Spix's Macaw

The endemic in Brazil, Spix's Macaw ( Cyanopsitta spixii ) belongs to the family of the authentics parrots ( Psittacidae ). The species is now extinct in the wild, in captivity it is attempted to obtain a population, animals can be reintroduced from the later.

Description and discovery

The Spix's Macaw is of a blue color, the belly feathers have a slight green tint, while the flight feathers appear correctly blue. The head and neck and the throat are of a greyish color, with a dark gray band from the nasal corner of the eye to the black-colored beak pulls. The iris is yellow. Young animals have a bright line on the beak back, which extends to the tip of the beak.

Johann Baptist von Spix has collected on his expedition to Brazil with CF Ph. Martius these Ara 1819 in the caatinga near joazeiro in Brazil and in 1824 in his book " avium species novae, quas in itinere by Brasiliam Annis MDCCCXVII - MDCCCXX Iussu et auspiciis described .... " Ara hyazinthicus and mapped on Plate XXIII. Spix has already been mentioned that this Papageiart rarely, but always occurs in groups and is characterized by a weak voice. The species name ( " hyazinthus " ) was already awarded and was therefore invalid ( a homonym ). Johann Georg Wagler, Wizard of Spix, gave the Spix's Macaw in 1832 in his Monographia Psittacorum the currently valid species names. Holotype is collected by Spix bellows, which is still preserved in the Zoological State Collection Munich and probably served as the master image for the picture in the book of Spix. At the beak drawing (white front edge ) you can see that it was a juvenile animal.

Spread and extinction in the wild

Its original habitat was in Brazil in the state of Bahia and neighboring regions. It must have been small and have always been probably restricted to the gallery forests along the Rio São Francisco and its tributaries. The data on the distribution area is quite thin, most stored in museums specimens come from captivity and thus have no locality data. Additionally, reports of sightings of wild Spix 's Macaws were rare from time immemorial. A report by Otmar Reiser, dated June 1903, Emil fighters sighted with his wife at Lake Parnagua, Piauhy during his stay in 1924-28 several groups Spix 's Macaw who drank the lake. Another observation is from the year 1974. 1985 should observe the Spix's Macaw in its natural habitat, an expedition, they could find only five individuals.

Spix 's Macaws were in the open habitat specialists in large, old Carabeira trees ( Tabebuia caraiba ) breed. They feed primarily on the fruits of the genus Jatropha and Cnidoscolus. To the rarity in the wild was also apparently a brisk trade in during the 1970s and early 1980s. With increasing rarity of this the price to pay for the lovers to purchase a Spix's macaws rose were ready. In 1985, the price was $ 20,000.

Another reason for the stock decline was habitat loss. The soils on which thrive Caraibeiras are also very suitable for the cultivation of maize. The high population pressure in Brazil meant that the habitat of the Spix 's Macaw was destroyed very quickly. Today, it is estimated that only 30 square kilometers are intact from the original area, the habitat offered the Spix's Macaw that there could survive this parrot.

Due to illegal fishing and loss of habitat, the number of wild Spix 's Macaw has significantly decreased until the early 1980s. Since around 1985 warned the Working Group Parrots of the Zoological Society for the Protection of Species and Populations eV ( ZGAP ) before the expiry of the open land holdings of the Spix 's Macaw.

The last living in the wild Spix's Macaw, a male, was intensively observed. He was bred in the absence of similar types pair with an Illiger ( Primolius maracana ). The pair laid eggs, which prove the successful fertilization for genetic analyzes.

Structure and state of the offspring in captivity

Parallel to the extinction of the open land holdings began efforts to capture and the offspring of the Spix's Macaw in captivity. In 1988, world's 17 known animals in captivity, in 2000 there were 42 Spix 's Macaws.

Currently, the Brazilian government tries to forgive their Spix 's Macaws at local bird breeders so that they provide for offspring. Apparently, this may have succeeded. Another organization that is concerned about the proliferation of these rare species, the Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain, the Spix's Macaw in the Brazilian state belong. The Brazilian government had passed a couple a few years ago the founder of the park, but it had not increased. Only by working there veterinarian Lorenzo Crosta was found that the male was infertile. On this occasion, we exchanged this animal for another one and a few months later they found several eggs in the nest, from which initially a cub, six months later, another young animal slipped. Both pups are females.

More Spix 's Macaws are located in Germany since 2005. In 2008, she successfully bred, hatched there in 2011 two more Spix 's Macaws.

The Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation ( AWWP ) Center in Qatar operates its own breeding program. There is the currently largest population of Spix 's Macaws. In 2010, a total of 6 Spix's Macaws were here (1 5 female male, ) hatched. 2011 succeeded the offspring of a female specimen.

Recent efforts in breeding the Spix's Macaw are in assisted reproduction.

Scientists at the Justus-Liebig University Giessen, around the group of Prof. Dr. Michael Lierz, Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, amphibians and fish, the invention provides a method for parrots able to see sperm which was also successful in the Spix et ( Lierz al., 2013).

2013 succeeded AWWP and veterinarians of the exotic health teams ( Parrot Reproduction Consulting), a German veterinary practice, the world's first fertile Spix's Macaw eggs and consequently chicks of this endangered species to obtain by means of artificial insemination. The focus of the cooperation between the two institutions, the development, deployment was a method that allows for successful sperm harvesting and artificial insemination in the Spix's Macaw. This can now help to increase the breeding rates of the Spix's Macaw and thus contribute to the conservation of this species. The world's first hatched after artificial insemination Spix's Macaw was called "Neumann ", according to the veterinarian performing the insemination.

A list of the stock in captivity shows the following table:

Spix 's Macaws in the media

In the U.S. animated film Rio from 2011, the last two Spix 's Macaws are the main characters. The story is about breeding experiments for obtaining this kind and to unscrupulous animal dealers, where the profit is more important than the protection of species. The story of the male protagonist shows clear parallels to the story of a real living in the U.S., individual, male Spix's Macaw, who now lives in Brazil. The bonnet of the Filmaras other hand, is just like the rest of the plot cinematic liberty.

On December 25 and 26, 2010, the SWR television broadcast a film which depicted the return of a Spix's macaws and a Lear's Macaw from Tenerife to Brazil. A replay of the broadcast took place on 8 January 2011 at the First TV channel ARD. In the Zoodoku parrots, palm trees & Co. ARD breeding of Spix's Macaws at Loro Parque is shown in Tenerife.