversity. We are honoured to be a partner in this effort to bring the Spix’s macaw species back from the brink of extinction, with the eventual hope to reintroducing them to the wild. We are also deeply humbled by the confidence placed in us to care for these precious birds.”
