Eight Spix's macaws have already been returned to the wild, and 12 more are
on the way, according to biologist Tom White.
Over two decades after the last time the lovely Spix's macaw was spotted in
the wild, it has made its way back there after being on the verge of
extinction. Eight of the vivid blue parrots were released in a Brazilian
nature preserve.
"They are doing really well. There has been 100% success thus far. The
birds are all remaining in one big flock. They are residing close to the
releasing location. Additionally, they are starting to forage for naturally
available foods "Tom White, a scientist, spoke to Duncan McCue, a guest host
on The Current.
We couldn't have given them a finer screenplay to follow, said the
author.
The recovery of the species has been a protracted process, but improvements
in captive breeding have made it feasible.
White is a technical advisor for the rescue effort and works for the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. He claims that DNA testing makes it simpler to
match birds that are least related to one another. Improvements in
artificial insemination have also been made.
That has made it feasible to preserve as much of the genetic variety as is
now practicable, according to White.
The birds are currently found in the subtropical dry forest known as the
Caatinga in Brazil. Over the last century, the region was cleared for
farming and ranching, which led to a decline in the blue parrot population.
As a result, exotic bird collectors began having the Spix's macaw captured
for their use as pets.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the Spix's
macaw extinct in the wild in 2019. The last one was observed in the wild in
2000. Its narrative served as the basis for the 2011 box office sensation
Rio.
Yet the species was still present. White estimated that there were only
about 15 birds remaining, but the species was able to increase again thanks
to reproduction.
Ethical issues
Anyone who has watched the Jurassic Park movies can warn you about the
dangers of returning an extinct species to the planet, but the macaw doesn't
have deadly claws or sharp teeth, so this is obviously not a concern.
Other species are in trouble as the gorgeous blue parrots return to the
wild. As a result of the Monarch butterfly's inclusion on the global list of
vulnerable species, some people, like biologist Tori Herridge, have begun to
ponder which species should be given funding to be rescued.
Although she finds the reintroduction of the macaw "exciting," there are a
few factors to take into account before restoring a species to the
wild.
It all relies, according to Herridge, "on the people who live around the
animals' willingness to have them there as well as what you're trying to do
and how you define success."
Herridge cites the mammoth as an example, whose demise had a detrimental
effect on climate change and which some people are working to bring
back.
But she asserts that it is not that easy.
Herridge, who has dedicated her career to researching woolly mammoths and
the vast grasslands where they once lived, stated that it was still not
apparent that humans were to blame for the mammoth's demise to the extent
that it led to the disappearance of the mammoth steppe.
The climate struck the initial blow, according to the majority of
researchers that study huge creatures from the ice age period, I would
say.
Although it's plausible that humans delivered the fatal blow, she insisted
that this was not our responsibility. She also wonders whether bringing the
mammoth back will change anything.
"Will the environment truly alter as a result? Can you really accomplish
that? "queries Herridge.
How many mammoths are required to have an ecosystem-level impact on this
frozen terrain, and is that a realistic approach to the climate catastrophe
given its importance and urgency?
Ongoing work
White claims that the project's success with the macaws depends on ongoing
effort and funding.
"It is not enough to just walk outside, release a lot of birds, open a
bottle of champagne, and call it a day. It demands consistent work over a
number of years, which calls for ongoing financial, logistical, and
biological assistance "White stated.
12 additional macaws are expected to join the flock in December, and
scientists are monitoring the progress of the ones who have already been set
free.
Because of the part humanity played in the bird's decline, according to
White, humans have a duty to aid in its preservation.
"We hacked the framework. Thus, it is our moral responsibility as a species
to correct it "added he.
And it's not just the macaw, either. Helping one species, he claimed,
helped many others.
"A sizable area has been designated as a reserve, a protected area created
especially for the Spix's restoration. However, all of the other creatures
that call that place home, including the plants, reptiles, and mammals, also
gain from it "White stated.
"The Spix are the reason this region is being preserved, but they are also
going along for the trip. Therefore, the advantages of the Spix
reintroduction extend much beyond that species."
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animals