By René Wüest, Arndt-Verlag, Bretten & Aves Publishing, Berlin. Translation by Tony Pittman
In the early morning of 11th June 2022, Dr Cromwell Purchase, the scientific director of the re-introduction project of the ACTP (Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots), opened the exit hatch of the re-introduction aviary in the Brazilian Caatinga, near the city of Curaça in the state of Bahia.
Then it was time to wait for the approximately 25 participants, who were allowed to attend this unique event and gathered in a camouflage tent about 100m away. Finally, it was 9.03 am local time when the first Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) left the aviary, followed 30 minutes later by five more. A historic moment for the parrot species, which has been extinct in the wild for over 20 years!
ACTP had been working towards this crucial day in collaboration with the ICMBio (Institute Chico Mendes for Biodiversity Conservation), a federal agency responsible for conservation and conservation breeding programmes and nature reserves in Brazil.