Abstract
Loro Parque Fundacion
The prominent news of this month is the birth of four Lear's Macaws (Anodorhynchus leari). Both couples again proceeded to breed and hence, two nestlings of each couple have hatched. As we had lain out the eggs to adoptive parents, two Lear's Macaws are now being raised, optimally provided for, by a couple of Greenwinged Macaws (Ara chloroptera), while the other two are raised by a couple of Blue and Gold Macaws (Ara ararauna). Therefore, the number of Lear's Macaws kept by the Loro Parque has risen to 15 animals.
This year, we accomplished a very nice successful breeding, namely of two young Yellow-lored Amazons (Amazona xantholora) and two Maraj6 Yellow-headed Amazons (Amazona ochrocephala xantholaema ). Both are seldom-kept parrot species in Europe, and therefore, every single nestling is crucial for the promotion of self-perpetuating breed.
Our Timneh Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus timneh) proved to be extraordinary productive this year. Each of the eight mature couples kept by the Loro Parque Foundation meanwhile proceeded to breed and are currently raising their nestlings or already incubating their second hatch.
After five years without breeding success, a young Short-tailed Parrot ( Graydidascalus brachyurus) is being reared in its parents' nest this year. It is worth noting that the breeding male had already gained breeding experience and has been living at Loro Parque Foundation since 1996. The female was foster-reared for three weeks in the nest of Red-shouldered Macaws (Diosittaca nobilis) before being hand-reared in the Baby Station of Loro Parque until she had gained independence. Now five years old, this female has laid four eggs, of which only one was fertile. We left the eggs in the nest, and the rearing of the resulting chick is going so well that it has already been ringed. This is a very important breeding success for this seldom kept parrot species in Europe, as only a few are reared by some breeders. Everything should be tried to induce them to breed so as to have a self-perpetuating breeding population. Precisely for this reason the pair had been moved to a larger aviary with more opportunities for breeding this spring, because they had not made any breeding attempts in their previous aviary. The pair now lives together with a pair of Pileated Parrots (Pionopsitta pileata) in the aviary measuring 2 m high, 4 m long and 1.5 m wide. Until now no aggression has occurred between the two parrot species. Thus, the redeployment can be considered successful, and we hope more breeding successes will follow during the coming years.
Now, parrots can even be found in the aquarium of the Loro Parque. Since recently, four Crimson-bellied Conures (Pyrrhura perlata perlata) are living in the jungle-like area, which represents a section of the South-American river landscape, at the entry of the aquarium. Hence, they complete the exposed South American world of birds, which is represented by a couple of Toco Toucans (Ramphastos toco), four Tanagers (Thraupis episcopus) and four Red-shouldered Ducks ( Callonetta leucophrys). From the visitor area, all birds can optimally be observed, without any bars. It is very interesting, for instance, to watch the agile toucans fly above the water, or the Crimson-bellied Conures who sit on a palm-tree and clean each other's plumage.
Each year, the Loro Parque Foundation breeds up to 1,500 young parrots of an extraordinary large diversity of species. Therefore, the foundation disposes of a unique genetic reserve of different species of parrots.
Since the ban on imports of parrots captured in the wilderness, the gene pool constituted by some 4,000 parrots of 350 different species guided by the Loro Parque Foundation is becoming more and more important for the preservation of species which are kept by humans. For this reason, the Loro Parque Foundation is looking for cooperation partners in all countries, in order to directly pass on bred parrots to responsible breeders, who can also continue to breed on their own on a long term.
Without exception, all revenues acquired by the sale of birds are directly transferred to the foundation and therefore benefit the different preservation projects for threatened parrot species in the whole world (for more information, see www.loroparque-fundacion.org). Likewise, alone this year, for instance, the Loro Parque Foundation is able to support worldwide preservation projects with 850.000€. Therefore, it offers especially now a primary opportunity for responsible parrot breeders to buy parrots from the Loro Parque Foundation and with that directly help threatened parrots in the open land.
For more information, please contact papageien@loroparque-fundacion.org
- Dr. Matthias Reinschmidt, Curator, Loro Parque Fundacion, Tenerife