The zoo in Curitiba, Paraná, has a new rare guest: a blue macaw. The rare bird’s parents are taking care of it, and it is not in contact with visitors.
Native to the Pantanal and Amazon Rainforest, the blue macaw is considered a vulnerable bird in terms of risk of extinction. Only 4,000 exist in nature. Hunting, clandestine trade and deforestation have dramatically reduced its population.
According to the zoo, the cub is the fourth to be born there. Zoo officials discovered the new blue macaw four months ago when the caretaker team noticed that its parents spent more time in the nest than usual.
From birth to complete autonomy, the bird stays with its parents between 12 and 18 months, according to experts who study the animal. Already almost the size of an adult, the bird ventures on small flights.
After the finding, another question still unanswered is: is it male or female? The question will only be answered next month when a DNA test is performed. The examination is necessary because in birds, the sexes are superficially identical.
The birth of the specimen is a milestone in the captive breeding program touched by the institution, which has also bred ararajubas and several parrots.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon