By Sarah Brown
The Golden Parakeet (Guaruba guarouba) also known as the Golden Conure or Queen of Bavaria Conure, highly sought after in the illegal pet trade for its striking yellow plumage, is at risk of extinction in the Brazilian Amazon. After being locally extinct for a century in Belém, the host city of next year’s COP30 climate summit, it’s being reintroduced by conservationists who have so far released 50 individuals into the wild since 2018.
It plays an important role in ecosystem services, especially in seed dispersal of the popular açaí berry and up to 22 other plant species native to the Amazon. Conservationists say the project is an ongoing success, as the released Golden Parakeets have adapted well to life outside captivity and have even reproduced in the wild. The goal is to reintroduce another 50 birds over the next two years.
The Golden Parakeet is as noisy as it is brightly coloured. Hanging from the branches above, three of these medium-sized parrots screech and squawk as they peer down to get a better look at biologist Marcelo Vilarta as he observes them. They’re striking birds with their vibrant yellow plumage and green wingtips distinct against the Amazonian vegetation. Yet it’s these colours that have put their population at risk of extinction.