Sad news: the macaw that inspired the character of “Rio” is extinct

The Spix’s Macaw became known worldwide thanks to the cartoon “Rio”, released in 2011. The plot tells the story of the Spix’s Macaw Blu, who travels thousands of kilometers to find the last living female of the same species. The two fall in love and end up having children. Although the animation has a happy ending, the truth is that these animals have been considered extinct since the year 2000.

O awesome.club researched the history of the Spix’s macaw extinction and tried to find out what steps need to be taken to make this species recover.

The Spix’s Macaw is originally a Brazilian bird, discovered in 1819 by the German naturalist Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix. These animals were already considered rare at the time of their discovery.and very few people have had the chance to see them loose in the wild.

We don’t know much about the lives of these animals. Furthermore, few photos were taken of the Spix’s Macaws in the wild, and the ornithological literature has rare records about them. In the middle of the 20th century, the species was considered extinct, until 3 specimens were seen again in 1986. According to specialists, the last Spix’s Macaw was seen in the wild in October 2000.

Most bird extinctions that have occurred in recent centuries have occurred on isolated islands, but today we also see serious extinctions on continents. All because of the tragic impact of human civilization in the wild. Climate change, intense deforestation, the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas and animal trafficking make the lives of these living beings especially difficult.

The long-term plan already discussed in Brazil, together with conservation efforts, foresees the reintroduction of Spix’s Macaws in their natural habitat for 2021. The main steps to be followed are:

Create a population of Spix’s Macaws that is large enough to be released into the wild
Develop a suitable habitat in Brazil for a quick reintroduction Prepare the local population to know how to live with the birds, raising awareness of the importance of Spix’s Macaws for the region and the world at large

Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) is trying to breed Spix’s Macaws in captivity. The organization’s experts managed to take a big step in this direction starting with just 2 specimens, in 2004.

The initiative has been developed in partnership with other organizations, as part of the Working Group for the Recovery of the Spix’s Macaw, under the coordination of the Brazilian government. Thanks to the professionalism, experience and dedication of these people, it is likely that someday we will be able to see these wonderful birds again in the wild.

Do you think the Spix’s Macaws will be seen again in their natural habitat? What else can people do to stop the extinction of birds and animals? Comment!