The scarlet macaw is a beautiful bird that roams the skies of Central America. The scarlet macaw is indigenous to the forests of Mexico, but hasn’t been seen in Mexico for more than 70 years.
Researchers, conservation organizations, and the Mexican government are working together to reintroduce the scarlet macaw to the skies of Mexico.
The birds are trained by researchers to avoid poachers, forage for food, recognize predators, and form flocks. It is important that the macaws learn these behaviors, as they are crucial to their survival in the wild.
Hopefully, with this effort, sixty scarlet macaws will be successfully released into the wild this year. The first seventeen macaws were released in the Palenque National Park in April and seem to be thriving in their new habitat.
The macaws are monitored with different technologies, including conservation drones and collars, that track how they are faring in the wild.
Each year the Mexican government holds a Scarlet Macaw Festival for the locals so that they can learn about the bird and celebrate its return to Mexico.
Want to learn more? Read the full story here: Flying rainbows: the scarlet macaw returns to Mexico