Blue-fronted Amazon Project

Category: Support | Date: Oct 18 2007 | By: admin

Since 1997 the Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot Project has the fundamental support of the owners’ farm, at South Pantanal – Brazil, for all the field actions, scientific research and environmental education. The first farm to give us support was Refúgio Ecológico Caiman (www.caiman.com.br), and 10 years have past of continuous research in this area, with several data available. We can always count with the special attention and support of Dr. Roberto Klabin e his team.

Vandir, Jackson and Salgadinho at Refúgio Ecológico Caiman’s entrance.

Here Glaucia is presenting the Project for Dr. Klabin and his guests.

On 2002, we began activities at Refúgio da Ilha Ecologia (www.refugiodailha.com.br) and at Fazenda San Francisco Agroecoturismo (www.fazendasanfrancisco.tur.br). Mr. Jairo e Mrs. Ivone (Refugio da Ilha Ecologia) and Mr. Roberto e Mrs. Beth (Fazenda San Francisco Agroecoturismo) have always been prompt to help us.

Mrs. Ivone, Mr. Jairo and Glaucia, at Refugio da Ilha Ecologia.

Glaucia, Luca and Beth Coelho at Fazenda San Francisco Agroecoturismo.

On 2004 we began activities at the Farms Novo Horizonte and Santo Antonio with the special help of Mr. Luciano Cury (Farm Novo Horizonte) and Mr. João Maria’s family (Farm Santo Antonio).

Glaucia at Santo Antonio Farm.

Regardless how long each farm has been supporting us, is important to highlight that their owners are aware of the importance to generate scientific knowledge that can contribute for Pantanal’s flora and fauna conservation.
Without their support it would not be able for us to carry trough our long term work with the parrots at Pantanal!

Thank you all!

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Category: Nestlings | Date: Oct 18 2007 | By: admin

Until October 19th, Glaucia, Vandir and the externs Veronica and Andrea, will be monitoring the growth of Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot nestlings using biometry and checking the development stage. All the eggs have already hatched out and the litters vary from 1 to 3 baby parrots. Most of them have started the feathering. The adults’ behavior taking care of the nestlings is monitored by camera trap installed by Vandir at the nest entrance. Besides that, the nestlings are marked with a ring and samples for research are collected.

This is Vandir installing the camera trap.

Two nestlings

Two nestlings from the same nest.

Here Glaucia and Vandir are collecting samples for a research.

Monitoring a nest.

Glaucia and Veronica are doing the biometry in the nestling.

The nestling receives an identification ring.

Take a look at the feathering baby!

This one has 3 baby parrots!

This is a couple checking its nest.

The researches that are going on are: genetic study - Dr. Renato Caparroz/UCB; entomofauna study - Dr. Gustavo Graciolli/UFMS; Chlamydophila research - Dr. Tania Raso/USP; herpesvirus research of - Mariangela da Costa Allgayer/ULBRA; Escherichia coli research - Master student Andre B. S. Saindenberg/USP; and the intestinal microbiota research - Master student Luciana Allegretti.
We are glad with all these research going on with our project!
The field trip is not finished yet!! We will be back soon with more pics! ?

2 responses so far

Category: Nestlings, Pantanal | Date: Oct 07 2007 | By: admin

Glaucia and Vandir are in the south of Pantanal, investigating a little more about the reproductive biology of the Blue Fronted Parrot. The reproductive season initiates in July, when the couples begin to look for cavities that work as nests; the posture and egg incubation starts in August; the hatching occurs in September, and the nestlings leave their nests in November.
During this period, the Project team stays 15 days per month in the field, monitoring the nestlings with a camera inside the nest, registering their hatch and doing their biometry.

We will come back soon from this field trip with more new and pictures!!

Nest of Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot.

These are cute baby parrots!

This is the extern Veronica, monitoring a nest with a video camera.

Here Glaucia is doing biometry in one nestling.

Glaucia and Vandir monitoring a nest.

Glaucia is monitoring a nest where and adult Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot was predated.

An adult Parrot checking if this cavity would be a good nest!

This couple have found a cavity to initiate their posture.

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Category: Education, Nestlings, Pantanal | Date: Oct 06 2007 | By: admin

These are some of the 186 nestlings arrested by the environmental inspection, in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. They were caught from their nests just after hatching by illegal animal dealers, without any criteria. After that, they would be illegally sold for other countries. Here in Brazil, is crime to capture a wild animal from its natural environment. Now these nestlings are at the Wild Animals Rehabilitation Center (CRAS – Centro de Reabilitacao de Animais Silvestres), linked with the State Government.

Captured nestlings with less than a week old.

Here the captured nestlings are 2 weeks old.

They receive all the necessary care from specialists, until they became fully feathered and eat by themselves. Their final destination depends on which condition they will reach the adulthood, and will be defined by the CRAS staff. Usually they do not come back to the nature after being hand-raising and hand-feeding, and we almost never discover from where they were caught.

The nestlings receive an identification ring.

The nestlings receiving the ring.

The keeper Genivaldo is responsible for preparing food for the nestlings.

The Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot Project is very worried, because this illegal capture occurs every single year. In our region more then 4500 nestlings have been captured from their natural environment, and we know that the real number is twice to three times higher. Many nestlings do not resist and die and others are not arrested. We estimate that for each 10 parrots caught from the wild, only one arrives to its final buyer. This capture without criteria can bring the specie to risk of extinction. For this reason the Project intends to intensify the environmental education activities for the next year, and try to aware people of the environmental damage due the illegal capture of the parrots.

Here Glaucia is giving a lecture about the Project.

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Category: Partners, Support | Date: Oct 02 2007 | By: admin

Long-term projects like the Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot Project are only possible with the participation of several people, professionals on the area or not. Since 1997, tens of professionals and students have collaborated with the Project. Some were working on the Project for several years, like the biologist Alessandra Firmino (5 years) and other for a few months. Some were extern students that collaborated directly on the field activities, and other collaborators have done their research based on the Project. Some became “godmother of the Project”, like the biologist Neiva Guedes, coordinator of the Hyacinth Macaw Project; and the veterinarian Anna Croukamp from “Parque das Aves Foz Tropicana” who do not measure efforts to help the Project, with incentive and different features. Other came for a brief visit and became “friends of the Project”, like the writer Susan McGrath and the veterinarian Taiana Costa, who helped with work in their areas.

Vandir and the veterinarian Anna Croukamp, from Parque das Aves Foz Tropicana, “godmother” of the Project. Anna incentivates and helps the Project since its very beginning, on 1997.

Vandir and Ragusa, from UFMS - Glaucia’s PhD Advisor

Vandir and the architect Joao - collaborate with geoprocessing for 3 years

Veterinarian Tania Raso - collaborate with the sanitary issues of the Project for 5 years

Glaucia and the boat driver Marcio - 3 years with the project

Glaucia and the journalist Susan McGrath, collaborated with equiment and journalistic services

Biologist Alessandra Firmino - 5 years with the Project

Biologist Carol - 1 year with the Project

Biologist Marja - 1 year with the Project

Biologist Enazia - 6 months with the Project

Vandir and the extern veterinary medicine student Andrea - 2 months with the Project

Extern biology student Andre - 3 months with the Project

Vandir and the extern biology student Veronica - 5 months

Glaucia and Jackson - 1 month with the Project

Extern zootechny student - 5 months with the Project

Vandir and the extern biology student Lelis - 3 months with the Project

No matter how long they were in the field or how do they collaborate, the most important is that all of them have something in common: they are in love with nature conservation, parrots and Pantanal – Brazil.

THANK YOU ALL!

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