Cyanopsitta Magazine.. - Loro Parque Fundación

Transcription

nº 80
Saving wildlife and habitats
The newsletter of
Nº 80 - March 2006
March 2006
Loro Parque Fundación
The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación
Cyanopsitta is printed using environment friendly, recycled, woodfree coated paper: Symbol Freelife Satin©, FEDRIGONI©
Nº. 80 - March 2006
Index
Message from the founder.......................2
The Orcas arrive..........................................3
Meeting Point.............................................4
Loro Parque Hotline...................................5
Dolphins.........................................................6
Bonita ”the Christmas present”..................8
Breeding the red-brorred Amazon..............9
The Pyrrhura project.................................13
Foundation news......................................14
Project Update........................................17
Parrot of Cuba..........................................19
The Yellow-crested Cockatoo ..................22
Front cover: Flame-winged
(Pyrrhura calliptera)
Parakeet
Editorial office:
Loro Parque S.A.
38400 Puerto de la Cruz
Tenerife, Islas Canarias. España
Tel.: + 34 922 374081 - Fax: + 34 922 373 110
E-mail: loroparque@loroparque.com
dir.general@loroparque-fundacion.org
Editor:
Rosemary Low
Editorial Commitee:
Dr. Javier Almunia, Inge Feier, Wolfgang
Kiessling, Pedro Sancho, Matthias Reinschmidt, Birgit Veenker and Prof. David
Waugh.
Visit our websites:
www.loroparque-fundacion.org
www.loroparque.com
Membership:
Become a member of Loro Parque Fundación to
support us in our activities. You will then receive our trimestral newsletter Cyanopsitta, as well
as a supporter’s card during the validity of your
membership and a visit to our breeding centre. The
current annual membership fees are:
Adults................................................100,00€
Children...............................................50,00€
Please send us your membership subscription by mail, fax or e-mail, or call us, and we
will sign you up immediately.
Bank account:
BBVA, Puerto de la Cruz
Cuenta:............ 0182 5310 61 001635615-8
IBAN:.......ES85 0182 5310 61 0016356158
BIC:....................................... BBVAESMM
Message from the founder
Loro Parque has been the scene of intense activity and mounting excitement in
recent months. Why? Because we have been preparing the world’s most modern
facility for the arrival of four fantastic Orcas from SeaWorld in the United States.
With their safe arrival, Loro Parque enters a new era of existence. It is firmly
in the world league of pre-eminent leisure parks, and multiplies its unbending
commitment to animal welfare and conservation of the natural world. Truly I
do not know anybody who is not greatly impressed by Orcas. If any animal can
awaken people’s interest in nature and convince them to support conservation,
then surely it is the Orca. So, whether you have been to Loro Parque many times
before, or still need to make your first visit, we welcome you with open arms, and
our Orca presentation will leave you breathless with wonder.
In the next edition we will give you more details of the Orcas, and the scientific
projects which we are undertaking with them. These new projects have again
reminded me that over the past two decades I have read numerous reports of
conservation projects. In some cases huge sums of money have been expended
with little or no return. Loro Parque Fundación is different! It knows how to
get real results in an economical way. Our projects employ truly dedicated and
enthusiastic young people from the same country as the threatened species. They
get to the heart of problems after spending countless hours in the field making
observations, often under extremely difficult conditions.
This can be verified when the occasional opportunity arises for us to visit a
field project, such as the one in the Eastern Andes of Colombia visited for us by
Rosemary Low at her own expense. On her own she could have spent months
searching for the Flame-winged Conure (Pyrrhura calliptera). Instead, within half
an hour of arrival, she was taken to see ten of them by Ana Maria Gonzales of
our partner organisation Fundación ProAves. This beautiful species is unknown
in captivity and, like so many other species, it is distressing to see that these
parakeets have lost so much of their habitat. We often wonder what more we can
do to preserve them.
Well, if you read the report on this species in this issue, your spirits will soar. A
simple and inexpensive action has brought astounding and rapid results. Nestboxes, modelled on the natural cavities used by this species, were erected and
some were explored the same day by these typically inquisitive Pyrrhuras! Within
a few weeks 45 eggs had been laid in the artificial nest-sites!
This is but one example of how projects funded by the Foundation can dramatically
improve the fortunes of a declining species in a short space of time. In the past I
heard some sceptical parrot breeders declare: “It is a waste of time giving money
to parrot conservation!” Projects financed by LPF in Colombia, and elsewhere,
Depósito legal: TF-1643/2003
Wolfgang Kiessling
President, Loro Parque Fundación
Nº 80 - March 2006
Orcas usher in
a new era for
Loro Parque
Five minutes after their arrival in the “OrcaOcean” of Loro
Parque, the world’s most modern “orcarium”, the four orcas
(Orcinus orca) belonging to Sea World. Inc, USA, were
swimming happily in their new home. They also ate the fish
offered to them by their trainers, confirming that the animals
had avoided the “jetlag” without any problems. These
animals, transferred from SeaWorld, USA to Loro Parque in
a cargo plane (a Boeing 747), are Tekoa, a male of 5 years,
Keto, a male of 10 years, Skyla, a female of 2 years, and
Kohana, a female of almost 4 years. The four orcas were
born in captivity, as were their mothers. The animals weigh
between 700 and 2500 kg, have a length of between 3.5 y 5.5
metres and eat daily between 34 and 70 kg of capelin, herring
and salmon.
and research of marine mammals –22 million litres (5.5
million gallons) of continuously filtered and chilled seawater
extracted directly from the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 65
metres, guaranteeing the optimum living conditions for the
orcas. By means of filters, the incredible quantity of 6 million
litres of water per hour are purified. The water temperature is
permanently maintained at 13º C. The pools, 12 metres deep
and 120 metres long, are some of the most modern in the
world. The facility – with its extraordinary tent-roof of 4.000
m2 – has the advantage of not only protecting our visitors
from the sun and rain, but also of protecting the animals
from the most intense and uncomfortable rays of the sun,
and to minimise the consumption of energy by maintaining
a constant water temperature. The area of presentation to the
public has a capacity for 3,000 visitors.
The orcas will stay at Loro Parque indefinitely. One or more
trainers from SeaWorld will work full-time in the park to help
in the care and training of the animals. The group of orcas
includes males and females with the hope that the animals
will breed in their new facilities. The breeding programme
Eight members of the zoological team of Loro Parque have
worked over the past 18 months together with the staff of
SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas, learning the procedures of
animal management and training in the North American
park, guaranteeing that the personnel of Loro Parque are well
trained. Furthermore, Loro Parque has increased its personnel,
and the team continues working with the personnel of Sea
World, on the procedures of care and training. The orcas
which have been transferred to Loro Parque were chosen by
the curators and veterinarians according to the development
of the group’s social structure during the last 18 months.
The technologically most advanced installations for orcas
in the world meet the standards of SeaWorld to ensure the
health and well-being of the animals. The habitat is one of
the largest infrastructures ever constructed for the exhibition
Nº 80 - March 2006
for orcas in the SeaWorld parks has already produced 20
young since its beginning in 1985. By means of the public
presentation of the orcas, Loro Parque and the Fundación will
gladly extend their commitment to environmental education,
research and conservation. The first opportunity for this
was during the marvellous inauguration which took place
on Friday 17 February. The next issue of Cyanopsitta will
contain everything about the orcas, which usher in a new and
exciting era for Loro Parque.
Meeting point
Pedro Mejía, Tourism Secretary
Although he had a very tight agenda, Pedro Mejía, Secretary
of State for Tourism and Commerce, did not want to lose the
chance to see “OrcaOcean”, the new installations in Loro
Parque. Together with Alfredo Bonet, General Secretary for
External Commerce, he visited Loro Parque and congratulated
us for our care and respect for the environment.
“OrcaOcean” around the world
For the inauguration of “OrcaOcean”, the new attraction of Loro Parque,
Spanish Television broadcast live, for three hours, the images of the
new residents of Tenerife directly in its programme “Por la mañana”.
Inés Ballester, the presenter of this international programme, very much
enjoyed working with the four orcas, the stars of “OrcaOcean”.
The orcas did not only arrive at Loro Parque, but also at
Carnival
The children of the orphanage “Matilde Teller”, in their cute
orca fancy dress, were the second winner in the competition of
the children groups of Puerto de la Cruz.
Carnival revellers at Loro Parque
It happens every year that Loro Parque receives a delegation from
traditional carnival associations. This year – led by the carnival
princes and princess from Düsseldorf and Moers – the revellers
visited the park in their colourful costumes and brought their
own orchestra. It delighted the visitors to the park as well as the
inhabitants. The associations also decorated Loro Parque employees
with carnival medals.
Loro Parque with the stars
OrcaOcean welcomes Brian May and his family
Brian May, the legendary guitarist of the famous group Queen,
attended the inauguration of “OrcaOcean”, the new attraction
of Loro Parque, together with his family. The musician, who
recently received the distinction “Commander of the British
Empire” from Queen Elizabeth II, spent some fantastic days at
the Hotel Botánico and not only enjoyed being close to the orcas,
but also met many of the other animals in Loro Parque.
Nº 80 - March 2006
Hispano-American television visits LORO PARQUE
Norelys Rodríguez and Alex Barrios, the presenters of E!
Entertainment TV Latin America, a cable channel which can be
received in 24 countries of Latin America and reaches more than
14 million households, spent a fantastic day with their team at Loro
Parque. In their report, they presented all the different animals of
Loro Parque, however, they were really fascinated by the park’s
new residents, the four orcas, which they saw during a training
for the new exhibition which will open its doors for the public on
March 17th.
Loro Parque News
Loro Parque helps with proposed Royal Decree watching over them. In the main area there are several huge
artificial trees, hard-wearing but realistic, which certainly
on confiscated wild animals
In collaboration with (AIZA) Iberian Association of Zoos
and Aquaria, Loro Parque and Loro Parque Fundación have
formally given their expert advice on a proposed Royal Decree
in Spain to regulate the placement of confiscated individuals
of threatened species of wild animals and plants protected
through control of their trade. The regulation is proposed by
the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) Administration Authority in
Spain, which comes under the General Secretariat of External
Commerce of the Ministry of Tourism and Commerce. The
regulation is designed to permit a more effective application
of existing Spanish legislation affecting wildlife in trade, with
special reference to the European Community Regulation
Nº338/1997 which lays down detailed rules concerning the
protection of wild species by regulating trade. Thus,
the proposed regulation defines the competencies of the
administration in assigning confiscated wildlife to centres,
defines the receiving centres, deals with eventual ownership,
clarifies the registering and deposition procedures, includes
the possibility to return confiscated wildlife to the country
of origin, and so on. Loro Parque and Fundación welcome
the introduction of a regulation to improve the conservation
prospects for threatened species.
Kinderlandia: a place for the kids to go wild
Opened in July 2005, Kinderlandia is the wild adventure park
in Loro Parque where the eyes of the youngest Loro Parque
visitors will definitely shine. Ever since it opened it has
been a great success, because it combines excitement with
safety for the kids, and a relaxing atmosphere for the adults
Nº 80 - March 2006
appear gigantic to the small children playing in and around
them. The trees are so big that the children can climb up
inside each one, and whiz down a slide which emerges as
the open mouth of an enormous snake! If the kids want to act
more like Tarzan, there are suspension bridges which connect
tree-top to tree-top. If anybody falls down, they have a soft
landing on the rubberised flooring which covers this entire
area, and anyway the “Kinderlandia” fairy will always lend
them a hand.
On the other side of Kinderlandia is the first roller coaster
of the Canary Islands for the whole family. Each of the cars
is designed in the shape of an orca, because Kinderlandia is
the next attraction to be found by the side of Orca Ocean,
the newest addition to Loro Parque which exhibits our four
orcas and includes the Classroom of the Sea” interpretation
area. Putting these attractions side by side reflects the ethos
of Loro Parque, which is to provide enjoyment in a way that
also stimulates learning. There is no doubt that our younger
visitors can have a lot of fun in both places, and the mums
and dads can watch their little ones from the”Bamboo Bar”,
and take it easy.
The story of Clara, Pacina and Joan
Marine Mammal Department
For Loro Parque, breeding the animals found in its facilities
is one the principal objectives. In the Marine Mammal
Department we have celebrated multiple births of California
sealions (Zalophus californianus) and Bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus). Of the 23 sealions currently found in
the park, 17 were born here, and of the last ones of the second
generation, both their fathers and their mothers having been
born here. Five of the 10 dolphins were born in Loro Parque
and the most recent dolphin to be born is second generation
on its mother’s side.
but in the first minutes the lack of experience of Clara was
very noticeable. The following day we noticed that the
swimming rhythm of Clara was very slow, and gave almost
no possibility that the baby could suckle. At this moment
we had the incredible help of the grandmother Pacina. She
had no hesitation to place herself in the suckling position,
and we also knew that she had milk. The first days of our
little dolphin, a male, were spent going between mother and
grandmother.
We want to tell the extraordinary story of this baby. Her
mother, Clara, was born in Loro Parque in December 1999,
daughter of Paco and Pacina. Her infancy passed without
incident. But when a routine analysis of progesterone in
the summer of 2004 indicated that Clara was pregnant, we
were totally surprised. Female dolphins normally reach the
age of sexual maturity at 8 years, and males from the age
of nine years. We initiated a special protocol to monitor her
pregnancy with weekly ecographs, and we left Clara with her
mother Pacina in a pool optimal for birth and post-partum.
On the 2nd of July 2005, Clara started to have signs that the
birth could be imminent: contractions, forced swimming,
vocalizations. At 7 pm, we could see the first part of the tail
extruding from Clara. Remember that dolphins are born tail
first, so that the tail fin can give force for the initiation of
swimming and thus avoid the risk of drowning. The duration
of the birth was 2 hours. Up to here everything was perfect.
But when the baby was born the problems started. Clara
did not know how to care for her baby. Pacina tried to help,
Thus we found ourselves in a situation with positive aspects:
our baby was swimming and suckling with her mother and
grandmother. But also there were negative aspects: the baby
was alone too much of the time, and we did not know if it
suckled sufficiently with Clara, it had little rest and many
negative behaviours. To sleep, a baby dolphin swims quietly
at the side of its mother, resting one hemisphere of its brain
for 20 minutes and then the other side of its brain. But our
Nº 80 - March 2006
baby was alone a lot of the time. The negative behaviours
were for example when the mother kept the baby below the
water longer than normal. This is a behaviour that we see
with all babies, but in this case a lot more, which could be a
sign of frustration in the mother, not knowing what to do with
her baby. The observations of the first days clearly indicated
that something was not working (Fig. 1).
A baby dolphin of 7 days cannot be alone for so long.
Normally one intervenes the minimum possible when a baby
is in the pool. In this case we had no option. We started to
work with Clara using training techniques, teaching her to
swim and turn with her baby and to feed it. Clara needed
less than one day to understand what we wanted her to do.
From that moment Clara was giving more opportunities for
the baby to suckle, and also we could influence the number
and duration of feeds. But the behaviour of the baby did not
change. When it was 14 days we started to note an important
change (Fig. 2).
This was of normal behaviour for a baby with its mother at
14 days. What caused this change? We can only speculate.
First we noticed that Clara started to enjoy the company of
her baby. They spent a lot of time playing, the baby started to
vocalize, and Clara was more possessive and did not leave it
for so long with Pacina. It seems that this change in behaviour
was stimulated by the baby. It “trained” its mother to enjoy
being together. From this point, everything was much easier.
The baby grew rapidly, went from one pool to the other,
started to play with fish, and was then introduced to the rest
of the family of dolphins at Loro Parque. And of course, it
also has a name: Joan.
The story of Clara and Joan was presented at the World
Conference on the Reproduction of Marine Mammals in
Paris in September 2005. It was confirmed that Clara is the
world`s youngest dolphin to have given birth. From Clara
and Joan we have learned the importance of the observations
of trainers, veterinarians and interns. Furthermore, we
can intervene and help a mother and baby, using training
techniques. However, Loro Parque continues as a pioneer in
discovering ways to improve breeding. The construction of
a new breeding pool and the participation in programmes for
artificial insemination can give a renewed impulse to expand
our family of dolphins.
Chinstrap penguins arrive at Loro Parque
On 14 February, in addition to the
Orcas, Loro Parque received from
SeaWorld some additional black and
white animals: 12 delightful Chinstrap
penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica). It is
distinguished from other penguins by
the narrow band of black feathers which
extends from ear to ear, just below the
chin. This is the second-most abundant
penguin species in the Antarctic, with
a minimum breeding population of
approximately 7.5million pairs. They
lay their eggs in late November, and
normally have two chicks which
fledge at about seven to eight weeks.
Chinstrap penguins search for krill and
fish in the sea throughout the day and
night, but mostly midnight and midday.
These elegant penguins will make a
wonderful addition to the polar exhibit
in our penguinarium.
Nº 80 - March 2006
Bonita, the Spix’s Macaw
“Christmas present”
The little Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) chick started
to open its eyes, on its 14th day after hatching. Its mother,
the 14 year old Spix’s Macaw of the Loro Parque Fundación
surprisingly laid one single egg on December 25, 2005,
completely outside of the normal breeding season. Truly this
was an unexpected Christmas present! This is the world’s
rarest parrot species, which is extinct in the wild since
October 2000 in its home country of Brazil. It can only be
saved by means of a captive breeding programme. This egg
comes from the only active breeding pair at present found in
a zoological garden.
The Curator of
Loro Parque
Matthias Reinschmidt,
feeds the two-week old
spix´s Macaw.
Brazil. Of these, the only breeding pair is kept in the Loro
Parque Fundación. After the two Spix’s Macaws which
hatched in 2004, this chick represents the third success of
this pair. There are about another 80 living Spix’s Macaws
in captivity, which it is hoped can be incorporated into the
breeding programme.
The Spix´s Macaw age 14 days, hatched on 17.01.06 in the
breeding centre of the Loro Parque Fondación
From day one the female was incubating well and after one
week it was possible to determine that the egg was fertile.
However, for the security reasons associated with such an
endangered species, the egg was transferred after 10 days to an
incubator for further incubation. Here the chick hatched after
24 days of incubation on January 17 around 8pm, supervised
by the two biologists in charge. The little pink chick covered
with white down, and called “Bonita”, weighed only 13.5 g.
However, from the beginning its appetite was huge, and every
two hours around the clock, including during the night, the
little bird required specially prepared food. The Curator of
Loro Parque, Matthias Reinschmidt, was happy to take over
this task, and at two weeks old she weighed 70 g. At day 43,
Bonita was placed in a separate room in the Baby-station with
a three days younger Palm cockatoo as a socialisation partner
so that she is not alone. On day 49 she weighed 372 g.
The chances for optimal development of this nestling are
good and we are optimistic that another Spix’s Macaw will
grow to be an adult which contributes to the conservation
of its species. Currently in the official breeding programme
of the Brazilian Government there are only twelve living
birds, including this chick, found worldwide, five birds
in Sao Paulo Zoo, Brazil, five birds in the Loro Parque
Fundación, Tenerife, and another pair at a private centre in
The recent breeding success in Tenerife forms an excellent
basis to work together with the only German private breeder
who keeps this species. In March this breeder will lend to the
Brazilian Government a young male, which will be kept in the
breeding centre of the Loro Parque Fundación, so that further
pairs can be established there. With such a small population
it is absolutely essential to pair unrelated birds in order to
maintain the genetic diversity. The breeding agreement is
another important step within the international breeding
programme for the conservation of this parrot. The aim of
this project is to manage the population of Spix’s Macaws in
captivity so as to conserve the species and reintroduce it to
its original habitat, the
so-called caatinga of
north-east Brazil.
The two female
Spix´s Macaws,
“Arabella” and “Turquesa”
in their aviary,
They hatched in 2004 in
the Loro Parque Fundación.
Nº 80 - March 2006
Breeding of the Red-browed
Amazon
by
Matthias Reinschmidt
The Red-browed Amazon
(Amazona rhodocorytha) is
one of the most endangered
mainland Amazons. This
endemic bird of eastern
Brazil is only distributed in
some Atlantic forests in Bahia
and Espirito Santo where
much less than 10% of the
original habitat still remains,
and in Alagoas where the
situation is even worse,
with only about 2% of the
original habitat remaining.
The population of the Redbrowed Amazon is estimated,
according
to
BirdLife
International 2005, to be only
845 birds in the wild, and
declining. The destruction
of the forest has escalated
to the point that the original
habitat is fragmentated, and the population is split into
small groups with no connection to each other. This can be
problematic for the continuity of the subpopulations due
to lack of genetic exchange. Previously the Amazon was
often captured for the pet trade, but nowadays the species
is completely protected. However, once in a while there are
illegal traders trapping nestlings and capturing adult birds.
The Loro Parque Fundación has been coordinating the
European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the Redbrowed Amazon. On December 31, 2004 the population was
30 males, 29 females and one unsexed bird; total 60 birds.
The population is distributed in seven European zoos which
participate in this programme. In the past five
years, only Loro Parque in Tenerife was successful
in breeding. The Red-browed Amazon is also
held by private breeders of rarely kept Amazon
species. As this Amazon is only distributed in
Brazil and this country has for decades had an
official export ban for trapped parrots, it is only
kept sporadically in the aviaries of breeders.
It is included in appendix 1(A) of CITES.
The Red-browed Amazon is not easily induced to
breed in captivity, and to date few breeders can
report breeding successes. Also in the Loro Parque
Fundación this Amazon was first accommodated
in the conventional way in single pairs. However
because over the years no breeding occurred, new
methods were considered. One such method has
Nº 80 - March 2006
an aviary measuring 20 m in length,
12 m in width and 3.5 m in height
were placed six pairs, into an aviary
of 10 m length, 10 m width and 4 m
height three pairs, and as a control
each of two pairs was placed into a
suspended aviary of 5 m in length,
1.5 m in width and 1.5 m in height.
All the birds must be placed into
the group aviary at exactly the same
time so that no individual has a home
advantage. Well-bonded dominant
pairs can behave very aggressively
to their co-inhabitants, and the
group method works best with the
previous separation of all birds of
all pairs. The individuals of wellbonded pairs find each other again
very fast, and once together are busy
with each other, and leave the other
been to place a group of six pairs together in a communal
aviary, 15 meters in length by 4 m width and 3.5 – 4 m height
to which small separation cages including nest boxes were
attached. As a result of this method of group stimulation,
several pairs came into breeding condition and each pair
secluded itself in a separation cage, and laid eggs in the
nest-box. The first eggs were taken for artifical incubation
and hand-raising of the chicks. The first use of this new
system resulted in ten young birds. Nothing was changed
in the system, but breeding success in the subsequent year
was reduced to five young birds. In the following three years
the system remained unchanged and no breeding occurred.
In 2001 I shifted the group into another large aviary in the
breeding centre of the Loro Parque Fundación. In that year
there was only one clutch of eggs, with two eggs, which
was artificially incubated and
the two young hand-raised.
In 2002, again the species did
not breed. Thus we decided
at the end of 2002 to separate
the entire group, and all other
pairs held in the collection, and
maintain the birds individually
for a period of approximately
three months, without contact to
their conspecifics in a suspended
aviary measuring 3 m in length.
In this way the 22 reproductively
mature Red-browed Amazons
were distributed in suspended
aviaries
throughout
the
entire
breeding
center.
inhabitants in peace. The pairs in the aviaries of 5 m in length
did not produce eggs. From the group with the six pairs, four
pairs laid eggs, and from the group with the three pairs, two
laid eggs. Again the eggs were taken for artificial incubation
and hand- raising, and altogether ten young birds resulted.
However there was also a large number of infertile eggs.
In November 2003 all birds were separated again for a
three-month period, including the birds of the successful
breeding pairs. In February 2004 they were again unified.
In the aviary with three pairs, a further pair was added, and
the group with the six pairs remained constant apart from the
exchange of a female. The control was no longer tried. Again
about two thirds of the pairs came into breeding condition
and in 2004 produced seven chicks, but again the number
of infertile eggs was high. A pair in the group of four pairs
Following the period of
separation, the Amazons were
reunited in three different groups
at the end of February 2003. Into
10
Nº 80 - March 2006
was permitted for the first time to incubate the eggs itself,
and two chicks were raised without problems. These chicks
integrated themselves into the group, without any attack on
them by other birds when they first flew from the nest-box.
In November 2004 the Amazons were separated again and
brought together in February 2005. Again in both groups
numerous eggs were laid and altogether 14 chicks were
raised. A further attempt of parent-raising within the group
was made and again two chicks were raised without any
problems by the parents, and were integrated into the group
without any aggression. In the group with the four pairs, one
pair had to be removed, because it was opposite the other
large aviary which caused some pressure resulting in attack.
the hatched chick of the Red-browed Amazon is on average
14.04 g +/- 1.47 g (standard deviation, n=12), while the
heaviest chick has weighed 16.8 g and the lightest 12.2 g.
The hand raising of the birds hatched in the incubator is
carried out in the baby station of Loro Parque. It does not
differ from the hand raising of other Amazons, and proceeds
without any problems. The youngsters are fed exclusively
with a commercial hand raising food. For the socialisation of
the young birds, they are kept and raised in amazon groups,
thus are not conditioned in the wrong way and can be used
for breeding without restrictions. On removal of the first
clutch, some Red-browed Amazons have produced a second
clutch. These eggs should remain with the parents for them
to raise their youngsters and express their natural behaviour.
The feeding of Amazons is carried out twice per day in the
group aviaries. It is important that several feeding places
exist so that all the birds can feed together and no aggression
or dominance-related exclusion arises in the group due to
competition for food. The first feeding at about 8 am consists
of a fruit and vegetable mixture, with apple, pear and carrot all
year and, depending on the season, three to five other fruit and
vegetable types are added according to the availability, such
as raisins, papaya, peppers, banana, kiwi, orange, zucchini,
broccoli, cucumber, dandelion, etc. In the incubation and
rearing period between February and September a cooked
food mixture (Parrot-Dinner of Versele-Laga) is added to
the diet which can be easily digested by the birds and used
for breeding stimulation due to its higher protein content.
Evidently the separation of the birds for a period of some
weeks increases the demand for social contact to conspecifics,
and can result in the first breeding of individuals. However,
based on our several years of experience, it seems that one
must expect with this method a number of infertile eggs.
Usually the eggs of the first clutch are removed from the nest
boxes after ten days of natural incubation and transferred to the
incubator. The clutch size of the Amazons varies, fluctuating
between one and five eggs, the average clutch (n=13) having
three eggs.The size of the egg (n=23) is on average 3.94 mm
+/- 0.15 mm (0.15 mm) in length and 3.06 mm +/- 0.11 mm
in width. As soon as the chick pips the shell, the eggs are
placed in the lower area of the same incubator in a prepared
cup with soft absorbent paper. The Amazons usually hatch
within two days after pipping the shell. The body weight of
Nº 80 - March 2006
About 2 pm the Amazons receive their second feeding which
is a dry seed mixture (Amazon-diet-mixture of VerseleLaga). This food after the breeding period is measured such
that it is completely consumed by the next feeding. During
the breeding period the quantity of the mixture is increased
to simulate the natural food abundance, this being one of
the reasons for the breeding activity. Only when a sufficient
food base is available (for example after the rainy season),
will the Amazons breed, as otherwise they can not feed their
youngsters sufficiently. However, after the breeding season the
food quantity should be significantly reduced, especially with
Amazons, as otherwise the risk occurs that they will be become
too fat. If the next breeding season starts with overweight
birds, there is often a lot of frustration when only infertile
eggs are laid. A balanced diet which is adapted to the annual
cycle and also considers seasonal fluctuations is certainly not
easy, and requires from the keeper a lot of intuition, but it
is often the key to success and should receive due attention.
Breeding efforts should be increased to establish a
good reserve population of this Amazon species in
captivity. In the near future, it might be necessary to
support the population in the wild if the decreasing trend
remains. Thus, new breeding techniques should be tried
if the usual keeping methods have little or no success.
11 11
Living flames
of Colombia:
The
Pyrrhura
Project
by
David Waugh
In the cool early morning air, 2,400 metres up in the
Eastern Andes of Colombia, a small group of parakeets are
sunning themselves and preening in the upper branches of
an epiphyte-laden tree. They are relaxed, showing off their
fine red ear-patches and scaly white neck feathers, until
something spooks them and – whoosh – brilliant patches of
flame-yellow flash in the wings as they burst with chattering
indignation from the tree and disappear in swift flight over
the nearby horizon. These compact, handsome birds are
Flame-winged Parakeets (Pyrrhura calliptera), perhaps the
most aptly named within the genus Pyrrhura, which derives
from the Greek word pyrrhos, meaning fire. This species
is vulnerable to extinction and surviving in only a few
fragmented populations in small area of the Eastern Andes.
The total population may be as few as 5,000 birds and is
declining rapidly owing to habitat loss, fragmentation, and
persecution as a crop-pest. Sadly, these declines in range and
population are expected to continue, which is why the LPF
is supporting Fundación ProAves of Colombia to take the
necessary conservation measures.
upper subtropical and temperate forest from 1,850 to 3,000
m, and also elfin woodland and second growth from 3,000
to 3,400 m, as well as adjacent areas of agricultural land.
With the forest being whittled away, it makes sense to know
which type supports the highest densities of parakeets, so
that conservation actions can first be focused where they
will be most beneficial. An associated objective is to get an
estimate of the current total population of Flame-winged
Parakeets, with the aspiration that future estimates will show
an increase due to better protection. Certainly an additional
objective must be to strengthen the effective protection of
Chingaza National Park and the adjacent protected areas of
the Blanco-Olivares Forest Reserve and Carpanta Biological
Reserve. These areas are without doubt important for the
future survival of this species.
The first action is to estimate the population densities in
different forest-types. The Flame-winged Parakeet occupies
Pragmatism is the hallmark of this project, where taking
action does not depend on the collection of every last scrap
of information. The ProAves team noticed some similarities
to another of their projects partnered with the LPF, for the
conservation of the critically endangered Fuertes’s Parrot
(Hapalopsittaca fuertesi) in the Central Andes. Most obvious
was the apparent scarcity of natural cavities for nesting in
the forest and, in the knowledge that Fuertes’s Parrots had
12
12
Nº 80 - March 2006
rapidly adopted artificial nest-boxes, the team set about
installing boxes for the Parakeets. In 2005, 48 nest-boxes
were installed at heights of between 10 and 33 feet (3 –10 m),
each with a tall vertical design modelled on the deep natural
cavities where the birds enter through a narrow crack, often
well-hidden by bromeliads.
Judging from their amazing response, this is exactly what the
parakeets had been waiting for! From the
first day of installation they were exploring
the boxes, and merely 16 days later five
nests had already been occupied. By the
end of October, a total of 45 eggs had been
laid in boxes, and 5 were starting to hatch.
From the observations made by the field
team, it appears that the Flame-winged
Parakeet nests in groups of between five
and seven individuals, with several females
apparently laying eggs in the same nest.
One or two individuals are responsible
for incubation while the remainder of the
group has the task of feeding the chicks.
This group breeding pattern has also been
observed in another threatened parakeet
which the LPF is helping to conserve, the El Oro Parakeet
(Pyrrhura orcesi) in Ecuador.
In its breeding centre in Tenerife, the largest clutch produced
by a single female of the genus Pyrrhura (P. cruentata - the
Blue-throated Parakeet) contained nine eggs but, as can be
seen from the photograph, the clutch of the Flame-winged
Parakeet contains at least thirteen eggs indicating that more
than one female laid in that nest. This species also sleeps in
tree cavities, and at the end of the breeding season it will be
interesting to see if the nest-boxes continue to be used for
roosting.
The Flame-winged Parakeet was little known in the wild and
is unknown in captivity. Therefore these images of the species
and its breeding are exciting for parrot enthusiasts. ProAves
will use them as part of the process to engage the local
community in the conservation of this delightful parakeet.
Locally, it is kept as a pet and, with its diet consisting of fruits,
Nº 80 - March 2006
seeds and cultivated maize, it is persecuted by local farmers
as a crop-pest, a problem which might intensify if further
forest is cleared for agriculture. However, in general people
respond in very encouraging ways as soon as they realize that
particular animals or plants are unique to their own land.
The ‘Project Pyrrhura’ of Fundación ProAves include
two other species, the Sinú Parakeet (P. subandina) and the
Santa Marta Parakeet (P. viridicata).
The former species was previously
considered as a subspecies of the
Painted Parakeet (P. picta), but now
is recognized as a species. It is known
only from museum specimens and is
classified as Criticially Endangered.
During the past year ProAves searched
the type localities and other sites across
Cordoba Department of Colombia, but
unfortunately the landscape is now
highly fragmented and little natural
forest remains. The search teams
were unable to find any evidence of
the species and even local people did
not know it. Thus, it might already
be extinct, but on the other hand this relatively small,
inconspicuous canopy parakeet could easily be overlooked,
and searches will continue in other areas. The Santa Marta
Parakeet, although endangered, presents more hope that its
wild population can be restored to a safe level. The Santa
Marta Parakeet occurs only in the Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta in northernmost Colombia, a massif which reaches
5,775 m and covers all life-zones from tropical forest to
glaciers. Although only 6,800 km2, this mountain contains
the single highest concentration of endemic birds found on
the planet. This part of Project Pyrrhura, also with support
from Conservation International, has already identified the
key altitudinal range, habitat, first ever breeding information
and most significant global population of P. viridicata.
ProAves estimates the population in the north-west Sierra
Nevada de Santa Marta to be 120 individuals, and without
doubt considers this to be the single largest surviving
population. Despite the declarations of a National Park and
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta and the Santa Marta Parakeet are at risk because of
a lack of any measures to stop encroachment on natural
habitats. Only 15% of the sierra’s original vegetation remains
unaltered following decades of uncontrolled colonization
and continuing agricultural expansion. Worryingly, the Santa
Marta Parakeet does not occur within any protected area,
but Fundación ProAves has identified a key surviving area
of natural habitat which has the majority of the its breeding
population. This privately-owned area covers 632 hectares of
subtropical and montane forest extending from 900 to over
2545 m elevation, and ProAves is now trying to raise funds
to purchase it and make it a protected site.
13 13
Foundation News
Breeding Centre News
At the end of November the press worldwide
reported the tropical storm „Delta“ which swept over the
Canary Islands and caused considerable damage. With a speed
of up to 200 km/h, the storm whipped over the archipielago
and left a trail of destruction. Loro Parque and the breeding
centre of the Loro Parque Fundación were directly affected.
Luckily, only minor property damage occurred, some trees
were uprooted and many branches were broken, but no
humans or animals suffered. . All the parrots weathered the
storm and the subsequent intense rain.
For several months the „socialisation“ experiment
of the Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) and the
Burrowing Parrots (Cyanoliseus patagonus) has been taking
place in the penguinarium of Loro Parque. The experiment
started with two Burrowing Parrots, but following this
successful test phase the parrot group has now been increased
to six birds, and the visitors are pleased to see the agile
activities of the parrots amongst the penguins.
year, our breeding pair of Riedel’s Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus
roratus riedeli). Two eggs were laid and one was infertile,
but on January 11, 2006 an Eclectus chick hatched in the
incubator as the first chick of the new year. A pair of Red
Shining Parrots (Prosopeia tabuensis) on exhibit in Loro
Parque produced two infertile eggs in December. We hope for
a second, fertile, clutch. Our breeding pair of Palm Cockatoos
(Probosciger aterrimus) also started early, with the single
fertile egg laid in the middle of December. It remained 8 days
with the parents and was then transferred to the incubator.
The hatchling is now being raised by hand, and at 28 days
weighed 230g and is developing without any problems. In
the past two years a total of three young Palm Cockatoos
have grown to independence, being raised by hand for the
first 40 to 60 days and then by adoptive parents (Abbott’s
Lesser Sulphur-crested and Blue Eyed Cockatoos - Cacatua
sulphurea abbotti and Cacatua ophthalmica). For one chick
there were no suitable foster parents available at the time, and
therefore it could be only raised by hand.
The 2005 conference of the European Association
of Zoos and Aquaria agreed that zoos alone can not guarantee
the conservation of all parrot species in captivity. European
zoos have been coordinating and participating in 28 European
region Studbooks (ESB) and Endangered Species Programmes
(EEP) for threatened parrot species. However, in the long run
the zoos are only able to keep a few dozen parrot species in
such programmes and most of these zoos have reached their
capacity to accommodate them. Some of the programmes are
successful and the zoo population is increasing, but others
register a constant decline. .
Therefore, it is essential that private parrot keepers
and breeders also participate in breeding programmes,
especially because the number of parrots in private hands
is much higher than in zoos. Some species, which are large,
attractive and expensive, for example the cockatoos and
macaws, have substantial captive populations. However,
the populations of some of the smaller, mostly unimposing
species have been constantly decreasing. Nowadays, few
Striated Lorikeets (Charmosyna multistriata) or Blackwinged Lories (Eos cyanogenia) are kept in captivity, and
some green Aratinga species such as the Jamaican Conure
(Aratinga nana nana) have almost disappeared. The LPF
encourages breeders of these rare and threatened species to
band together to breed and conserve them in captivity.
The new breeding season started for a few
parrots at the end of December including, as in the previous
14
Calyptorhynchus latirostris
Some new pairings have been made for the forthcoming
breeding season, especially of parrots which have not bred
yet or have only laid infertile clutches. Also the keeping
conditions may be changed to stimulate the birds to breed.,
and the large group aviaries in the LPF breeding centre offer
several possibilities. A group of four male and three female
Nº 80 - March 2006
Vosmaer’s Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus roratus vosmaeri), and
two female and one male of Philippine Cockatoos (Cacatua
haematuropygia), have been placed in one of these aviaries
for pairing. To avoid fights, within the aviary there are more
in breeding.
One of our Kea pairs (Nestor notabilis) has also started to
breed. The female, which is in her second breeding season,
has laid six fertile eggs. The small Hanging parrots always
start laying eggs in January, and thus at the moment several
chicks of Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus)
and Vernal Hanging Parakeet (Loriculus vernalis) are
growing in several nests. One of our two successful breeding
pairs of Collared Lory (Phygis solitarius) is raising again two
chicks.
Nestor notabilis
More donations to the LPF
Once again the LPF has recently received some generous
donations from supporters of its conservation work.
Cacatua ducorpsii
nest-boxes than there are females.
In another large aviary, occupied for the last two years by
two pairs of sexually mature Galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus)
and a pair of White-tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus
latirostris), a flock of six sub-adult Gang-Gang Cockatoos
(Callocephalon fimbriatum) wasintroduced. The Galahs were
bred successfully and both pairs produced chicks. The Whitetailed Black Cockatoos also attempted to breed, but the two
clutches were infertile. Later, two Ducorps’s Cockatoos
(Cacatua ducorpsii) were added. They are not yet paired,
but we expect them to form a breeding pair in this mixed
group. The aviary has a length of 20 m, a width of 12 m and
a height of 3.5 m, and therefore provides sufficient evasion
possibilities for these experienced flying birds. Until now no
serious fights have occurred.
A new keeping method will be also tried this season with our
Grey-cheeked Parakeets (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus). After
both pairs had been unsuccessful in our breeding centre, they
were both transferred to a bigger aviary. Here, they have
ten different nesting possibilities, from tree trunks which
they can excavate independently, to a nest box consisting of
several chambers. We hope this will achieve a breakthrough
Nº 80 - March 2006
Brian May, famous lead guitarist of the rock band Queen,
donated £10,000 (c €14,500).
The York Area of The Parrot Society, the
leading organisation for parrot breeders in the UK, donated
£2,118.20 (c €3,075).
The Rocky Mountain Society of Aviculture
of the USA donated US$507.25 (c €420).
We give our heartfelt thanks to all these donors. 100% of their
donations will go directly to our conservation projects.
Exchanges of journals
The LPF has recently agreed with other organisations to
exchange journals and newsletters. The LPF will regularly
send a free copy of each Cyanopsitta in exchange for receiving
a free copy of another journal or newsletter, which will then
be available in the library of the LPF. The LPF welcomes
the opportunity to increase these kinds of exchanges, and
would be pleased to hear from any entity which produces an
avicultural, animal or conservation journal or newsletter and
wishes to receive Cyanopsitta in return.
15
16
Nº 80 - March 2006
Project Update
Conservation of Vini lorikeets
Vini ultramarina
good insurance for the survival of this critically endangered
cockatoo and other threatened species. The protected area is
1,983 hectares.
This cockatoo is an extreme lowland specialist, sharing the
coastal plains where most of the people live in the Philippines.
Illegal capture for the pet trade is a major threat to its survival.
The domestic demand for cockatoos is high enough to put the
remaining populations at acute risk. Rasa Island holds one of
the last remaining coastal forests in the Philippines, it is the
pilot site of the PCCP and for eight years it was proposed as
a protected area. Rasa holds the highest population density of
Philippine Cockatoo that remains in the wild, and this makes
it a high priority area for the protection of this species on a
global scale.
Mark Ziembicki is the principal investigator for this
project in French Polynesia funded by the LPF and CEPA
(Conservation des Especes et des Populations Animales).
On the first phase the project team focused its efforts on a
survey of the Tahiti Blue Lory Vini peruviana in the Tuamotu
archipelago They assessed conservation needs and options
there, as well as assessing previous and future options for the
conservation of the Ultramarine Lory V.ultramarina in the
Marquesas Islands. V.peruviana populations in the Tuamotu
were reasonably healthy on all except one of the five atolls
it they surveyed. There was an interesting and strong
negative correlation between black rats and the density of
V. peruviana on each atoll. There are favourable options for
further conservation work, especially the big interest by the
community, and projects which are useful and feasible on at
least three of the atolls. The V.ultramarina population on Ua
Huka is stable and the team found no evidence of black rats
on the island. Unfortunately, the experiments with nest boxs
there were unsuccessful due to design problems. No lories
were found on Ua Pou. A team will visit soon Fatu Iva to
assess the situation there.
Rasa Island made a wildlife sanctuary
for the Philippine Cockatoo
The good news from the Philippines is that Rasa Island
has now been made a sanctuary. This island (off the coast
of Palawan island) has been the scene of several years
of conservation activity by the Philippine Cockatoo
Conservation Programme (PCCP). It
worked closely
with the local community and government to achieve this
important advance for the conservation of the Philippine
Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia). The leaders of the
PCCP, Peter Widmann and Indira Lacerna, informed us that
on 15 February 2006 Philippines President Gloria Arroyo
signed Presidential Proclamation 1000 declaring the Rasa
Island Wildlife Sanctuary. This much needed declaration is a
Nº 80 - March 2006
Cacatua haematuropygia
The PCCP uses a participatory approach for conservation
where people are greatly involved in the process. On Rasa,
former poachers have been successfully recruited to serve as
wildlife wardens, and their presence is effective for protecting
nest trees, particularly during breeding season. This project
is supported by the Loro Parque Fundación, with its partner
donors Chester Zoo, the Zoological Society for protection of
Species and Populations (ZGAP) and the Conservation des
Espèces et Des Populations Animales (CEPA).
17
Anodorhynchus macaw north of
the Amazon remains a mystery
collaboration with the governmental environmental agency
of the region.
Vaccine against Psittacine Beak
and Feather Disease (PBFD)
The LPF is supporting research by Dr Reimar Johne of the
University of Leipzig in Germany to test a vaccine against
Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD).This is one of
the most important viral diseases of psittacine birds, leading
to feather disorders and severe immunosuppression, which
may result in lethal secondary infections. The causative agent,
PBFD virus (PBFDV), cannot be propagated in tissue culture
systems or embryonated chicken eggs, and therefore the
development of vaccines is difficult. However, Dr Johne and
his team have been able to produce the protein coating (called
capsid protein C1) of the PBFDV, which is a useful antigen
for testing blood serum for the presence of PBFDV-specific
antibodies. The researchers produced a sufficient quantity of
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
Officially the genus Anodorhynchus (the blue macaws) is not
distributed north of the Amazon river but recent information
suggests the opposite. However, no clear documentation
exists. For this reason the Loro Parque Fundación supported
the “Anodorhynchus Project in the river basin of the Vaupés
river”. In this project, researcher Bernabé López-Lanús and his
team have tried to document the existence of Anodorhynchus
in this region, north of the river Amazon on the ColombiaBrazil frontier, a site in which a possible presence was hinted
in a recent publication on the parrots of Colombia.
During the10 months from September 2004 to July 2005 the
result of the search was negative. However, the information
obtained from the local ethnic groups indicates that a parrot
with the characteristics of Anodorhynchus lives in the
area. Part of the information suggests the existence of an
Anodorhynchus with paler plumage, with more extensive
yellow around the mandible and a smaller size than A.
hyacinthinus. In addition to the search for Anodorhynchus
in the Colombo-Brazilian Vaupés area, the project obtained
ethno-zoological data from diverse areas within the extensive
Amazonian territory of Brazil, within the basin of the
Negro river (of which the Vaupés river is tributary), also
with negative results on Anodorhynchus. With regard to the
presence of Anodorhynchus to the north of the river Amazon,
there are possible food supplies from local palms and their
possible presence in the region could be temporary. The
current conclusion is that, for lack of evidence, all records
must treated as rumours. Applying the precautionary principle
the establishment of a second phase of the project is justified
by means of the production of a poster to be distributed in
the area of the Vaupés river at least for one year, in close
18
protein C1 in a recombinant process, where a gene (in this
case in the bacterium E. coli) with the code for making a
specific protein is replaced by the gene which causes protein
C1 to be made.
The assumption of the researchers is that this antigen protein
C1 may be used as a vaccine, and to this end Dr Johne has
developed an animal model to infect Budgerigars with
purified PBFDV, in which the potential vaccine can be tested.
Since June 2005 the research has involved the acquisition,
purification and characterisation of PBFDV for infection,
and production of antigen for immunisation and testing
of Budgerigars for their suitability to serve as laboratory
animals. The next stage has taken time to prepare because
it was not easy to find a large-scale production aviary which
was PBFDV negative, the only possibility for using the birds
in the research. This has now been found, but all other aviaries
contacted were PBFDV positive. This reflects an unexpected
wide distribution of PBFDV infections in Budgerigars, and
underlines how important this research is in the search for a
cure. The results should be known near the end of 2006.
Nº 80 - March 2006
A helping hand for the parrots of central Cuba
By
David Waugh
During the second half of the 19th century, the German
ornithologist Johannes Gundlach passed through the
mountains of the Trinidad and Gavilanes area in the central
part of Cuba. At the time, he reported the presence
of the endemic Cuban Parakeet (Aratinga euops),
and later published his observations on this and
the native Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala)
in his two-volume “Ornitologia Cubana”. Today,
Maikel Cañizares Morales follows in the footsteps
of Grundlach. Maikel, a biologist from the Cuban
Institute of Ecology and Systematics, is the principal
investigator of a conservation project in central Cuba
for the two indigenous parrot species. Funded by
the LPF, the project is responding to the continuing
pressures that these parrots face, principally the heavy
trapping for the pet trade and loss of suitable habitat,
and persecution as a crop pest in some areas.
Formerly common throughout Cuba, both species
have suffered a major decline in their populations,
have disappeared from many localities and have
the magnitude and effect of the other main human pressure,
the illegal removal of chicks from the wild for the internal pet
market. The project will also evaluate the effect of installing
Amazona leucocephala
nest-boxes for both species in two important breeding
sites, the upland “Alturas de Banao” Ecological
Reserve, and the coastal “Palmar de Romero”, a new
site discovered by Maikel. Finally, the project will
use the information to formulate and implement a
plan for environmental education to help achieve the
indefinite conservation of these native species and their
ecosystems.
Aratinga euops
few remaining strongholds in the island. One of these is the
west-central region where the project is taking place, from
the mountainous interior to the southern coastal lowlands.
The project has several objectives, one being to determine
the abundance and distribution of the two parrot species. A
related objective is to define and assess the human impact
on the essential habitats that both species need for breeding,
feeding and roosting. Furthermore, the project must assess
Nº 80 - March 2006
The Ecological Reserve “Alturas de Banao” (belonging
to the National Enterprise for the Protection of Flora
and Fauna, Ministry of Agriculture, and the community
of Gavilanes) covers some 6,000 hectares of the Banao
range in the south-east Sancti Spíritus mountains,
themselves an extension of the Escambray mountain
system. The reserve includes the upper watersheds of the
rivers Banao and Higuanojo, which respectively traverse two
of the reserve’s five management areas, Jarico and Hoyo del
Naranjal. Both the Cuban Parrot and Parakeet breed in these
two management areas, which collectively harbour one of the
biggest nesting populations in central Cuba of the Amazon.
According to the local residents it must be the biggest,
declaring that during the breeding season they see hundred
of these birds perched on trees around their dwellings. They
19
Hoyo del Naranjal
the populations, with a 50% survival rate
after four months. The Cuban Parrots were
mostly in natural nests, preferring the broken
palms with an upper entrance, but nesting in
a palm trunk nest-box did occur. Frequent
inspections of some nests had to be avoided
so as not to attract the attention of poachers.
Most of the Cuban Parakeets occupied palm
trunk nest-boxes, and the only pair which
nested in a plastic box had its complete
brood predated by West Indian Woodpeckers
(Melanerpes superciliaris). It seems that the
Cuban Parakeets prefer the palm trunk nestboxes if the entrance diameter is smaller than
six cm. Because the West Indian Woodpecker
makes the cavities in the first place, most
entrance holes of natural nests are bigger than
six cm, and therefore the woodpeckers can
easily enter and predate the nestlings. The
low acceptance by parrots is possibly because
also report that during the corn crop season they suffer losses
due to the flocks of parrots feeding in the fields. This might be
so, but to be sure, Maikel prefers to make systematic counts
of the parrots.
In the two main nesting areas two designs of nest-box exist,
the first ones made from sections of dried trunks of palms,
and those in 2004 made from polyethylene. The palm-trunk
nest-boxes easily deteriorate, but the birds show a marked
preference for them. A total of 50 nest-boxes have been
installed, at heights of between 12 and 20 m from the ground,
and with the surroundings and compass orientation selected
following analysis of natural nest-site features. Thus, they are
placed on palms, most are above the canopy, they do not face
north to avoid rain entry, they are about 50 cm deep, and the
entrance holes are as small as six cm in diameter for the Cuban
Parakeets. All the nest boxes are numbered and mapped using
GPS (Global Positioning System). In these mountains the
parrots are not resident all year, leaving in September and
arriving in January, but Maikel and his team determine the
occupancy of the nests by constantly monitoring the parrots’
behaviour from April onwards, mainly in the early morning
and late afternoon. Occupancy by a pair is confirmed if the
parrots remain a long time inside, and/or defend it from other
birds, or calls are heard from the cavity. For nest inspection
the method of “trepaderas” is chosen, this being used
traditionally by the peasants to harvest the palm fruits. The
method consists of using two thick sisal fibre ropes, one fixed
on a foot and the other fixed on a leg of the climber.
In Jarico, the main population of Cuban Parakeets increased
from 18 birds in 1998 to 53 individuals in 2004. In 2005,
at least 11 pairs of Cuban Parrots and 16 pairs of Cuban
Parakeets nested, respectively adding 18 and 40 young to
20
Nest inspection with ”trepaderas”
these plastic boxes are too warm during the hot hours of the
day, and parrots may be more selective than other species in
their choice of nest-sites.
The productivity of the Cuban Parakeet nests monitored was
Nº 80 - March 2006
3.3 eggs per nest, with 90% hatching, and 60% fledgling. The
two infertile eggs found were both in clutches of four eggs.
In addition to the woodpeckers, nestling mortality could be
attributed to a Black Rat (Rattus rattus), and indirectly to a
Jamaican Fruit Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), which frequently
occupies tree-cavities and nest-boxes as a diurnal refuge.
It is likely that two nestlings died during the fight of the
parents against the bat. Another challenge for the nestlings
Cuban Parakeet chick infested with warble fly
is infestation with warble flies (family Oestridae), the larvae
of which live under the skin. Heavy infestations are known
to cause nestling mortality, and so Maikel and his team try
to remove as many larvae as possible. Un-infested Cuban
parakeet nestlings grew at an average rate of 1.7g per day,
reaching a maximum weight of between 90 and 100g,
approximately one week before abandoning the nest. Despite
asynchronous hatching and early growth, all nestlings of one
nest fledge at the same time with little weight difference.
Royal Palm (Roystonea regia) forest. Not only is this an ideal
place for parrots to spend the winter months, it also turned
out to be a new and important breeding site for both species,
but especially for the Cuban Parakeet. Even so, this savanna
has a lot of human influence, previously with the cultivation
of rice, and nowadays with cattle ranching. The Royal Palms,
and wild Palmettos (Sabal parviflora), have a high ratio of
dead palm trunks to mature plants, the dead trunks being used
by the birds for nests.
During the breeding season visit the project team found 30
mature parakeets within a three kilometre perimeter, and the
eight active nests had fledglings ready to leave. Despite Palmar
de Romero being a new nesting locality to the biologists,
naturally it is already known to the nest poachers, who are
active despite the unbearable mosquitoes and the long distance
to market. The impact of their extractions is drastic because
they fell the nesting trunks. To help reduce this destruction,
it is now important that the relevant authorities give serious
consideration to a proposal of including Palmar de Romero
in the “Tunas de Zaza” Fauna Refuge, only 13 kilometres
distant. This refuge was established in 1995, and covers 6,776
hectares of these very diverse coastal ecosystems around the
delta of the Zaza River. For the native psittacines of Cuba,
this indeed would be a big helping hand.
It is known that many chicks have been extracted every year
from this population of parrots for the local pet market. In
2005 in Gavilanes the project team found that 30 of the 105
houses of the community had these birds as pets, and 90% of
the local people prefer the Cuban Parrot. Maikel interviewed
four locals who illegally capture chicks for sale to middlemen, also acting illegally. Apparently each poacher can expect
to take 15 to 20 chicks each season, the selling price per chick
approximating to eight euros.
If the project starts to have the desired effect, fewer parrots
and parakeets will wind up as pets, and more will leave the
“Alturas de Banao” of their own free-will each September.
In this month they head south to the coastal plain, but
according to the older people in this coastal region sightings
of the parrots are very sporadic, with their numbers much
diminished recently. Thus it was very fortunate that Maikel
spoke with Antonio, a knowledgeable native who led him to
Palmar de Romero, a savannah with patches of magnificent
Nº 80 - March 2006
Weighing chicks
21
The Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea:
a slow breeding and Critically Endangered species
loss on Sumba has been acute in recent years and less than 10% of the
island is currently forested. The remaining forest occurs as 34 forest blocks,
nearly half of which are smaller than 500 hectares. The subspecies on
Sumba has a distinct preference for undisturbed forest below 500 metres
above sea level and is patchily distributed across the island, being absent
from, or rare in blocks of less than 1000 ha. It also has strong nest site
preferences, with nest cavities located high up in very large (average height
of 37m) deciduous trees. Therefore, local population densities might be
strongly influenced by the availability of suitable, safe nesting sites.
The researchers studied nest site selection and nesting success of the
cockatoo throughout the breeding season in Manupeu-Tanadaru National
Park, Sumba. Within a 6 km2 study area, which supported c. 60 birds,
the cockatoos prospected new cavities and others historically used by
C. sulphurea and in one case by Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus. The
cockatoos showed disproportionate interest in cavities in trees containing
In 2001 and 2002, the Loro Parque
Fundación, together with the Wildlife
Conservation Society, supported research in
Sumba, Indonesia on the factors influencing
nest site occupancy and reproductive output
in the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested
(Citron -crested) Cockatoo (Cacatua
sulphurea citrinocristata). The researchers,
Jonathan Walker, Alexis Cahill and Dr
Stuart Marsden of Manchester Metropolitan
University, UK have recently published their
important findings about this species (Bird
Conservation International, January, 2006).
This cockatoo has suffered catastrophic
population declines across its range in
Indonesia and Timor Leste. Unsustainable
exploitation for trade, habitat loss,
fragmentation and degradation are all
thought to have contributed to its decline.
The Yellow-crested Cockatoo was fully
protected under Indonesian law in 1997
although illegal capture continues. Forest
Map of Sumba showing
remaining forest cover,
location of four study sites,
and the study area (dark
grey) at Manupeu.
other active nests, and cavities already occupied by parrots or owls. Actual nesting attempts
were made at only eight cavities, and a single chick fledged. Interspecific interactions were
observed at every one of these nests. Breeding activity was negatively correlated with
monthly rainfall, which was the heaviest for at least ten years, and it is possible that adverse
weather conditions disrupted cockatoo nesting during this breeding year. Whether this is the
case or not, this study shows how low the reproductive output can be in this species. The
researchers suggest that the level of recruitment in the Manupeu study site was insufficient to
maintain the local population given natural mortality and potential illegal capture. Evidently
this has serious implications for survival of the population on Sumba.
Table. Interactions at potential cockatoo nesting attempts.
Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus roratus
22
Cockatoos as
occupant
No.
No. of
interactions
nests
22
4
Cockatoos as
competitor
No.
No. of
interactions
nests
19
2
All interactions at
cockatoo nest sites
No.
No. of
interactions
nests
41
6
Great-billed Parrot
Tanygnathus megalorynchos
8
2
0
0
8
2
Sumba Hornbill
Aceros everetti
0
0
6
1
6
1
Common Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
3
2
2
1
5
2
Short-tailed Starling
Aplonis minor
6
3
3
1
9
4
Nº 80 - March 2006
Sponsors and donors of
Loro Parque Fundación
Loro Parque is the Foundation’s
principal sponsor. Therefore, the
financial support provided by our
sponsors, members and donors can be
dedicated 100% to the wide range of
wildlife and biodiversity conservation
activities of Loro Parque Fundación.
Over 30.000€
Over 5.000€
Up to 5.000€
Reynold’s Polymer, Haribo, Vogelfreunde Achern, Cash and Carry, Emerencio e Hijos, Georg
Fischer, Moeller Electric, Cita, Hagen Avicultural Research Institute, Pakara, Rohersa, Kanarien- u.
Exotenzuchtverein Forchheim 1963, Cavas Catalanas, Celgan, Dialte, Procalor, Frutas Cruz Santa, Fontasol, Aguas
del Valle de la Orotava, Cumba S.L., Ferretería San Isidro, Alimentación y Distribuciones Sálamo, S.L.
BANIF, Müller Bauservice, Solveig Mittelhauser-Brown, Elfriede y Siegfried Heck, Martin Guth, Papageienfreunde Nord e.V., Vogelfreunde Osnabrück e.V., York Area Parrot Society.
We want to thank all our sponsors,
donors and other supporters
Nº 80 - March 2006
23
24
Nº 80 - March 2006

Cyanopsitta Magazine.. - Loro Parque Fundación

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