After teetering on the edge of extinction, the beautiful Spix’s macaw has made its return to the wild, over two decades after the last bird was seen in nature. Eight of the bright blue parrots have been released into a protected nature reserve in Brazil.
“They’re doing absolutely wonderful. So far there is 100 per cent survival. The birds are all staying together as a group… They’re staying in around the release area. And they’re also beginning to forage on natural occurring foods,” biologist Tom White.
“We couldn’t have written a script better for them to follow.”
It’s been a long process to bring the species back, but advances in captive breeding have made the return possible.
