Hyacinth macaw

Native to Brazil, Hyacinth macaws are the worlds’ largest flying parrot. Threatened by habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade, between 4,300-6,500 individuals are estimated to remain in the wild. While conservation action has seen the species downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable, population sizes remain low. Research has suggested connectivity between populations is limited, highlighting the need for further action.

Zoological institutes support hyacinth macaw conservation by creating insurance populations through captive breeding programmes, maintaining a pool of genetic variation that can be used to bolster the wild population if further reintroductions are needed.

RZSS WildGenes is working with Nottingham Trent University, Zoo Zürich, and the EAZA Biobank to assess genetic diversity, relatedness and inbreeding amongst macaws held in European zoos. We are also investigating the geographic origin of captive birds by comparing them to wild hyacinth macaws, providing insights on the benefits these individuals could bring to a breeding-for-release programme.

By supporting PhD student Evangelos Achilleos at Nottingham Trent University, RZSS are also feeding into the development of a “One Plan Approach” to hyacinth macaw conservation. Evangelos is bringing together field conservation practitioners and zoological captive breeding programmes to create a unified conservation approach.