Partnership Projects

Coordination: Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes
Team: Fernanda Mussi Fontoura, Kéfany Ramalho, Carlos Cezar Corrêa, Lucas Rocha

In the early 1980s, the situation of the hyacinth macaw, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, (the largest parrot in the world) was critical: due to capture for trafficking, the de-characterization of the environment and the collection of feathers by the indigenous people. The population was extremely small, estimated at around 1,500 individuals. The Hyacinth Macaw Project studies the biology and ecological relationships of the great hyacinth macaw, manages and promotes the conservation of the hyacinth macaw in its natural environment, in an area of ​​400 thousand hectares in the Pantanal in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, since 1990. During this period of work, we saw the hyacinth macaw leave the list of endangered species in Brazil (December 2014), thanks mainly to the excellent results obtained by the Project. In the South Pantanal, hyacinth macaws are quite selective, as 95% of their nests are found in a single tree species: the manduvi (Sterculia apetala) and are dependent on two palm trees for food: acuri (Scheelea phalerata) and bocaiúva (Acrocomia aculeata), of which they eat only the nuts. In addition, in the same period of reproduction, other species that also occupy large cavities, compete with them for places for reproduction. However, due to the pressure of the increase in the human population, the development to produce more food and the de-characterization of the environment, they cause an increase in the scarcity of cavities and consequently the loss of habitat. In this way, this project aims to assess the habitat loss of the hyacinth macaw and the other 17 species that co-inhabit with it, seeking the conservation of biodiversity allied to sustainable regional development. The work is carried out in the Pantanal of Miranda, at the field base located in the Caiman Ecological Refuge, 235 km from Campo Grande. The methodology follows techniques already established in the literature. As a result, it is expected the maintenance of the populations of the Pantanal fauna and the conservation of biodiversity.

Expedition to study the Hyacinth Macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) in the Pantanal de Paiaguás region (Coxim-MS) and Mapping of the populations in Brazil through geographical coordinates of previous studies.

The field research took place in the Pantanal of Paiaguás in Coxim/MS in October 2016, with the team composed of biologist Grace Ferreira da Silva, field technician Patrick Y. H. Karassawa and the student Gabriel Martins Pinheiro. Thirty-two adult individuals of the studied species and three nests were identified and georeferenced, one with a ±3-day-old nestling, another with a ±50-day-old nestling, and finally, a nest containing two eggs. Eight feathers and one blood were also collected through access to the nest by rappelling. The biological material collected will be used in further studies. This research was motivated by previous studies on population genetics that show a difference between groups of Hyacinth Macaw individuals from the north and south of the Pantanal wetlands. Thus, the need to know whether or not Hyacinth Macaws exist between these two areas arose.

We also analyzed several data from the bibliography of the last twenty years to obtain geographic coordinates that point to the location of nests and sightings of individuals, in order to apply these data in a georeferencing system for the preparation of distribution maps of the species throughout Brazil. Uniting all the points obtained in different studies can help in understanding the dynamics of the species, contributing directly to its conservation.

This work was only possible due to the financial resources obtained from the Loro Parque Foundation and the help of our guide Aristol Cotini, who knows the area studied.

Organization: Instituto Arara Azul
Coordination: Flavia Torres Presti
Team: Grace Ferreira da Silva; Patrick Karassawa; Gabriel Martins Pinheiro
Funding: Loro Parque Fundación

For more information: flapresti@hotmail.com

Coordination: Prof. Dr. Cristina Yumi Miyaki, Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo
Team: Cristina Miyaki, Flávia Presti, Neiva Guedes and Hyacinth Macaw Project Team

The Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Evolution (LGEMA) of the Biosciences Institute of the University of São Paulo began its work in 1992. The partnership with the Hyacinth Macaw Project was one of the first to be established and has always been one of the most important. Several of the students trained and being trained by the group began their field training under the close supervision of Prof. Neiva M.R. Guedes. Many of these students gained field experience thanks to this opportunity to intern with the Hyacinth Macaw Project. In addition, samples of hyacinth and red-and-green macaws monitored by the group have been used in several research projects by undergraduate (ROCHA, 2002) and graduate students (CAPARROZ, 1998; FARIA, 2000; PRESTI, 2006). ) and post-doctoral fellow at LGEMA.

LGEMA’s research projects have as a general objective to understand the distribution of genetic variability of birds, mainly in the Neotropical region. These data are used to infer the patterns of geographic distribution and the processes that generate their mega-diversity, aiming to better understand the historical biogeography of bird groups; and also to assist in the conservation of species. We work with genetic variability data at various levels: individual, population, and higher taxonomic levels (such as genera and families). Specifically in the case of Hyacinth Macaw conservation, we are concerned with understanding:

1) its population genetic structure to identify the possible geographic origin(s) of seized birds, aiming to assist in the planning of inspection actions to prevent the removal of birds from the wild;
2) some data on their reproductive biology, such as, for example, assessing whether chicks found in the same nest are more genetically similar and, therefore, more related than chicks found in different nests;
3) identify the sex of the birds (since there is no external morphological difference between the sexes), making it possible to assess among the free-living chicks how many and which ones are males and females and to form couples for breeding in captivity and thanks to the partnership with the Hyacinth Macaw Project, several data were generated and were part of scientific initiation and postgraduate works that were presented at conferences and published in the form of abstracts or full articles (CAPARROZ et al., 2001; FARIA & MIYAKI, 2006 ).

For more information, contact us at cymiyaki@usp.br

Biology and conservation of the collared maracanã (Propyrrhura auricollis) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Team: Grace F. da Silva, Gláucia Seixas and Neiva Guedes

The Yellow-collared macaw (Propyrrhura auricollis) is a medium-sized parrot (38-41 cm in total length) whose main morphological characteristic is the yellow down that covers the back around the neck forming a collar. It lives in capons and gallery forests and occurs in the Pantanal (states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso), Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina (Sick 1997). It is a sedentary bird that seasonally performs small migrations in some regions, usually in pairs or in small groups. Large groups are observed only when they gather in common dormitories for overnight stays and in areas with abundant water and food. They feed on trees, shrubs and occasionally descend to the ground in search of seeds, water, etc. They fly fast and straight (Forshaw, 1989). In the Pantanal of Miranda and Aquidauana region, it is seen in pairs and in flocks, feeding or in small tree cavities.

There are no studies on the population and reproduction of yellow-collared macaws in the South Pantanal. Since 2005, biologist Grace Ferreira da Silva, supported by the Hyacinth Macaw project, has been studying the reproductive characteristics and nesting sites of this species. The objective of this study is to generate knowledge about the reproductive biology and population status, providing future management and conservation actions for the species in the Pantanal, in addition to raising awareness among the local population and tourists who visit this area.

So far, 12 nests have been monitored in the Caiman Ecological Refuge and surroundings (Pantanal of Miranda) and 01 nest in the Pantanal of Aquidauana region. Part of these nests are monitored in partnership with zootechnician Gláucia Seixas, coordinator of the Blue-fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva) project, since collared maracanãs use the same cavities as blue-fronted Amazons in this region.

For more information, contact us by email: gracemacaw@yahoo.com.br

Coordination: Erica Pacífico
Team: Erica Pacífico, Thiago Filadelfo and others

The study of the population dynamics of the Lear’s Macaw is an investigation of the effects that act on the population of this endangered and endemic species of the caatinga. Our hypothesis is that the entire population of Lear’s Macaws, 1263 birds (estimated in 2012), where only 20% are breeding, is concentrated in two protected localities in the Raso da Catarina Eco-region and may be the result of recent population growth from around 200 birds estimated before the 2000s.

In this context, Hyacinth Macaw Institute in partnership with Toyolex, Biodiversitas Foundation and O.N.G. World Parrots Trust (England), researchers from CEMAVE-ICMBio, the University of São Paulo and the Department of Conservation Biology of the Biological Station of Doñana (Spain) are carrying out studies to investigate the positive and negative effects of this growth, as well as to seek alternatives for the conservation of the species and its habitat.

MONITORING THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE LEAR’S MACAW AND A STUDY OF POPULATION DYNAMICS AND EXPANSION IN THE CAATINGA: IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS CONSERVATION

The study of the population dynamics of the Lear’s Macaw, an endangered species endemic to the caatinga, occurs since 2014 with the support of Biodiversitas Foundation (FB), the Hyacinth Macaw Institute, and the Center for Bird Migration Studies (CEMAVE-ICMBio). It is coordinated by biologist Erica Pacífico, PhD student participating in the Science without Borders Program, CAPES, and also from the Department of Conservation Biology of the Biological Station of Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Spain. The study is carried out in collaboration with the Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo (MZUSP), and the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Birds from the University of São Paulo (LGEMA). The field work is funded by the World Parrot Trust (WPT), England, and by Toyolex Veículos Concessionária, Recife, and the laboratory work is funded by the Loro Parque Fundación, Spain.

Nest monitoring began in Fundação Biodiversitas’ private reserve, the Estação Biológica de Canudos (EBC), locally known as Toca Velha, which has supported the study of the reproductive biology of the species since 2008. With this study, many questions have arisen about the long-term conservation strategies for the species. With nest monitoring, alternative and innovative methods of marking psittaciformes were developed, which allow tracking and also estimates of the survival of Hyacinth Macaw chicks – after they fly out of their nests and disperse in the Caatinga. Thus, new dormitories and breeding areas of the macaws were discovered located in remote unprotected areas. These areas are mostly rural areas that suffer from water shortages. Therefore, local residents helped to make it possible to go camping on their properties and to learn about the historical occurrence sites of the Hyacinth Macaw. Interviews were conducted with the oldest residents of these villages in order to find out more about the processes of population decline of this species.

Each breeding season, sampling is repeated at the nests in Toca Velha, in the Canudos Biological Station, and efforts to understand the environmental problems of the new dispersal areas of the macaws are expanded. The expeditions are made possible by the continued support of Toyolex Veículos – which makes a 4×4 vehicle available, thus allowing the researchers to safely travel over dirt, rock and sand roads -, the continued funding of the O.N.G. World Parrots Trust, which finances these expeditions, and the logistical support provided by the Biodiversitas Foundation. Each year, the goal is to gather more information that will be converted into conservation actions for the Hyacinth Macaw.

Seven expeditions have already been carried out, discovering new information about the macaws’ ability to disperse and their survival conditions in the Center-North region of Bahia, where their eating habits and reproductive behavior were also studied. To achieve the objectives, between March and May 2016, a 45-day expedition was carried out, with the participation of 6 volunteers and 5 collaborating researchers, in addition to 3 local field guides. The following activities were carried out:

Estimation of reproductive success in the nests of the Canudos Biological Station, from the Biodiversitas Foundation:

We observed 35 nests in four breeding sites: Toca Velha (Canudos Biological Station), Toca da Onça (rural community), Barreiras (private property) and Baixa do Chico (Brejo do Burgo Indigenous Land). In 31 of these observed nests, 47 chicks were captured for development studies and survival estimation. Of the pups captured, it was possible to mark 27 of them with CEMAVE bands, colored bands, and necklaces with medals. A study of the behavior of the parents of these macaws was also carried out, in order to diagnose their acceptance of the new marking methods used. To this end, trap cameras were placed in the studied nests, so that we obtained positive results.

Three of the studied nests had parents already ringed with metal rings from CEMAVE, which have been used since the beginning of the project, in 2008. However, the respective ring numbers are difficult to read, not allowing the identification of these individuals. Despite this, it is worth mentioning that it is known that these have already reached sexual maturity – which, therefore, should vary between 4 and 6 years.

With the new marking methods (yellow bands and medals), which have visible numbers with the use of binoculars or telescopes, it will be possible to expand the records of juvenile survival and their ability to disperse.

Sanitary study of Lear’s Macaw chicks:

This study has been taking place since 2010 through the work of the veterinarian André Saidenberg, linked to USP, and is currently also being carried out by the veterinarian Marcus Vinícios Romero Marques, linked to UFMG. In collaboration, they collect biological material from the chicks of macaws to study possible diseases that could affect the population.

Capture of chicks in new areas of occurrence:

In 2015, the first nestlings were captured in the Barreiras region. In this region, 10 active nests were counted, as well as two places used by the macaws as dormitories, where it is estimated that 22 macaws sleep in the breeding season. However, due to the high rate of African bee hives in this location, only one of these nests is accessible.

In 2016, the first captures were carried out in the historic nests of Baixa do Chico, where the macaws had disappeared since the 1970s and are now reproducing. It is possible that there are four more nests in the present location. In it, there is also a large dormitory with about 60 macaws, which have slept there every year since 2014.

It was also possible to identify that there was a disturbance in the macaws’ dormitory due to the recordings of the soap opera “Velho Chico”, carried out by Rede Globo, causing the macaws to change their dormitory location. At the request of the local indigenous community, a sign was made (painted by Volunteer Biologist Fernanda Lacerda) to be placed on the road leading to the dormitory. This sign aims to inform about the macaws’ dormitory and, also, to request that you avoid passing through this path during the macaws’ rest period.

Diagnosis of the impact of invasive bees (African and European) on macaw nests:

Knowing the problem of the impact of African bees that has been observed at the Canudos Biological Station since 2008, a collaboration was developed with North American Researcher Caroline Efstathion, and Researcher Robert French Horsburgh. The two researchers visited the project to help quantify the impact of invasive African bees on Lear’s macaw nests. A hive census was carried out at the breeding sites, a small experiment to test the effectiveness of removing bee hives, as well as the use of traps to capture swarms of bees in the Barreiras region and Baixa do Chico. These areas were diagnosed as critical regarding the loss of breeding habitat for the Lear’s Macaw, the loss of native bee diversity and the capture of macaws and parrots for local and international trade.

Also, interviews were carried out with local residents to understand the local systems of honey extraction and to identify people interested in working with meliponocultures (in collaboration with an O.N.G., IRPAA – Instituto Regional da Pequena Agropecuária Apropriada (www.irpaa.org), coordinated by a resident of the municipality of Canudos, Vanderley Leite Silva).

Collection of material for studies of food ecology and population genetics:

The research funded by the Loro Parque Foundation “Study of Lear’s Macaw Foraging Ecology” is carried out through observations of the macaw’s feeding behavior. 24 new food items were discovered for the species, collected more than 800 feathers in roosts (non-invasive sampling), as well as the respective food items for diet studies using the Stable Isotope method – in which comparisons of the Carbon and Nitrogen in each feather and fruit collected. In addition, for the genetic identification of hyacinth macaws, each feather was genotyped (using molecular techniques). On this trip, about 300 feathers (rectrices and remiges) were collected in the dormitories, including a new dormitory located in Euclides da Cunha. In addition, 200 samples of feces were collected for studies of seed dispersal by macaws.

Study of the support capacity of the Boqueirão da Onça region for the creation of the release area:

There was a visit to the Boqueirão da Onça region, located between the municipalities of Campo Formoso and Sento Sé, which is characterized by being a fragment of caatinga with 900 thousand hectares, from where the macaws disappeared in the 2000s. Fundação Biodiversitas, identified around 30 macaws in the region. However, today only 2 individuals remain in the region, which do not reproduce and are on the verge of extinction.

In partnership with ENEL GREEN POWER and CEMAVE, the locality was visited to identify the critical areas of refuge, shelter and critical feeding areas for the Lear’s Macaw and, thus, implement the program to reinvigorate the population, which is shows as a fundamental priority for the conservation of the species according to the PAN (ICMBIO’s Lear’s Macaw Conservation Action Plan). The program will be carried out in Boqueirão da Onça, located between the municipalities of Sento Sé, Umburanas and Campo Formoso da Bahia, area of ​​influence of the Delfina Wind Complex project, where a release area is planned for the reintroduction of hyacinth macaws. -de-lear born in captivity (in institutions participating in the PAN captive breeding program).

On this trip, a new historic dormitory was located through interviews with elderly residents and identified farmers interested in participating in the project. Also, botanical material was collected to study the availability of food for the macaws. The behavior of the Lear’s Macaw was observed, and a serious failure in the feathering of one of the individuals was identified – which refers, so far, to an unrequited reproductive display stress.

Roadside Survey (habitat quality study):

Around 1,500 km were covered with visits to the municipalities of Campo Formoso, Umburanas, Sento Sé, Morro do Chapéu, Andorinhas, Uá-Uá and Euclides da Cunha, so that 36 elderly people (over 70 years old) were interviewed in these locations to in order to collect specific information about the historical areas of occurrence of the macaws.

Two new historical locations were found (Pov. de Queixo Dantas – Campo Formoso, and Pov. de Gruta dos Brejões – Umburanas) and a new dormitory in Euclides da Cunha, in the village of Barra do Tanque, where a census of 147 macaws was carried out sleeping in Baraúna and Aroeira trees. The macaws’ dormitory is protected inside a farm and the responsible cowboy was informed about the conservation activities carried out to protect the macaws. The macaws have been sleeping on this property since December 2015, indicating that they are occupying this area in the reproductive period.

An active search was made for possible nests and marked macaws, using telescopes at fixed points, but no additional information was obtained.

Recording a documentary:

Biologist Angela Prochilo and Biologist Cesar Leite accompanied our fieldwork in 2016 to document the difficulties and efforts made in collecting data generated to support conservation actions for the Lear’s Macaw.
(https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/to-catch-a-macaw#/). This documentary is Angela’s master’s project by BBC wildlife maker (England), in partnership with photographer João Marcus Rosa (Nitro Imagens, Belo Horizonte), co-financed by O.N.G. World Parrots Trust.

Interview for the Lear Macaw Gardens Project (O.N.G.):

Interview carried out in the rural area of ​​Barreiras, in the municipality of Canudos, informing about the importance of conserving the feeding areas of the Lear’s Macaw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lCt3e8bYig). The project is coordinated by Pierre Alonso and Aliomar Almeida.

Coordinator: Neiva Guedes
Team: Luciana Ferreira, Grace Ferreira da Silva, Pixico (Research Assistant at Hyacinth Macaw Institute)

Nest monitoring in the Mato Grosso region is carried out at Fazenda São Francisco do Perigara, located in the São Lourenço River Basin, in the Pantanal of Barão de Melgaço. The climate of the region is of the tropical savanna type (AW), according to the Köppen classification, characterized by four distinct seasons: “flood” (October to December), “full” (January to March), “low water” ( April to June) and “drought” (or “drought”) (July to September) (Dourojeannni, 2006). The average annual air temperature oscillates between 22°C and 32ºC and the average annual precipitation between 1100 and 1200 mm (Hasenack et al., 2003). It is an area of ​​difficult access (only possible by small plane or boat). It borders indigenous areas and the Sesc Pantanal Reserve.

The study on the São Francisco do Perigara farm through the Hyacinth Macaw Project, aims to monitor the reproductive aspects of the hyacinth macaw population, expand knowledge about the species throughout its area of ​​occurrence and draw up adequate management plans for conservation in the region.

In this property, there is a bocaiuval (cluster of bocaiuvas palm trees), close to the farmhouse, which was reserved by the owner for over 50 years, where the hyacinth macaws gather to sleep. Without major disturbances and with the peaceful coexistence with the oxen, this farm became a true refuge for the macaws.

Since 2005, 2 to 3 trips have been carried out annually to monitor nests and population. There are about 25-30 active nests on the farm and the large number of macaws shows that the area is mostly used as a roosting and feeding area.

Nest monitoring activities are carried out following the same methodology developed in the Pantanal of MS, where nests are identified, registered and monitored. When eggs and/or chicks are found, they are monitored and followed up, and the information goes into the Hyacinth Macaw Project database.

In 2010, 10 artificial nests were installed, as there is a shortage of cavities throughout the region, although many manduvís have been observed, however, they do not have holes.

MONITORING A POPULATION OF THE HYACINTH MACAW Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus IN THE PANTANAL DE MATO GROSSO

Coordinator: Pedro Scherer Neto
Ornithology Sector of the Natural History Museum “Capão da Imbuia”

This work has as main objective to monitor a population of this macaw that concentrates daily for the night rest in palm trees located in São Francisco do Perigara, municipality of Barão de Melgaço in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. This concentration, considered the highest concentration of hyacinth macaw known in the wild, has been maintained for over 40 years at the initiative of owners who surrounded a small area of ​​bocaiúvas for the exclusive use of hyacinth macaws that are not disturbed in the region.

Censuses were conducted from 2000 to 2006, initially with the support of WWF Brazil, and revealed the finding of dozens of hyacinth macaws on this farm and its surroundings. In 2005, the Hyacinth Macaw project team started the registration and mapping of active nests to assess the success of reproduction in this population.

This research is supported by: Fazenda São Francisco do Perigara; Hyacinth Macaw Institute; Foz Tropicana Bird Park; Capão da Imbuia Natural History Museum.

For more information, contact us by e-mail pedroschererneto@yahoo.com.br

The Hyacinth Macaws, since 1990, have represented one of the most relevant conservation flagships in the world biosphere conservation scenario.

Joint studies, started about ten years ago, allowed the recording of eight species of bats living together in the nests used by Hyacinth Macaws. Part of the data was obtained indirectly by analyzing the materials deposited in the nest beds or fallen around the plant species that shelter them. Among the bat species recorded, the hematophagous bat Diaemus youngi stands out, feeding preferentially on bird blood.

This study revered forensic strategies as a means of obtaining data. The integration of traditional methods with forensic techniques revealed in the results obtained, an immeasurable source of relevant information on inter and intraspecific relationships in the nests used by Hyacinth Macaws. The nature of the methods developed and adapted has allowed specimens and other materials that would naturally be of little or no use, to be considered as an excellent source of scientific information. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that the educational and qualification character of the local and regional community is quite expressive and contemplates a historical need for human and economic development.

The results of this work have been enlightening and have therefore contributed more effectively to the understanding of the biology and ecology of the species studied.

Thus, it is a fact that the scientific and educational contribution (local and regional) was and will be really applicable to the development and conservation needs of the priority areas and for the entire state of MS.

Neiva Guedes – (President of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute) (Coordinator of the Hyacinth Macaw Project and the Urban Birds – Macaws in the City Project)
Neiva M. R. Guedes, has a degree in biology from UFMS (1987), Master in Forest Sciences from ESALQ/USP (1993) and PhD in Zoology from UNESP/Botucatu (2009). She is professor and researcher at the Graduate Program in Environment and Regional Development at Uniderp. She is President of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute. Since 1990 she has run and coordinated the Hyacinth Macaw Project, where she developed studies on the basic biology and monitoring of the species, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, threatened with extinction. He promotes management and environmental education activities for nature conservation. Coordinates the Urban Birds – Macaws in the City Project. Advises undergraduate and graduate students. He is on the Board of the Parrots International.
He has several papers published in books, book chapters, articles and congresses, as well as has given numerous lectures in Brazil and abroad. Areas of expertise: biology, management, conservation (see here).
To see the complete resume access http://lattes.cnpq.br/7358580565148346

Eliane Vicente – (Hyacinth Macaw Institute) – Associate Researcher (Brazilian Bats Project)
Graduated in Biological Sciences (1997), master’s degree (2000) and PhD (2005) – (A/C: Zoology) from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho.
Researcher/Coordinator of the Brazilian Bats Project. Zoologist, active in Applied Zoology and Forensic Zoology.
Researcher associated to the Hyacinth Macaw Institute developed with the Post-graduate Program in Regional Development – Anhanguera Uniderp, a post-doctorate project approved by Fundect in partnership with CAPES.
CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/0039358250781517

Neiva Guedes – (Presidente do Instituto Arara Azul) (Coordenadora do Projeto Arara Azul e Projeto Aves Urbanas – Araras na Cidade)
Neiva M. R. Guedes, é graduada em biologia pela UFMS (1987) com mestrado em Ciências Florestais pela ESALQ/USP (1993) e doutora em Zoologia pela UNESP/Botucatu (2009). É professora e pesquisadora do Programa de Pós Graduação em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Regional da Uniderp. É Presidente do Instituto Arara Azul. Desde 1990 executa e coordena o Projeto Arara Azul, onde desenvolveu estudos sobre a biologia básica e monitoramento da espécie, Anodorhynchushyacinthinus, ameaçada de extinção. Promove atividades de manejo e educação ambiental para a conservação da natureza. Coordena o Projeto Aves Urbanas- Araras na Cidade. Orienta alunos de graduação e Pós-Graduação. Faz parte do Board of the Parrots International.
Tem vários trabalhos publicados em livros, capítulos de livros, artigos e congressos, bem como tem proferido inúmeras palestras no Brasil e no exterior. Área de atuação: biologia, manejo, conservação (veja aqui).
Para ver o curriculum completo acesse http://lattes.cnpq.br/7358580565148346

Erica Pacífico (Instituto Arara Azul) – Pesquisadora Associada – Projeto Arara-azul-de-lear
Erica é Bióloga especialista em Manejo de Fauna e Mestre em Zoologia. Trabalhou em Zoológicos, criadores conservacionistas de aves e como consultora em ornitologia para estudos de impacto ambiental. Atualmente, é Doutoranda do Depto. Biologia da Conservação da Estação Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, vinculada a universidade Pablo de Olavide (Espanha), e trabalha em colaboração com o laboratório de Genética e Evolução Molecular de Aves, da USP e o Museu de Zoologia da USP. Sua pesquisa é referente a Dinâmica da População remanescente da arara-azul-de-lear (Anodorhynchus leari), usando uma metodologia multidisciplinar que envolve ferramentas moleculares, modelos ecológicos, análises de isótopos estáveis e índices de sucesso reprodutivo. Erica também coordena o projeto de monitoramento de longo prazo das atividades reprodutivas da arara-azul-de-lear, sem interrupção, desde 2008, na Caatinga, no sertão da Bahia, disponibilizando dados para a Conservação da arara-azul-de-lear.
CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/8825030866810892

Thiago Filadelfo (Instituto Arara Azul) – Pesquisador Associado – Projeto Arara-azul-de-lear)
Biólogo, especialista em aves e com maior interesse científico nas temáticas biologia reprodutiva e conservação. Formado pela Universidade Federal da Bahia, defendeu monografia sobre a reprodução do tucano-toco no Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul e fez seu mestrado em Ecologia pela Universidade de Brasília, com dissertação sobre o parasitismo em ninhos de aves pelo chopim no Brasil Central. Mesmo com experiência em criadouros científicos e zoológicos, prefere trabalhar na natureza, atuando como consultor em licenciamentos ambientais e desenvolvendo atividades de pesquisa. Atualmente ajuda a coordenar um projeto de longo prazo sobre a ecologia e conservação da arara-azul-de-lear na Caatinga da Bahia.
CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/8207383119236728

Coordination: Neiva Guedes
Team: Aline Calderan, Sabrina Appel, Larissa Tinoco Barbosa, Sabrina Appel e Luiz Dervalho

Studies on the reproductive biology of some species allow us to understand their relationships with the environment and with other species in the same region. Thus, they enable the creation of measures and forms of management that can contribute in the long term to the conservation of the species and biodiversity. The yellow-faced maracanã (Orthopsittaca manilatus) is a species with wide distribution, easily found in urban areas, but little studied and information about its reproduction is scarce. The general objective of this work is to study the reproductive biology of the Yellow-faced Maracanã (O. manilatus). Data collection is carried out in the urban area of ​​Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. Nests are searched, measured, marked and georeferenced. As soon as the exploration of the cavities begins, the nests are periodically monitored. They are accessed with a 9.70m aluminum ladder or are climbed with a rope and rappel chair. The nests are monitored from the laying of the eggs to the flight of the chicks. Most chicks are accompanied by a photographic record, but in some nests that allow access to bedding, the chicks are accompanied by weekly biometrics. In this way, it is expected to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, as well as using this information for education and community awareness activities.

Neiva Guedes – (Presidente do Instituto Arara Azul) (Coordenadora do Projeto Arara Azul e Projeto Aves Urbanas – Araras na Cidade)
Neiva M. R. Guedes, é graduada em biologia pela UFMS (1987) com mestrado em Ciências Florestais pela ESALQ/USP (1993) e doutora em Zoologia pela UNESP/Botucatu (2009). É professora e pesquisadora do Programa de Pós Graduação em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Regional da Uniderp. É Presidente do Instituto Arara Azul. Desde 1990 executa e coordena o Projeto Arara Azul, onde desenvolveu estudos sobre a biologia básica e monitoramento da espécie, Anodorhynchushyacinthinus, ameaçada de extinção. Promove atividades de manejo e educação ambiental para a conservação da natureza. Coordena o Projeto Aves Urbanas- Araras na Cidade. Orienta alunos de graduação e Pós-Graduação. Faz parte do Board of the Parrots International.
Tem vários trabalhos publicados em livros, capítulos de livros, artigos e congressos, bem como tem proferido inúmeras palestras no Brasil e no exterior. Área de atuação: biologia, manejo, conservação (veja aqui).
Para ver o curriculum completo acesse http://lattes.cnpq.br/7358580565148346

Eliane Vicente – (Instituto Arara Azul) – Pesquisadora associada (Projeto Morcegos Brasileiros)
Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (1997), mestrado (2000) e doutorado (2005) – (A/C: Zoologia) pela Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho.
Pesquisadora / Coordenadora do Projeto Morcegos Brasileiros. Zoóloga, atuante em Zoologia Aplicada e Zoologia Forense.
Pesquisadora associada ao Instituto Arara Azul desenvolveu junto ao Programa de Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional – Anhaguera Uniderp, um projeto de Pós Doutorado aprovado pela Fundect em parceria com a CAPES.
CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/0039358250781517

Coordinator: Gláucia Helena Fernandes Seixas, zootechnician, PhD in Ecology and Conservation (UFMS)

Every year, hundreds of blue-fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva) chicks are taken from Mato Grosso do Sul to supply the illegal pet trade, inside and outside Brazil. An important indicator in this regard are the more than 4,000 parrots seized by inspection bodies since 1988.

Such numbers worried environmentalists and authorities, who verified the need to carry out a project for the conservation of the species, which came to be considered the symbol of the trafficking of wild animals in MS. In 1997, the Blue-Fronted Parrot Project was started.

Conceived and coordinated by zootechnician Gláucia H. F Seixas, it was the subject of her specialization, master’s and doctorate in Ecology and Conservation at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The objective of the project is to know the biology and ecology of this parrot, to propose conservation actions for the species and environment where it lives. It also wants to warn people about damage to nature by taking puppies and destroying the environment. After all, the removal of the blue-fronted parrot, without any criteria, and the alteration of its environment can contribute to its extinction.

The Blue- Fronted Parrot project works along two lines:

• Research, with actions that aim to identify the situation of the species in nature, such as the characteristics of the nests, breeding areas, growth of the chicks, monitoring of chicks after leaving the nests, monitoring of the chicks of loose parrots;

• Counting in dormitories, to estimate the population and environmental education, with dissemination actions for residents and tourists of the areas where the project is developed, aiming to stimulate reflection, discussion and reassessment of attitudes towards the environmental issue, in order to promote compatible actions with the conservation of the species and its environment.

In the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, information has already been collected on the survival of reintroduced chicks, characteristics of the nests and of the chicks in the wild. Currently, the project checks the pattern of daily activity and habitat use for breeding, breeding and animation, as well as the chicks of free-roaming parrots.

All activities include the participation of several professionals, such as biologists, veterinarians, zootechnicians, specialists in geoprocessing, interns from different areas and field assistants. Publicity is carried out in scientific journals, mass media and events, with an informative and educational nature, aiming at raising public awareness about the damage caused by capturing parrots from nature.

The execution of the project has the support of Hyacinth Macaw Institute, as well as companies (Parque das Aves – Foz Tropicana) and rural landowners (Refúgio Ecológico Caiman, Refúgio da Ilha Ecologia, Fazenda San Francisco, Fazenda Santo Antônio and Fazenda Novo Horizonte), in a composition that varies from year to year. It also receives financial donations from people and institutions concerned with environmental preservation, as well as selling parrot-themed products (t-shirts, postcards, necklaces, rings, etc.).

For more information, please contact Gláucia Seixas, by e-mail: projetopapagaio@hotmail.com

Coordination: Marina Drago Marquesi
Team: Marina Drago Marchesi, Dr. João Luiz Rossi Junior and Neiva Guedes

Hyacinth macaws are animals especially vulnerable to changes in the environment due to increased pollution and the development of the human population (Temple, 1993). Due to their anatomy and physiology, they are animals more prone to poisoning. The respiratory system disperses inhaled toxic particles and gases more quickly. Other factors are the high metabolic rate that contributes to the rapid distribution of the toxic agent and the low concentration of body fat that does not favor the accumulation of the toxin in the adipose tissue and consequently the toxic agent disperses more quickly (Cubas, Z.S & Godoy, S.N. , 2010). This research aims to analyze the content of heavy metals present in hyacinth macaws from the Pantanal in order to find out if they present levels of contamination in the wild. It is important to point out that these values ​​are not known and that this may reflect a measure of environmental contamination that can affect all levels of the food chain, including humans.

Coordination: Flávia Presti
Team: Flávia Presti, Grace Ferreira, Thiago Filadelfo, Neiva Guedes

The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is distributed in three regions of Brazil with apparently isolated populations. Long-term studies related to the reproductive biology and survey of macaw food items are necessary, since many of the important questions about parrot ecology involve studies of their habitat and behavior. Thus, the objective of this research was to collect information on aspects of the reproductive biology of hyacinth macaws in the region of the Carajás mosaic and its surroundings, as well as to observe the plant species that they use to feed and, thus, increase the knowledge about the species, assisting management plans for its preservation. During four collection campaigns, food items were collected, tree cavities were located and registered as active nests when found with eggs and/or nestlings. A total of 67 cavity records were obtained, where 24 were active with eggs and chicks. Most nest cavities were recorded in Sterculia sp. (87%) the others, in plant species: Euxylophora paraensis, Bertholletia excelsa, Cariniana sp., Parkia sp., Ceiba pentandra, Bagassa guianensis, Parkia aff. Gigantocarpa, Helicostylis tomentosa, Schizolobium sp. Fruit remains of inajá (Maximiliana maripa), tucum (Astrocaryum sp.), gueroba (Syagrus oleracea), macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata) and bacuri (Scheelea phalerata) palms were collected inside the nests, on the ground below the nest and close to the palm trees, but the main food source for hyacinth macaws in this region are inajá fruits. Because the hyacinth macaw is considered vulnerable to extinction and, since its area of ​​occurrence is undergoing constant environmental changes and intense human activities, any and all efforts to collect data in this region are valuable and future monitoring is necessary to promote the conservation of this species.

RESEARCH FOR Chlamydophila psittaci IN HYACINTH MACAW (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) AND PARROTS (Amazona aestiva) IN FREE LIVING IN THE PANTANAL DO MATO GROSSO DO SUL

Coordenation: Tânia de Freitas Raso

The populations of native birds in Brazil have been threatened by anthropic action, characterized by the destruction of the natural habitat and the illegal trade in wild animals. In this way, the chicks, captured while still in the nest, are subjected to inadequate conditions of transport, food and hygiene during the marketing process, with high mortality almost always occurring.

The animals captured illegally, when apprehended by the competent authorities that act in the control of the traffic, are, in most cases, sent to the sorting centers, zoos or legalized breeders.

As a result, inadequate management, mainly related to transport and overpopulation, favors an increase in the susceptibility of birds to infections or even the activation of latent infections with the consequent dissemination of pathogens, including Chlamydophila psittaci (C. psittaci). Considered the main microorganism with zoonotic potential transmitted by Psittaciformes, C. psittaci is the etiological agent of chlamydiosis in birds and psittacosis in man. In birds, it affects the respiratory and digestive systems, its main characteristic being the induction of an inapparent carrier with intermittent elimination of the agent. Free-ranging birds have been recognized as important reservoirs of C. psittaci in nature and, in captive birds, their incidence is relatively high.

Since information on chlamydiosis in Brazil is still incipient, this research evaluated the presence of C. psittaci in Blue-fronted parrots (Amazona aestiva) and Hyacinth Macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) in the wild in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul. South. The work was developed in collaboration with the Hyacinth Macaw Project and Blue-fronted Parrot Project in the years 2000 and 2001, being the subject of the doctoral thesis of the veterinary doctor Tânia de Freitas Raso, a thesis defended and developed at the Department of Veterinary Pathology at Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences of the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) in Jaboticabal/SP.

The results of this research demonstrate a wide dissemination of C. psittaci in free-living parrots in Brazil, being characterized by the elimination of the agent by the birds and the proof of the immune response. Parrot chicks showed 6.3% of the cloacal swab samples positive by semi-nPCR. Macaw nestlings showed, respectively, 8.9% and 26.7% of the tracheal and cloacal swab samples positive in semi-nPCR and 4.8% of the sera reactive by the complement fixation reaction. This fact is extremely relevant, as it indicates that birds may be inapparent carriers of the microorganism with the potential to maintain the same in the natural environment, spread to other birds and contamination of humans in close contact; particularly in cases of mishandling or transport stress. The conservation of a balanced habitat is fundamental for the maintenance of the disease in restricted levels, thus avoiding future problems of outbreaks in natural free-living populations and in groups of newly captured birds and kept in unsatisfactory conditions of captivity.

The execution of this project also had the financial support of FAPESP and the “Hyacinth Macaw Project” and “Blue-Fronted Parrot Project”, with the participation of the field team of both projects, field and laboratory interns. The results of this work were presented at scientific congresses such as the Congress of the Brazilian Association of Wild Animal Veterinarians – ABRAVAS (annex 1) and published in an international journal (annex 2).

For more information, please contact tfraso@usp.br

Population characterization of Manduvi (Sterculia apetala (Jacq.) Karst – Sterculiaceae) and its implications in the provision of nests for the Hyacinth Macaw in the South Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Antônio dos Santos Júnior Biólogo – doctor UNB

Manduvi or Amendoim-de-bugre is the regional name of the species Sterculia apetala, representative of the Sterculiaceae family. It is a large tree, whose population density has been decreasing because of inadequate management of habitats, which may also be interfering in the dynamics of populations of this species. Consequently, there is a reduction in the availability of resources for the Hyacinth Macaw and other birds that use the cavities in the trunk of these trees as nests, or consume the seeds produced in large quantities, every year.

In fact, the roasted seeds are considered a delicacy by the natives of the region, who consume them in quantity, and are also reputed to be medicinal.

Research shows that this tree species has the regeneration of its population compromised, due to the management in the Pantanal area so that livestock can develop. There is an average loss of 5% of adult trees that harbor nests, due to fires, fellings and storms.

According to biologist Neiva Guedes, coordinator of the Hyacinth Macaw Project, the manduvi is a key species for the hyacinth macaw population in the Pantanal, since 94% of nests are housed in cavities existing in this tree species. In addition, a large number of species that use the cavities causes competition for shelter and nesting sites. Among the birds that fight for space are the harpy eagle, the common vulture, the wild duck and the red macaw, demonstrating the low availability of this resource in the area.

The manduvi can also be considered a kind of umbrella for the conservation of biological diversity in the South Pantanal because, having preserved the ecological conditions for the recruitment and survival of young individuals, a large number of plant and animal species occupy the same habitats will be favored.

In this sense, studies based on dendrochronological techniques are important for the knowledge of the age structure of manduvi populations in the South Pantanal, and they support future studies on the management and conservation of populations of animal species that use this tree species, both in the form of food and for nesting, as in the case of hyacinth macaws.

Knowledge of the age and growth rate of trees is essential for studies on populations, productivity and ecosystem development. The age estimation allows the inference of the population pattern and is essential for a better understanding of the dynamics of the forest ecosystem. The determination of age based on the counting of growth rings generates great potential for the study of forest ecosystem dynamics, environmental impacts, forest management from an exploratory point of view, such as renewable resources, as well as for the establishment of action strategies. and protection of endangered flora and fauna. Despite its importance, studies on ring formation and age of tropical trees are rare.

The objectives of the research on manduvi populations, started in early 2004, are: (1) to characterize the manduvi (S. apetala) populations to generate a model that allows estimating the age of the tree from a morphometric measure, such as the diameter at breast height, through dendrochronological studies; (2) to evaluate the age structure of three manduvi populations in the South Pantanal, through dendrochronological studies; and (3) evaluate the potential supply of cavities (nests) for hyacinth macaws to nest and provide subsidies for hyacinth macaw management and conservation plans.

For more information, please contact tonhobio@hotmail.com

MARIANGELA DA COSTA ALLGAYER
PhD in Genetics and Applied Toxicology by ULBRA (Universidade Luterana do Brasil), Canoas (RS)
Mentor: Dra. Tania de Azevedo Weimer

The global loss of biological diversity affects animal and human well-being. Habitat destruction and fragmentation, species extinction, illegal trafficking, import and export of animals, captive breeding of native and exotic species, agriculture, industrial poultry, keeping wild birds as pets, among other impacts, they led to changes in the spread of diseases, the accumulation of toxic contaminants and the invasion of exotic species.

Thus, new diseases are appearing and others that were controlled are reappearing. The presence of diseases in individuals and populations can be an indicator of the health of the environment, including its local and global impacts and changes in the ecosystem.

Faced with this reality, it is extremely important that Veterinary Medicine works to protect biodiversity, studying the implications of environmental changes on human and animal health.

The conservation of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems is extremely necessary for the health of individuals, human populations and other species found in nature. Professionals recognize the threats of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the conservation of biodiversity, and this factor, of paramount importance for the survival of species, has always been linked to human pressures on natural resources, which cause changes at different scales, with direct impacts. and indirect effects on animal health.

These changes include, for example, the population explosion of the world population, which results in the fragmentation and degradation of habitats, predatory hunting, the isolation of species and populations and the increase in proximity between human communities and their domestic animals. As a consequence of these multiple environmental stresses, certain emerging diseases, destabilization of food chains and harmful effects occur, both on the health of wild populations and on the ecology of fragmented habitats.

One of the most relevant issues in the current context is the conservation of the environment, especially biodiversity and natural heritage. One of the increasingly important tools for the conservation of this biodiversity is “Conservation Medicine”. In other words, veterinary medical work applied to conservationist concepts and needs. The study of infectious diseases affecting wild animals has gained special importance, since diseases are known to have an important and growing impact on native and captive populations.

In Brazil, due to its magnificent biodiversity and the delicate state in which many animal species are, it is urgent to implement research, in addition to supporting existing ones, that investigate the natural occurrence of pathogens and their corresponding diseases.

Currently, with the constant human action on the environment and the consequent degradation of nature, understanding the natural processes of diseases in animals, their dynamics and impacts on wild populations, is a valuable tool for the conservation of our very rich biodiversity.

In Brazil, about 20% of Brazilian parrots are threatened with extinction. Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus is on the list, but its situation began to change with the activities of the Hyacinth Macaw project in the Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul. Since 1990, under the coordination of biologist Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes, the project has contributed to the conservation of the species in nature, with research on the basic knowledge of the biology of the species: feeding, reproduction, competition, habitat, behavior, survival and mortality of chicks, nests, predation, diseases, movement and threats that were reducing the wild population. With the results in the field, through the activities of cavity management, installation of artificial nests, egg and chick management, to increase the breeding population, the number of chicks, which survive and fly each year, have increased significantly.

Currently, the hyacinth macaw is one of the Brazilian parrots still threatened, but with good prospects for long-term survival. Several studies have been and are being carried out with this macaw and a series of knowledge acquired about the species in the wild. Within these studies, it is worth emphasizing the need to acquire data related to the health of this species, because during the 15 years of the project, few researches were directed to health monitoring.

Among them, we can mention the reports associated with infestation by larvae of Philornis sp. (GUEDES et al., 2000), research on endoparasites (ARAÚJO et al., 2000; ALLGAYER et al., 2004a), preliminary study of the oropharynx and cloaca microbiota (CHAVES et al., 2000), detection of Salmonella Bredeney in viscera (VILELA et al., 2001), epidemiology of Chlamydophila psittaci (RASO et al., 2003) and investigation of hemoparasites (ALLGAYER et al., 2004b).

The study of the ecology of this species, associated with research aimed at sanitary monitoring, is vital for its conservation, as it will provide knowledge of the health status of the free-living population of the hyacinth macaw in the Pantanal and will allow the establishment of human-transmitted pathogens and domestic animals that may affect the health of individuals and populations.

In this ecological health context, the project aims to carry out the sanitary monitoring of the hyacinth macaw chicks of the Pantanal (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), through the elaboration of hematological and biochemical profiles, determination of the microbiota associated with the oropharynx and cloaca and the prevalence of herpesvirus infection in this free-living population, aiming at its conservation.

The execution of the research project has the support of Hyacinth Macaw Institute, ULBRA (Lutheran University of Brazil), Canoas (RS) and criadouro Asas do Brasil, Novo Hamburgo (RS).

For more information, please contact angelallgayer@uol.com.br

Coordination: Neliane Robaldo Guedes Corrêa

Ponto de Cultura FuturaMente is an initiative of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute in partnership with Fundação Agenda Mais Brasil and Associação de Moradores da Vila Moreninha II that aims to facilitate access to knowledge, digital inclusion – using the tools of the Free Software –, to the reflection and debate of themes related to environmental, cultural, social and sustainable development issues and practices, through an itinerant program consisting of workshops, lectures, debates, film screenings and exhibitions that will be held at the headquarters of the Residents Association of Vila Moreninha II, in municipal public schools, cultural centers and social communication centers in Moreninhas villages. Promote the generation of employment and income for low-income and socially vulnerable families in Campo Grande, reducing social inequality, violence and prejudice.

Coordination: Simone Tenório

The Lear’s Macaw, Anodorhynchus leari, is a species endemic to the caatinga of the northeast of the State of Bahia, and its known historical distribution area includes the municipalities of Campo Formoso, Euclides da Cunha, Uauá, Jeremoabo, Canudos, Sento Sé and Paulo Afonso. The population has two sites that they use as roosting and breeding sites: the walls of the Estação Ecológica de Canudos (EBC), currently with 1,500 hectares, and the Faze Serra Branca in Jeremoabo, both private reserves.

The main threats to the Lear’s Macaw population are the capture of individuals to supply the illegal trade of wild animals, due to its value for being rare and the reduction of its main food item, the licuri, Syagrus coronata, in addition to of reducing their alternative foods. As alternative food sources, they use pinhão (Jatropha pohliana, Müll. Arg. 1864), sisal flower (Agave sp.), corn (Zea mays L., 1973), baraúna (Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl), umbu (Spondias tuberosa) , Arruda, 1816) and velvet bean (Dioclea sp.).

Until 2008, it was in the critically endangered category, being included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and in the Official List of Endangered Species of Brazilian Fauna of Extinction (MMA 2003). After verifying that its population had reached the number of 960 individuals, it was considered an “Endangered” species according to CITES criteria.

Due to the high level of threat of the Lear’s Macaw, the Biodiversitas Foundation started a project for the conservation of the species in 1989, contemplating a series of actions involving censuses, work of involvement and awareness of the community, acquisition of one of the macaw breeding sites located at Fazenda Toca Velha in Canudos (now called Estação Ecológica de Canudos) and a pilot project for licuri management, with support from the National Environment Fund/Ministry of the Environment.

In 1992, the Special Working Group for Anodorhynchus leari was created by IBAMA and in 1997, the Permanent Committee for Recovery and Management of the Lear’s Macaw – CPRAAL, and an Action Plan was elaborated covering the main emergency actions for conservation of the species, namely: monitoring of populations in the field and the study of reproductive behavior, recovery and management of licuri and food supplementation for the macaws, intensification of inspection and continuity of awareness activities and involvement of local communities in the macaw conservation process of Lear’s Macaw.

Since 2000, the Lear’s Macaw Conservation and Management Program has been developed in the region, coordinated by IBAMA, which involves captive and field activities, aiming at maintaining a genetically and demographically viable population. in its area of ​​occurrence.

CEMAVE – National Research Center for the Conservation of Wild Birds, in partnership with PROAVES – Brazilian Association for the Conservation of Birds, with support from the National Environment Fund – FNMA of the Ministry of the Environment – ​​MMA has been developing research actions in situ of the Lear’s Macaw Conservation and Management Program.

As of 2001, CEMAVE began to coordinate field activities of the Lear’s Macaw Conservation and Management Program and implemented the Field Base in Jeremoabo, made official by the IBAMA Presidency in January 2002, providing the necessary infrastructure for carrying out activities in the region. The Research Base has a full-time field team, whose objectives are research, management, protection and involvement of the local community with the issue of conservation of the Lear’s Macaw and its environment.

In periods of low productivity of licuri, the macaws attack the corn fields causing damage to small farmers who use it for subsistence and to feed their animals. As a result of the attacks on the cornfields, the farmers would shoot the macaws, sometimes causing the death of the bird or, in some cases, the amputation of body parts, making it impossible for them to survive in the wild.

With the evident growth of the macaw population and the low supply of licuri, generating an increase in attacks on corn fields, it was necessary to develop an alternative to avoid the mortality of individuals or their capture for sale to the illegal trade.

Within the history of the project’s development, several activities were carried out aimed at community involvement and environmental education. Lectures in schools, associations and participation in events in the region, radio programs, distribution of posters, t-shirts and caps, film sessions both in cities and in rural areas and training of teachers in environmental issues, environmental education workshops and craftsmanship.

Since 2006, Fundação Loro Parque has been financing environmental education and community involvement actions in the Lear’s Macaw Conservation and Management Program, Anodorhynchus leari, initially through PROAVES (Brazilian Association for the Conservation of Aves), then with SAVE Brasil.

Currently, through a partnership with the Hyacinth Macaw Institute, it develops actions aimed at involving communities, environmental education and an income generation project. The region of Euclides da Cunha, the area chosen for the development of this project, represents 51% of the feeding area of ​​the species, being of paramount importance the implementation of alternatives that promote the generation of income for the local communities, thus improving their quality of life. and consequently the conservation of the environment necessary for the maintenance of A. leari populations.

The main threat to the species is the reduction of its feeding area, as they are inserted in places where human presence is verified in several villages spread across the rural area of ​​each municipality, therefore, it is necessary to protect these areas, through awareness people about the importance of the environment for this and other species and income-generating work for communities.

For more information, click on
http://www.loroparque-fundacion.org/
Contato: “Simone Tenório” simonetenorio@gmail.com

Coordenation: Neliane Robaldo Guedes Corrêa

The project was developed in the city of Anastácio, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. This city is located around the Pantanal and its implementation will benefit not only the city of Anastácio and other cities in the region, but also the Pantanal itself due to the proximity and influence that this biome suffers from the cities of its surroundings. Throughout Brazil, the number of cities that are implementing the selective collection system grows, in the Center-West region, however, the opposite situation occurs in the rest of the country, as the number of cities that offer this service to residents has decreased.

The main problem faced is that of collectors at risk, who work in the open dump without any protection or collect recyclables on the streets, without organization and strength to bargain for better prices. Allied to this, the drop in the price of recyclables, on the world market, has led many of these workers to stop collecting the material, further aggravating the problem of garbage, which is not only local, but a global problem. Recycling disposable materials is to avoid extracting more natural resources that are sometimes non-renewable, such as oil. The second reason for recycling is the cost of producing raw materials and energy, provided by nature. In the city of Anastácio there is no selective collection or sanitary landfill. The problem of the volume and accumulation of garbage was minimized by the action of the collectors, with the reduction of these, the problem is aggravated. Mainly because these materials that can be recycled, such as PET bottles, bags, paper, glass, among others, end up reaching the region’s streams and rivers, contaminating the water, soil and air of a biome as fragile as the swamp.

In total, 320 people will participate, being: 30 collectors, ex-pickers, unemployed, women and young people. Many of them are pantaneiros, former fishermen, coming from indigenous communities, a group of Settlers, among others.

The main objective of the project is to: Promote working conditions for recyclable collectors and their families and low-income people in the surroundings of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, providing an improvement in the quality of life.

With the implementation of the association, not only the local community will benefit, with the generation of jobs and income, but the entire region of the Pantanal, as the association will buy materials from all over the region and also serve as a model for implementation in other cities, taking taking into account the specificities of the swamp.

Fábio Ueno, Master’s student at UNICAMP

The hyacinth macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus is an endangered bird, therefore its individualization in the field is of great interest. Their gregarious characteristics, with the absence of sexual dimorphism and monogamy, create a natural disposition to the existence of individual recognition among conspecifics. In order for there to be individual recognition, there must be inter-individual variation.

The warning cry in Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus is presented as a valuable source of studies due to its common occurrence near the nest during the breeding season. The warning cry of the Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus was studied through three different analyzes in order to elucidate the presence or absence of inter-individual variation. Cross correlation, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used. None of them elucidated the presence of inter-individual variation in the alert cry.

The alert cry in A. hyacinthinus has a specific recognition function and has great intra-individual variation, which, perhaps, according to the rules of structural motivation of the sound by Morton (1977)*, may characterize the status quo of the emitting bird, which varies from fearfulness to hostility.

More studies will be needed to unravel the complex repertoire of Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus. The study of the alert cry ontogeny can be carried out by the Hyacinth Macaw Project, which is already in the habit of monitoring nests. Field research, with annotation of behavior and recording of vocalizations, should occur for longer and continuous research periods so that more information about the repertoire can be acquired.

*Morton, E.S. On the occurrence and significance of Motivation-Structural rules in some bird and mammal sounds. The American Naturalist, vol. 111, no. 981, 855-869 set/out de 1977.

For more information, please contact fabioueno@gmail.com.