Blue-fronted Amazon Project

Category: Education, Partners | Date: Nov 18 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

On Dec 12th and 13th I had a chance to meet with the artisans, children, and teens from the Instituto Família Legal (http://www.familialegal.org.br/), at Bonito (http://www.portalpublicobonitoms.com.br/), Mato Grosso do Sul, and lecture about the Blue-fronted Amazon Project.

Walkiria, the coordinator of the institute, introduced me to the kids and artisans. ^{Image: Giana Correa.}

Lecture to the artisans - Instituto Família Legal. ^{Image: Giana Correa.}

Lecture to the kids and teens - Instituto Família Legal. ^{Image: Giana Correa.}

This meeting is the result of a partnership established earlier this year, with the coordinator of one of the projects in this institute, the Fibra Viva Project. This project, coordinated by Sinéia Milano, has as objective to generate income to women in need assisted by the Instituto Família Legal, through the manufacturing of items made of reused and recycled materials.These products are sold directly by our team on our lectures/seminars, and also by the Ecoloja, one of our great partners (http://www.ecoloja.art.br/) – some of their products follow a ‘parrot’ trend, check it out!

Large Parrot Bag, and neoprene Shoulder Bag - Fibra Viva Project. ^{Images: Glaucia Seixas} 

Detail on Parrot Bag - Fibra Viva Project.  ^{Image: Glaucia Seixas.}

During the two afternoons that we spend at the Instituto Familía Legal, Lucia and Giana, from the Fundação Neotropica do Brasil (http://www.fundacaoneotropica.org.br/), and I learnt about the importance of this great job done by the institute. The 11 artisans and 30 children/teens showed a strong interest on the issues related to the illegal animal trade and on the activities of the Blue-fronted Amazon Project.We also gave away a T-shirt of our Project to one of the artisans, and gave prizes to the best drawings and sentences made by the kids and teens. We hope this was just the start of a long term relationship. We truly appreciate this opportunity and we congratulate the wonderful job made by Walkiria, Sinéia, the teachers, and the staff of the Instituto Família Legal.

Kids painting and receiving prizes - Instituto Família Legal. ^{Image: Giana Correa.}

Tags: Instituto Família Legal

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Category: Field Work, Pantanal, Partners, Support, Team | Date: Oct 21 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

In July, the Blue-fronted Amazon Project received the professor MSc. Elaine A. Carvalho dos Anjos, actual coordinator of the Biologic Sciences course of the Dom Bosco Catholic University (UCDB) (http://www.bducdb.ucdb.br), at Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. In August 2008, the Neotropica Foundation of Brazil (http://www.fundacaoneotropica.org.br) established a partnership with the UCDB, allowing their students to participate on the Blue-fronted Amazon Project. Since then, the Project has received many UCDB students and volunteers, and in that field trip, Elaine and I created new goals for this promising partnership.

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

Elaine taking notes and watching parrots with Vandir.

In September, the Project received two special guests that, in addition to Joao and Vandir, contributed a lot to our field activities. One of them was the biologist Lucia Maria Monteiro, the project manager of the the Neotropica Foundation of Brazil. Lucia works at the headquarters of the Neotropica Foundation of Brazil, at Bonito, and currently coordinates the Guia ECOnsciente Project, financed by the CITI Foundation. Her 5-day visit to our Project had the goal to increase the exchange of expertise between the different projects of the Neotropica Foundation of Brazil. We believe that this manner we can amplify the nature conservation actions at Mato Grosso do Sul state.

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

Lucia holding a nestling.

^{Image: João Augusto}

^{Image: Beatriz Caminha}

Lucia and the rest of the team, measuring the nestlings and preparing the rapel.

Our second guest was Beatriz Caminha, who has being a great collaborator of our Project. For three days, Beatriz assisted in our field activities, with the monitoring of nests, eggs, and nestlings of Blue-fronted Amazon in Pantanal.

^{Image: Lucia Monteiro}

Beatriz and I measuring a nestling.

^{Image: Lucia Monteiro}

The team monitoring a nest.

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

Vandir and Beatriz  are counting parrots at a roosting site at Aquidauana river.

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

Beatriz and Lucia, watching the parrots.

^{Image: Glaucia Seixas}

Beatriz and João opening the  field gate.

 ^{Image: Lucia Monteiro}

Vandir monitoring a nest,  while Beatriz and I are taking biometry measurements of a nestling.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for their help, pictures, opening fieldgate, annotations, and also for ’sharing in’ mosquitoes and ticks with us! We hope they have enjoyed the experience and that they keep helping the Project, more and more each time! Hope to have you again in the field with us sometime soon!

Hugs,

Glaucia Seixas

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Category: Pantanal, Partners, Support, Team | Date: Jan 02 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

Many days have passed since my last post, and, sadly, many other blue fronted nestlings have arrived at the CRAS (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center/Environmental Institute of Mato Grosso do Sul state)… A total of 788 seized nestlings were brought to the CRAS on 2008. Certainly hundreds of other nestlings died on the action of the smugglers.
But we also had a lot of good news. We have been very busy and active in the field, checking the growth of the blue fronted nestlings, as well as other psittacines species. Many people got involved and helped us with the conservation of this parrot, either by volunteering at the field, or supporting our work (partnerships and material/financial support).

We ended 2008 with the certainty that we still have a lot of work to do for the conservation… However, we also have the conviction that we are not alone, and that more and more people are getting involved with the nature conservation. This manner, we would like to express our deep and sincere thanks to everyone, and wish you all a wonderful 2009!
A huge hug,
Glaucia Seixas and Team

Tags: 2009, Pantanal, Parrot

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Category: Education, Nestlings, Pantanal, Partners | Date: Sep 11 2008 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

During September 2008, we presented our research activities to the guests at the Refúgio Ecológico Caiman (www.caiman.com.br). This activity is called “Mês temático do Projeto Papagaio-verdadeiro” [Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot thematic month] and has as objective to provide the guests a better interactivity with the Project, the environment, and the local culture. After being introduced to the Project by a presentation, the guests of the Refúgio Ecológico Caiman have the opportunity to visit nests of blue-fronted Amazon parrots (with eggs and/or nestlings) and one roosting site. At the first week of this month, the guests had a chance to visit two parrot’s nests with 2 and 4 eggs, and a roosting site, with about 500 parrots!!!  Being able to have this unique experience will certainly approximate the guests with nature conservation, the parrots, and its environment. For us, this is a great opportunity to aware people about the importance of conservation and to divulge the Project.Our sincere thanks to Dr. Roberto Klabin and the Caiman team for this opportunity and great results! :0) 

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Category: Education, Partners, Support, Team | Date: Aug 12 2008 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

On 1993, a group of friends, concerned about the conservation of natural resources, gathered to create a non-governmental organization called Fundacao Netropica do Brasil. During these 15 year of work, Neotropica promoted and practiced nature conservation at Mato Grosso do Sul state through countless projects. There were many challenges, conquests and results (http://www.fundacaoneotropica.org.br/). The Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot Project is among the many ongoing projects. We are glad to be part of this story! Our sincere thanks to the team members, council, partners, collaborators, patrons, and encouragers for the success thus far!!!  

Tags: Education, Partner, Support, Team

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Category: Field Work, Partners, Support | Date: May 30 2008 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

During May, Glaucia, Vandir, and Thayane received Dr. Vivian Ribeiro Baptista-Maria, a biologist and PhD in Applied Ecology from ESALQ/Universidade de São Paulo, accompanied by Daniela Masumoto, a BS in Tourism. During the field trip, Dr. Vivian helped us to identify the plant species consumed by the parrots or used as nest cavity. Dr. Vivian is consultant of Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil and is responsible for the environmental consulting Bíon – Consultoria Ambiental (vrbmaria@gmail.com). Two days (and nights!) of hard work, rain, sun, mosquitoes, and ticks. Dr. Vivian’s voluntary collaboration was fundamental for this part of the project, when the data of 11 years of project are being analyzed for results compilation and publishing.Vivian and Daniela identifying plant species.Vandir, Glaucia and Vivian checking the trees.Vivian checking the books.We deeply appreciate her collaboration, as well as Daniela’s help on the field work. We are also thankful to the superintendent of Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil, Eleri Rafael Muniz Paulino, who supported the trip by making funds for gas and a vehicle available.Some more pictures of this field trip for you!Vivian and the ticks! :0)Vivian and Glaucia at riparian forest.Vandir and Daniela in a haze.Glaucia, Daniela, Vivian, and Vandir in the riparian forest.The guides at Estancia Caiman taking a look at out work.Vandir and Vivian appreciating the trees.Vandir, Vivian, Daniela, and Thayane.Vivian and Daniela registering the data.Vivian and Glaucia double checking the data.  Vivian in her way to the sampling spots at riparian forest of Aquidauana river. :0)

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Category: Partners | Date: Apr 28 2008 | By: admin

During February and March, the field activities of the Project were done under the financial support of Parrots International. The funds were donated trough the representatives Mark e Marie Stafford. I presented them the Project, after the invitation of Dr. Neiva Guedes, when they were visiting the Hyacinth Macaw Project in Pantanal. The financial support from Parrots International during these months was essential and we really appreciate their contribution!!
Other important moment for the Project during the past days was the signature of a technical cooperation contract between the Blue-Fronted Amazon Parrot Project (via Fundação Neotropica do Brasil) and the Instituto de Meio Ambiente de Mato Grosso do Sul (IMASUL). This cooperation will facilitate data, equipment, and personnel exchange between us and will strengthen the Project. We would like to thanks Dr. Francisca Fernandes, the manager of the Fauna e Pesca/IMASUL, Dr. Vinicius Lopes, and all the team at CRAS (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center) for their cooperation and support for the parrots’ conservation.
We are very grateful and would like to thanks Emerentiane and anonymous person for their donations to the Project !!!

Thayane (top) and Veronica (bottom) in a field trip in February.

The beginning of the partnership with CRAS.

Tags: Pantanal, Parrot, Partners, Support

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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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