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The Newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación

Nº90- SEPTEMBER 2008

Humphrey the seal back to

the sea

Reintroduced Rimatara Lories breed Philippine

Cockatoos x 10

Fabulous calendar for 2009

The Newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación Saving wildlife and habitats

The pages of this edition of our magazine will reveal to you the advances and successes that the Loro Parque Fundación is making in its projects for the conservation of some of the world’s most threatened parrots. Naturally, these successes also mean the better protection of important habitats, and the other animals and plants that share these wild spaces. These successes also reflect the professional way in which we use the contributions we receive from all our supporters. We use your support in the most efficient way possible, but there is no doubt that we cannot achieve our objectives without your help, and for this I am constantly grateful. One example of the generosity of our supporters refers to the funds we collected from the second Benefit Dinner of the Foundation, held again in June of this year. Once again our friends in Tenerife, and even from much further away, came together to celebrate our achievements, to show us friendship, and to give us encouragement and material support to help nature much more.

Of the guests present at the Benefit Dinner, many of them have been collaborating with us in the creation of Siam Park, the most wonderful water park that you can imagine, that is almost ready to open. The news about it in this magazine gives you a flavour of the unique attractions that the visitor to Siam Park will encounter. Many of the guests at the Benefit Dinner, coming from the different municipalities in Tenerife, will also have the opportunity to experience something else unique coming from the Loro Parque Fundación. These will be the orca sculptures, decorated by famous artists and erected in public places to remind people, in a most colourful and intriguing way, of the need to keep the oceans clean, healthy and not over-fished.

This is what we expect for Humphrey, the grey seal rescued on the coast of Morocco and recuperated in the installations of Loro Parque until his recent transfer and release into the Bay of Biscay. This return to the sea for Humphrey has generated a great deal of public interest, and shows that people have good feeling about animals returning to their natural homes. The Loro Parque Fundación is proud to be a part of this, but also knows that it must continue its vital work to make sure that in the future these animals will still have their natural homes. I thank you again for helping us to achieve this goal.

Index

Message from the Founder………………2Reintroduction of the Kura………………3News: Loro Parque / Siam Park………….6News: Loro Parque Fundación…..……….8Annual Report 2007News of the parrot collection……………11Update: Blue-throated Macaw, Bolivia….14Update: Project Pyrrhura, Colombia……15Update: Philippine Cockatoo……………17LPF Calendar 2009……………………..18

Cover photo: Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia). Peter Widmann

Editorial Office:Loro Parque S.A.38400 Puerto de la CruzTenerife, Islas Canarias. EspañaTel.: + 34 922 374 081 - Fax: + 34 922 373 110E-mail: [email protected]@loroparque-fundacion.org

Editorial Consultant:Rosemary Low

Editorial Committee:Javier Almunia, Nicole Hategan, Avelia González, Wolfgang Kiessling, Matthias Reinschmidt, David Waugh and Rafael Zamora.

Visit our websites:www.loroparque-fundacion.orgwww.loroparque.com

Membership:Become a member of Loro Parque Fundación to support us in our activities. You will then re-ceive our trimestral newsletter Cyanopsitta, as well as a supporter’s card permitting free en-try to Loro Parque 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€Life member..................................1500,00€

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 CruzAccount:.......... 0182 5310 61 001635615-8IBAN:.......ES85 0182 5310 61 0016356158BIC:....................................... BBVAESMM

Depósito legal: TF-1643/2003

Nº. 90-September-2008 Message from the Founder

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IUCNThe World Conservation Union

Reintroduction of the KuraLast year the LPF supported the translocation of 27 Rimatara or Kuhl’s Lories (Vini kuhlii), locally known as Kura, from the island of Rimatara in French Polynesia to Atiu, one of the Cook Islands (see Cyanopsitta June 2007). The translocation was done by the relevant authorities of the islands and the San Diego Zoo. Thirteen months later Rosemary Low visited Atiu to see them, and was closely followed by San Diego Zoo and Cook Islands’ biologists making a systematic evaluation of the current situation of the birds. This is a report on what they found.

The lories were reintroduced to Atiu as an insurance against their extinction by establishing a population on an island free of Black or Ship rats (Rattus rattus). This little species of lory is extremely vulnerable, but also one of the most beautiful birds in existence. The story started in 1980 when concerned authorities in Polynesia asked San Diego Zoo to monitor populations of rare Vini lories. This resulted in the translocation of the exquisite Ultramarine Lory (V.ultramarina) to another island in the Marquesas group – one that was then rat-free.

The next Vini species of conservation concern was Kuhl’s Lory found naturally only on the island of Rimatara in French Polynesia. It was introduced to two of the Northern Line Islands (Kiribati), 3,000km away, probably in prehistoric times, but its status there is currently uncertain. Rimatara is tiny, only 9 sq km (3.5 square miles) in extent, whereas Atiu extends over 29 sq km. Surprisingly Atiu has remained free

of the Black rat that has caused the extinction of small lories on numerous Pacific islands. If rats ever reach Rimatara, the lory population there would be wiped out in a very short time. In 1992 Gerald McCormack, Director of the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust (CINHT), and Judith Kunzle, made the first lory population estimate on Rimatara and concluded that there were about 900 individuals. They mainly inhabited the agricultural zone of the island which is dominated by introduced trees and shrubs.

In the same year Gerald McCormack started the process and continued to play a pivotal role that led to the negotiations along with the Ornithological Society of French Polynesia (MANU). The plan was that this lory should be reintroduced to islands free of Black rats within its former range in the southern Cook Islands. By 1994 it was known that only two islands were rat-free: Atiu and Aitutaki. The latter island is home to an introduced population of the Tahiti Blue Lory (Vini peruviana) so that was eliminated on the grounds of competition, leaving only Atiu. Fortunately, the topography and vegetation on Atiu and Rimatara are similar, both with central volcanic hills surrounded by forested fossilised limestone reef known as makatea.

Another population estimate occurred in 2000 when the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) sponsored an expedition to Rimatara. The lory’s population was then estimated at 750 birds, and extensive trapping showed an abundance of Pacific rats but an absence of Black rats.

An adult Kura or Rimatara Lory. Rosemary Low


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The Queen of Atiu was a member of the expedition, from which there was an important development. The people of Rimatara agreed to the CINHT suggestion to provide 20 birds with which to re-establish the lory on her island.

Cultural traditions are very important. A century ago, a former queen of Rimatara had imposed a taboo on trapping or harming the island’s lory. The trapping of lories would break the taboo, thus the negotiations to transfer a few birds to Atiu were delicate. The original offer of 20 birds was renegotiated in January 2007 and a new quota of 27 birds was set.

Another issue was the risk involved in trapping tiny lories and moving them 600km. San Diego Zoo had a vital practical role. As Gerald McCormack told Rosemary Low: “The zoo’s veterinarian, Bruce Rideout, developed and implemented the disease protocol. He was the key to my confidence that we were not going to introduce an avian disease that would destroy the endemic birds of Atiu.” On April 24 2007 almost everyone on this island of 500 people came to greet the arrival of the colourful lories. Many of them were wearing T-shirts depicting the bird (designed by Judith Kunzle from Rarotonga) and they staged a special dance with semaphore movements signalling “Welcome to Kura”. Apparently soon after release four lories flew to Mitiaro, an island of 23 square km not far north of Atiu whose geography is similar. It has a human population of about 200. It is believed that the lories had produced a young one there.

Rosemary’s first sighting of the Kura was not an anti-climax. Not far from where she was staying was a field of pineapples, flanked on one side by a small row of banana plants, and by tall Pacific ironwoods (Casuarina equisetifolia), Caribbean pines (Pinus caribaea) and a mature albizia (Falcataria moluccana), and Indonesian tree. She had been told that this was a good spot, and says

she gasped when a Kura flew above the pineapple field, followed by another one! The colours of the flying birds were so vivid and intense, she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life! Their areas of contrasting, almost psychedelic colour in such bright shades seemed unreal.

The two lories landed in a Pacific ironwood tree about 1m above her head. The male was so bold and inquisitive he came even nearer, twisting his head this way and that for a better view! They took their time and were not nervous and then, with their curiosity assuaged, they flew a short distance away. They had been close enough to touch, but this happened only once for Rosemary. Thereafter she saw the pair high up in the albizia or feeding low down on casuarina cones, or a single bird on a banana flower at dawn, or making its way down the row of banana plants and then flying to the casuarina. On one occasion a single Kura flew in and landed just above her head about 2m height in a Pacific ironwood and started to feed on the little round cones. It fed there for ten minutes with her standing 3m away and ignored the flashes from her camera. She noted that the contact call of this species is a quiet quavering sound reminiscent of a distant mobile phone, and unlike that of the Tahiti Blue Lory, while the little call given in flight is not dissimilar. The lories appear to have dispersed quite widely over the island, according to local reports. On Atiu they feed on Pacific ironwood, albizia, hibiscus, banana and on the flowers of the nono or Indian mulberry (Morinda citrifolia) and of coconut palms.

Clearly, food sources on the island are abundant so, 13/14 months after their reintroduction, are the lories thriving? This is quite difficult to assess. On the 21st of February this year there was great excitement when the first juvenile was seen by three people and photographed by Roger Malcolm. In the photo the grey feet, indicative of a juvenile, are evident. On the 22nd of June came exciting news. An active lorikeet nest was found in an albizia tree, inside a

stub of a branch broken off by cyclone Nancy. The nest is about 9m from the ground. It was reported that the two adult birds visit the nest every hour to half hour during the day, spending two to three minutes inside, and finally two young birds fledged from the nest. Another nest was found in August, and prizes were awarded to local people for finding these nests.

To safeguard the future of the Rimatara Lory on Atiu, a programme has been implemented to increase vigilance at the wharf and around arriving cargo and to watch for certain types of rat-gnawed holes in coconuts. The Rimatara Lory project received funds from the LPF and several other sources, most of which were used for the reintroduction, with the remainder to be used for monitoring, and to ensure that the Black rat does not become established on the island. It would be a tragedy if the reintroduction failed for the same reason that has wiped out lories and other birds on so many Pacific islands. It is a sad fact that this region has seen a higher rate of bird extinction, due to introduced predators, than any other in the world. Over the past 500 years there have been 68 known bird extinctions there and currently 37 species are critically endangered.

In his first annual report, Gerald McCormack includes the following. The sighting of the fledgling in February 2008 and the emergence of two fledglings in August confirms that the reintroduced lorikeets are breeding. The further work on rat-gnawed coconuts provided strong support for the idea that the Ship rat is still absent from Atiu, and a new system of detecting any undiscovered colony has been put in place. At the two observed nest sites, introduced Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) regularly moved into the nest trees and the parents chased them away with only minor conflicts. Two fledglings were observed and one was twice physically attacked by two mynas. The second encounter lead to a prolonged contact conflict between the parents and the mynas, which extended into a less intense conflict with more than 15 mynas. The fledgling survived – partially aided by the presence of observers and the removal of several mynas. The mynas are very numerous and while most harassments are mild, they periodically become involved in serious contact conflict with adult and fledgling lorikeets. It is therefore recommended that the number of mynas be drastically reduced on Atiu to give the few pairs of lorikeets a head-start in establishing a more robust population.

Adapted with thanks from an article by Rosemary Low (who thanks Roger Malcolm, George Mateariki and Gerald McCormack for information provided), report from Gerald McCormack, and additional notes from Alan Lieberman of the San Diego Zoo.

The introduced Common Mynah competes for resources

Flowers of the Albizia tree where a nest was found.Prize-giving ceremony for the finder of a Kura nest. Gerald McCormack

Typical holes made in coconuts by Pacific rat (below) and Black rat (above).

Gerald McCormack

Pair of Kura with the young leaving the nest. Gerald McCormack

Ancient headdresses made with Kura feathers. Courtesy Rosemary Low


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Siam Park is currently undergoing its final technical adjustments including safety checks and water flow studies for maximum amount of fun and safety for everyone. As the company is renowned for its high standards, the best quality can be assured and every detail has been taken care of. Materials and machinery have been brought in from all over the world including Thailand, Ireland, Canada, China, Vietnam and Sweden and used in the building works, making this a very complex project where production periods have had to be extended.

The dream has been realised and we are in the final stages before the grand opening. With great care and attention, the vegetation has continued to grow to achieve the camouflage of the structures on the attractions adding mystery to a whole range of surprises. Our art team are putting the final touches to the park, as in the big elephant which brings in good luck and represents harmony between Mankind and the Universe. This elephant also represents prosperity and was one of the reasons for the Burmese and Siamese war in XV century which fought to conquer the land where the white elephant lived. The artist Paolo Bonanno, created this

Siam Park is getting ready for the opening

Siam Park is getting ready to open in 2008 and currently we are working on the final phases of decoration and technical trials. The park offers brand new and innovative attractions as well as the classical water rides that all have a special Siam touch. The Jungle Snake is one of the rides that’s ready for everyone to enjoy. This attraction twists and turns in a jungle setting and can be enjoyed by the whole family. It can be ridden in individual or double tubes and as you plunge down on a thin film of water you slide through an amazing adventure. Each of the slides inside the Jungle Snake offers a different ride through open air sections with great views and other sections that are enclosed and in total darkness. The slide is designed to look like entwined snakes that are hidden amongst the lush greenery so that riders are not sure where the journey will take them and this really adds to the sense of mystery and adventure they will experience. A key part of the design is to make sure that the attraction harmonizes with the setting and so the slides are set on a slope covered with plants, bushes and

Siam Park received on 21st August the first Koi carp from Loro Parque, 160 at the moment, that will live in the 1,000 cubic metres of water in the Floating Market. Known as common carp, (Cyprinus carpio), they are fresh water fish and relatives of the golden carp. They have been transported in special tanks accompanied by a biologist who took care

In July Loro Parque received a visit from the popular Colombian singer Juanes, who enjoyed a great family and fun day after his successful concert in the island. Juanes visited our installations with his daughters and wife, and saw the Orca Show, which was for him and his family one of the most impressive shows they have ever seen. They took photos and said hello to the keepers of the Orcas.

LP-SP NEWS

5m tall elephant which will greet visitors at the entrance giving the impression of an oriental setting in the most spectacular theme park with water attractions in Europe. More information please visit www.siampark.net.

Jungle Snake, adventure in the Siam Park jungletrees that camouflage the structure underneath. The height requirement is 1.25m and will be loved by all ages. It will without doubt be an experience they won’t forget.

Siam Park´s first inhabitants arrived at the parkof placing the fish in their new home in a process that took 5 hours. He will later follow up to make sure the fish have settled into the new surroundings. Their diet is mostly aquatic plants and they can reach up to 1.2m long and 40kg in weight, although the average is generally 60-90 cm long and around 9 kg. The Koi carp are thought to bring good

luck and they can live to be up to 50 years old. All the buildings of the Floating Market were designed by professor Ruetai and they really are authentic as the materials have been shipped over from Thailand. The houses come from an area about an hour and a half outside of Bangkok called Ayutaya and along with them also came carpenters who worked on the materials using all of their local skills and knowledge to make the village as it is today, with all of the details crafted by hand. The Floating Market of Siam Park is the biggest representation of Siamese architecture outside of Asia and it houses the changing rooms, lockers and coffee bar, transporting its visitors to far away lands.

Juanes visits Loro Parque and enjoys the Orcas

Loro Parque celebrated on the 4th of July the tenth birthday of Alladin, one of the two gorillas coming from the Israeli zoo Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan, that for three years has been incorporated into the group of western lowland gorillas living in Loro Parque. To celebrate this day, the veterinarians and keepers of these mammals honoured the primate with his favorite dish of fruits and vegetables such celery, broccoli, carrots, and green and red peppers were prepared in the form of a cake. This treat was made according to the activities that the specialists carry out to enrich the development of the gorillas.

Alladín and Leon, who savored the cake with curiosity, arrived in Loro Parque in September of 2005 and their introduction to the group of five male gorillas has been made gradually and successful. This experience forms part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), through which breeding programmes between European zoos are guaranteed, with the aim of maintaining a reserve of high genetic variability, for the conservation of the species. This program organizes and coordinates the animal transfers between different institutions with the purpose of to create social and reproductive groups, recreating the social structures that occur in the wild.

Western lowland gorillas normally in live communities comprising an adult male, some females and their young. When the male young of a certain group reach sexual maturity, generally, they must leave the group or face the leader of this clan, the “silver-back”. During this period several young males are often united temporarily with other males in a similar situation, until each has the opportunity to create its own group.

Until recently, the surplus of male gorillas male derived from captive breeding had generated a problem for the zoos of the world. For that reason in 1992, Loro Parque decided to try to contribute a solution to this situation, and created a group of bachelor gorilas, adopting the same social strategy that this species uses in the wild.

Currently it is estimated that due to the loss of their habitat and illegal hunting, of the 100,000 western lowland gorillas in the world in 1990’s, less than half are left, and thus this is a species in serious danger of extinction.

Loro Parque celebrates the 10th birthday of Alladin the gorilla

First came the Koi Carp, and then the Sea-lions.

The cake team!

¡Mmmmm!

LP-SP NEWS


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The Loro Parque Fundación prepared everything for the expedition to release the grey seal back into the sea on the 5th of September. Last January the animal was accommodated in the quarantine facilities of Loro Parque, after he stranded on the coast of Casablanca. The liberation of this animal, baptised Humphrey, took place on the coast of Bilbao, where it was released seaward with a satellite system transmitter funded by Cepsa and tour operator TUI. The above-mentioned satellite system is used to follow the seal, and furthermore to assess his vital signs.

During nine months spent in the quarantine station in Loro Parque, which is specialised for marine mammals, our team of experts and professionals were preparing the seal for life back in the wild. They gave him live fish to eat so that the hunting instinct could be stimulated. The airline Air Europa was also associated with the project, providing space in their plane for transporting the seal to the rehabilitation center Wildnis in the Basque Country.

Humphrey appeared about 7000 km away from his home where normally grey seals live. When members of the National Moroccan Research Institute found him he was in poor condition, leading them to rescue him and to get in touch with the environment section of the government of Gran Canaria to recuperate Humphrey. On the very same day the Gran Canaria government got in touch with Loro Parque so that it could immediately accommodate the seal and start the process of recuperation. This process presented an important challenge for the veterinarians, given the poor state of health of the seal.

Humphrey is a young male that normally lives in the North of Europe and in the South of England. That he was stranded so far away on the coast of Morocco, probably carried by an ocean current, relates directly to his fragile health when found. He weighed only 13 kilos, had hardly any fat and had a big wound on his neck which healed with much love and care. Nine months later he weighed 65 kilos and was prepared for his return back to the sea. Now it is time that Humphrey plays his role in nature.

Loro Parque Fundación staff are providing samples of material from the jaguars (Panthera onca) kept at Loro Parque, as part of a conservation project for this species. The project, entitled “Selection of habitat, genetics and population size of jaguars in fragmented and continuous environments in Brazil and Mexico, respectively centre and limit of its area of distribution”, is being conducted by

Loro Parque Fundación celebrated on Friday 20th of June, for the second consecutive year, its Grand Benefit Dinner in the Hotel Botanico. This celebration, that took place in the gardens of the luxury hotel, was blessed with the attendance of more than 600 people, including industralists, professionals and diverse personalities of Tenerife society that, as last year, took on the objective to unite funds for the different projects of conservation and environmental education that the Foundation carries out in many countries of the world.

On this occasion, the celebrated Argentine pianist, Luis Ascot, offered an exclusive classical concert for the dinner participants. Ascot is acclaimed world-wide for his interpretation of concert Nº1 for piano and orchestra of Alberto Ginastera. He has trained in Argentina, Brazil and Switzerland, where he has gained numerous recognitions and international prizes. His powerful rhythm and audacious articulation in expressing asymmetric melodies have won over the specialized international critics, who catalogue him as an extraordinary interpreter among the pianists of his generation.

Besides the classical concert, the popular singer Chago Melían, together with various outstanding artists of music and dance, kept the night alive with their acts, which were followed by a great tombola of important gifts, among them a Ford car courtesy of Archiauto, that was won by Mrs. Andrea Zipperi, member of the Punta Brava Animal Refuge. Also, Mrs. Leonor Alvarez was the winner of a jewel from Vasari. All participants enjoyed an exclusive menu consisting of ox consomme with truffles, foie with gelée of moscatel, fan of royal duck magré, lemon sorbet with gin, hake in coconut milk and tiramisú.

Thanks to the important contribution of the guests, Loro Parque Fundación has managed to collect 52.544€, allowing it to continue many projects to avoid the extinction of species like, for example, the threatened Blue-throated Macaw in Bolivia; the construction of a new breeding centre for the world’s most threatened parrot, the Spix’s Macaw, and important activities of environmental education in the Canary Archipelago.

After his recuperation in Loro Parque Humphrey the seal is returned home

LPF /LP collaborate in genetics and conservation project for jaguars

the Doñana Biological Station of the Higher Council for Scientific Research, Ministry of Education and Science of Spain. The principal investigator, Dr Francisco Palomares is undertaking analysis of genetic material in samples of blood and faeces of jaguars from sites in the natural habitat, and for comparison LPF is contributing samples of blood and faeces from the Loro Parque jaguars.

More than 600 people attend the Grand Benefit Dinner for Loro Parque Fundación

In the area of the Loro Show in Loro Parque, a new sales outlet of the Loro Parque Fundación has been created in the style of a jungle camp. This shop is now decorated with exuberant vegetation, and certainly promises an eventful shopping. The abundant plants and a terrarium with chameleons give the visitor a feeling of being in an exotic world – the jungle in fact! One end of the shop has a relaxation and information area, with a large screen showing the new DVD of the LPF conservation activities, and there is also a large display of our wonderful new posters. The sales revenue of all products, such as T-shirts, books or even postcards, will be used 100% by the Loro Parque Fundación for the conservation of threatened parrots and their habitats, as well as the marine environment.

Shopping in the jungle!

Humphrey with his satellite transmittor.

Humphrey en route to Bilbao.

The moment before his release.

Mr Kiessling welcomes the participants.

LPF NEWSLPF NEWS

The Newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación

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Loro Parque has started an awareness project about cetaceans, Expo Orcas 2008, in which 10 Canarian artists of recognized national reputation and 8 social groups of the islands jointly participate, with 20 sculptures of diverse designs, materials and aesthetic techniques, soon to be exhibited in various municipalities of the Canary Islands. This exhibition of orca sculpture in real size has the aim to promote awareness in Canarian society with respect to the protection of cetaceans, being linked to the environment and sustainable tourism fiels, and to the culture and citizen participation.

Among the artists participating in the Project, one can highlight Facundo Fierro, Carmen Cólogan, Pepe Dámaso, José Luis Fajardo, Gonzalo González, Emilio Machado, Elena Lecuona, Pedro González and Ildefonso Aguilar. Also, each famous sculptors will treat each sculpture as his own, and take part artistically, later to cede it for public auction that Loro Parque Fundación will organise. In this sense, 100% of the funds that are collected from this action will go in its entirety to projects for conservation of cetaceans within the Macaronesia Initiative, that Loro Parque Fundación have been developing since 2007 with the Ministry of Environment, the Convention of Migratory Species of the United Nations, the Government of the Canary Islands and UNESCO Centre of the Canary Islands.

During first stage 10 of orcas will be made by the artists, who will apply diverse techniques and later exhibit the finished works in different exhibition halls, before they are auctioned. Later, these artists will take on the role of “godfather” of the sculptures, which will be given to the diverse social groups, so that jointly with them they can decorate and make distinctive the orcas, finally to donate them to municipalities and public spaces in the archipelago. Among the groups that participate in this awareness project are: Marichal Sports Club, Lanzarote youth, Young persons and elders groups, as well as the University of the Lagoon, etc.

First of the artists to take part with the first orca sculpture was the painter and sculptor from La Palma, Facundo Fierro, known to for converting his island into an artistic object to evoke atmospheres and environments. Another acclaimed Canarian artist, Carmen Cólogan, has also completed her creation. She has put her mark of rebelliousness and

These flagship species are parrots on land and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) in the oceans. These animals have characteristics, such as interesting behaviours and bright colours, that easily attract the attention of people, making them effective emblems to increase support for environmental protection locally and globally.

Following-on from the previous year, and with continuing careful management of its resources, 2007 was the second year in which the LPF could make available 700,000 euros for activities resulting in the conservation of species and their habitats.

Expo orcas 2008: LPF promotes through culture a project of awareness about cetaceanssensitivity in the sculture „Atrapada“ (Trapped), with her famous spikelets. This well-known painter at national level distinguishes herself by her clean and refined technique, and on this occasion has gone for an ultramodern and postmodern design for her sculpture, using spikes to symbolise the cruelty being imposed on nature.

This book, in English, is a compilation of 64 of the best real-life stories about parrots that Pauline has collected, while working as a freelance writer for the bird press in the UK and Australia for the last 15 years. Pauline is passionate about parrots and explains “Parrots are complex, intelligent and awe-inspiring creatures and what they are capable of will never cease to astonish me. As regular readers of Cyanopsitta know, parrots have strong, individual characters and remarkable intuition and resourcefulness that often goes far beyond our comprehension. In her book, Pauline explains some of the things that other people’s parrots have done, or the incredible things that have happened to them.

Pauline James`s True Parrot StoriesConservation projects worldwideIn 2007, the LPF conducted 20 in situ projects for the management and conservation of wild populations of threatened parrots. The activities of these field projects included applied research, measures to protect and restore the parrots and their habitats, and the participation of local communities in environmental education and sustainable development.

The Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), extinct in the wild since 2000, must be recovered by breeding the small population in captivity, for eventual release of birds to the wild. Meanwhile, sufficient habitat in north-east Brazil must be maintained, and LPF has continued to sustain the commitment of local people

Facundo Fierro in creative mode.

Completed orca of Facundo Fierro.

The orca of Carmen Cólogan.

LPF NEWS

Loro Parque Fundación Annual Report 2007

New breeding centre for the Spix’s MacawGrowing populations of the world’s rarest parrot species

Innovations with information technology for educationYear of the Dolphin: LPF co-organises international conference

The Loro Parque Fundación (LPF), with headquarters in Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain, operates internationally to conserve threatened species and their habitats, through education, applied research, responsible breeding programmes, and community-based conservation activities that use these species as ambassadors for nature.

to realize this dream, funding in 2007 the second restoration in the city of Curaçá the Raul Coelho theatre, which also functions as an environmental centre. Of the projects for threatened parrots in Colombia, in partnership with Fundación ProAves, a highlight was the most ever fledged juveniles of the critically endangered Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis). 60 nests produced 132 juveniles, raising the global population to a minimum of 724 birds. The project also produced 14,155 tree seedlings for re-forestation of neglected land. In the eastern Andes the ProAves team found the Perijá Parakeet (Pyrrhura caeruleiceps), and photographed it for the

first time. Another species experiencing a population increase was the Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) in Bolivia. LPF partner Armonía discovered an unprecedented group of 70 birds on a single ranch, and the population could now be as high as 350 birds. Armonía also continued its investigation of the illegal trade of parrots in Bolivia and, although no Blue-throated macaws were found in trade, large numbers of many other species were recorded, thus requiring continued vigilance.

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Translocations of two parrot species were supported by LPF in 2007. The first, with San Diego Zoo and the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, was to move 27 wild Rimatara Lories (Vini kuhlii) from Rimatara to Atiu Island. This was to create an “insurance” population, should the birds on Rimatara ever be threatened by introduced Black rats (Rattus rattus). All 27 lories were released in good health. The second translocation, part of the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme, moved ten rescued and hand-reared Philippine cockatoos between islands, providing important information for future attempts.

Related to the marine environment, LPF was accepted by the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) as an official partner of the “Year of the Dolphin” 2007 (YoD). LPF developed activities throughout the year to promote the YoD, and in October with CMS co-organised a successful conference, WATCH (Western Atlantic Talks on Cetaceans and Their Habitat), promoted by the Ministry of Environment, the Canary Islands’ Government and UNESCO. The conference was to promote an international agreement for the protection of small cetaceans in the south-east Atlantic Ocean. LPF also organized and sponsored a parallel meeting, the “Macaronesia Initiative”, for scientists and conservationists from the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde to evaluate the importance of the region, with a view to establishing a marine mammal sanctuary.

Management of parrots in captivityThe world’s largest, most diverse parrot collection is owned and managed by the LPF. This unique genetic reserve is maintained in its own breeding centre, being used to improve parrot welfare and conservation. The LPF also uses the parrots for environmental education, through their exhibition in Loro Parque.

The breeding of a fourth Spix’s Macaw chick over less than three years made an excellent start to 2007. This has grown into a healthy young female, and later in the year was transferred with its older siblings to the LPF’s newly constructed, separated breeding centre for Spix’s Macaws. This centre provides optimum conditions for the security and biological needs of this species. The second outstanding breeding was from one of the two pairs of Lear’s Macaws (Anodorhynchus leari) received in November 2006 on deposit from the Brazilian Government. Beginning in March, and no doubt stimulated by fresh palm fruits in the diet, and the rock face nesting-site, this pair produced three healthy youngsters. Another remarkable construction, opened in Loro Parque at the end of the year, was a huge flight aviary for a group of 70 endangered Blue-throated Macaws, all these birds having been bred successfully by the LPF, which also keeps the international studbook. This wonderful exhibition effectively captures to the attention of the visitors to our conservation work. In the year, 1,133 parrot chicks of 162 species and subspecies were leg-ringed.

Research and trainingResearch continued in 2007 with orcas included immunology, bioacoustics with the University of La Laguna, and study of diets using isotopes. Added to these was investigation with the University of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria on the haematology and biochemistry of stranded Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta), in order to improve survival. LPF completed its funding of research on Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease at the University of Leipzig, began funding research on the reproductive potential of captive macaws by correlating behaviour and hormone levels, undertook investigation into thyroid activity in parrots, and contributed genetic material for a parrot phylogeny study by New Mexico State University. In the facilities in Tenerife through the year the LPF coordinated 33 interns gaining longer-term practical experience, and in September received 26 veterinary students on a three-week course from the University of Giessen. The 9th Parrot Workshop especially for breeders also took place in the German language. Regarding support to training elsewhere, LPF financed the training of a Forest Officer from St. Vincent to undertake the master’s degree course in conservation biology at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, UK.

Awareness and educationThroughout the year the LPF conducted with schools activities related to the YoD, in particular using the marine environment

THE LORO PARQUE FUNDACIÓN PEOPLE

to train older students in the study of science. Another major initiative starting in January was the “United for Development” educational project, with the aim to increase awareness of primary students in the Canary Islands and elsewhere about the importance of cooperation for sustainable development. Schools from the seven Canary Islands participated, and an important link was made to schools in Margarita Island, Venezuela, where the LPF collaborates with the Venezuelan NGO Provita for the conservation of the native parrots of that island. In Tenerife, the rescue and release of marine turtles and a Hooded Seal (Cystophora cristata) provided interesting opportunities for the teaching of school groups. To coincide with the Week of the Environment and World Ocean Day, LPF launched its new internet educational tool for schools anywhere in the world to communicate with us and with each other on-line, using a “digital submarine” called Nautilus.

Recognitions and relationsIn June the LPF held its first ever Benefit Dinner, a glittering affair attended by 600 people, including the most noted persons from politics, business and culture. A total of 83,000 euros was raised from this event to direct to conservation activities. During the year various prominent persons visited the LPF breeding centre, including the Councillor and Vice-councillor for Environment of the Canary Islands’ Government, Domingo Berriel Martínez and Milagros Luis Brito. The LPF continued to develop its external relations, not least by publishing 242 articles in 34 journals in 17 countries. It was also represented in various international and national conferences throughout the year, highlighting the 14th Conference of the Parties to CITES in Holland, the American Federation of Aviculture, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and the 1st International Congress on Breeding and Behaviour of Wild Birds in Venezuela.

President Wolfgang Kiessling, General Director, Loro Parque S.A. Honorary Vice-PresidentsDr Wolfgang Grummt - Animal Park Friedrichsfelde, Berlin, GermanyDr Wolf Michael Iwand - Director, Department of Corporate Environmental Management, Tui AG, GermanyDr Jorgen B Thomsen - Senior Vice-President, Conservation International; Executive Director, Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund, USA

Board of Advisors:Dr Tomás de Azcárate y Bang - Head of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Environment, Canary Islands, Spain Dr Susan L Clubb - Avian Veterinarian, Hurricane Aviaries, USA Dr Nigel J Collar- Leventis Fellow in Conservation Biology, Cambridge University, BirdLife International, England

Povl Jorgensen - Aviculturist, Denmark Dr Ian R Swingland - Emeritus Professor Conservation Biology; Founder, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, EnglandRoland Wirth - President and Founder, Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations, Germany

Board of TrusteesWolfgang Kiessling, Brigitte Kiessling, Christoph Kiessling, Isabell Kiessling, Jaime Rodríguez Cíe

StaffDr David Waugh, Director, Inge Feier, Director of External Affairs and Media, Dr Javier Almunia, Deputy Director, Dr Matthias Reinschmidt, Curator of Birds, Rafael Zamora, Asst.Curator, Dr Sara Capelli, Dr Julia Scharpegge, Dr Heinrich Müller, Veterinary Department, Ruth Batista, María Fernández, Education Department, Alice Lorch, Secretary


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June:- Following the rearing of young from our only pair of Chilean Burrowing Parrots (Cyanoliseus p. bloxami), that the parents could not rear themselves, the chicks have since grown up and now can breed. In the spring of this year we put a group of five younger birds, three males and two females, into a communal aviary with four nest-holes. Both females were chicks hand-reared from eggs of the LPF breeding centre, whereas the males came from natural breeding in another bird park two years ago. Now these females have already bred, and there are three young chicks successfully growing up with them to independence.

A break of many years in the breeding of the Lichtensteins Noble Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis cumanensis) is now over. Three young have hatched and are now growing up in the baby station of Loro Parque. The second clutch of our St. Vincent Amazons (Amazona guildingii) was also infertile. To check their ability to rear, one fertile egg of the Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica) was inserted into the clutch. The young chick hatched and till now is being reared by the St. Vincent Amazons without difficulty. The young Lear’s Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari) that we are hand-rearing this year is developing magnificently. On its 41st day it has approached 718g, which means its highest weigh.

Our biologist Rafael Zamora undertook a big search in May for the Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea polatzeki) on Gran Canaria. After the disastrous forest fires last year, the habitat of this endemic specie was completely destroyed. It was not clear if some animals survived at all. Rafael, together with his colleagues were able to find some of the nests of the Blue Chaffinches. A small population of them survived the natural disaster. This population has to be the start of the next big stable population, to maintain the survival of the subspecies for the long-term. The help of the LPF, in the form of funding for projects, or experts and know-how, for example the rescue of marine turtles or protection of marine mammals such as dolphins or seals

LPF News from the parrot collection now represents, together with the parrot conservation programmes, the next important phase in the work of LPF for the conservation of species.

Recently, Loro Parque has given a new home to five young Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) from the Basel Zoo. The group of young animals, two males and three females, are the founders for a new breeding group of these “funny“ carnivores. The Loro Parque visitors are already falling in love with these comical friends, and can see this enclosure is always in action. They are tussling, playing, running, lying in the sun or adopting the typical Meerkat position of “standing up on their hind legs” to look around.

Cyanoliseus patagonus

Anodorhynchus leari

PARROT COLLECTION NEWS 2007 (€) 2006 (€) Diff. (%)

A. Donations Loro Parque: Conservation and breeding activities 408,091 385,103 + 6.0

B. Donations Loro Parque: Breeding centre improvements 40,140 40,461 - 0.8

D. Net sales of surplus parrots for conservation benefit 309,945 181,384 + 70.9

E. Net sales of promotional items for conservation benefit 350,555 394,840 - 11.2

F. Donations from sponsors, members, founders, other income 1,007,155 1,285,369 - 27.6

G. Bank interest 223,130 116,909 + 90.1

TOTAL INCOME 2,339,017 2,404,066 - 2.7

H. Support to education, research and conservation projects 669,814 560,404 + 19.5

I. Conservation, breeding, education and research costs:Personnel and administration 662,525 595,539 + 11.2

J. Depreciation 72,654 72,654 0.0

L. Tax expenditure 29,935 36,512 - 18.0

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 1,434,928 1,265,109 + 13.4

RESULT 904,089 1,138,957 - 20.6

2007 (€) 2006 (€) 2007 (€) 2006 (€) Diff . (%)

Land, buildings, machinery, other fixed assets 854,29 926,171

Parrot collection (original value) 555,996 555,996

Financial assets and merchandise stocks 7,626,052 6,597,499

TOTAL ASSETS 9,036,343 8,079,666 TOTAL FUNDS 9,036,343 8,079,666 + 11.8

Loro Parque Fundación, Avda. Loro Parque s/n, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerfie, Canary Islands, SpainT: +34 922 374081, F: +34 922 373110, E: [email protected]:www.loroparque-fundacion.org

Non-profit organisation registered with the Ministry of Education and Science, Madrid, Spain: TNF 264, 12 December 1994

Summarised accounts 31 December 2007.These accounts are a summary of information extracted from the annual accounts of the Loro Parque Fundación.The full accounts were approved by the Foundation’s Board of trustees on 30 June 2008 and deposited at the Ministry of Education and Science, Madrid.

Statement of Financial Activities 2007Income

Expenditure

Balance Sheet 2007Assets Funds

Who supports us?Our Principal Sponsor:

The LPF can protect parrots, cetaceans, and many other species and natural places due to the generous support of many organisations and individuals. The LPF greatly thanks its members, sponsors, project funding partners and all other supporters for helping it to protect some of the world’s natural treasures. Because Loro Parque continues generously to cover the LPF overheads, 100% of all other support received was directly destined for our projects.

Social fund (capital) 1,360,471 1,360,471 General funds 7,548,731 6,644,642 + 13.6 Transitory funds 127,141 74,553


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July:- The little Lear`s Macaw which is being hand-reared is still developing very well, and is ready to leave the nest. The breeding pair had one more clutch, and now the next chick has hatched out. Because the parents appear to frequently break their eggs, they were given an infertile egg laid by a Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). A Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) hatchling with the same weight of 21g was put into the Lear’s Macaw empty egg-shell and placed the nest of the Lear`s Macaws. At the same time the infertile egg of the Ara ararauna was removed from the nest. After 4 days, with the weight at 55g the foster chick was changed for the Lear`s Macaw chick. This shows once again that the Lear`s Macaws are best for the rearing.

Furthermore another pair of the Lear`s Macaw started breeding, and two eggs have already hatched in the nest of the Green-winged Macaw (Ara chloroptera) adoptive parents. One chick is still being reared by its adoptive parents, and the other is being reared by hand.

However, we have not yet finished breeding for this year. If we have luck we will get two more chicks, because the parents are already occupied with their next two eggs. This time we leave the eggs in the nest with their parents, and hope to see these as real parents too.

After a break of many years we were able to stimulate our Austral Parakeets (Enicognathus ferrugineus) to breed again. After several unsuccessful changes of aviaries for pairing, in spring we put the birds into a communal aviary, with one additional male Austral Parakeet. From the outset, three birds formed their own group and distanced themselves constantly from the other birds there, from the pair of Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus roratus vosmaeri) and from Red-vented Cockatoos (Cacatua haematuropygia). Suddenly one pair of the Austral Parakeets showed interest in nesting, and the third bird had to distance itself from them. The aviary, with its size of 10m x 10m and height of 3.5m offers enough space for this. Three eggs were laid in the nest, two of them fertile. To avoid any risk, one of the fertile eggs was put into the incubator. Now the chick has hatched and it is still growing well in the baby station. From the other fertile egg the hatched chick is being rearing by its parents in the communal aviary.

Loro Parque Fundación is grateful time and again for all donations given to protect endangered parrots. Mrs Ruth Kühbänder, the public illustrator of the national zoological collection in Munich, made a donation of 650 euros. She took as an example the type specimen collected by Baptist Ritter von Spix on the Rio San Francisco in Brazil, which gave the first description of the Spix`s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii). Herr Heinz Weschenfelder, producer of the professional incubators, presented to the Loro Parque Fundación a high precision machine for breeding rare parrots and made by his firm. We received US$ 1,000 from Brotogeris Society International in support of the project for the conservation of the threatened Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhoptera) and its habitat in Peru and Ecuador. Many thanks to all the donors!

August:- Our four young Lear´s Macaws are developing very well and have been ringed already. While the first is already fledged and is trying its first flying exercises, the other three chicks are now 4 weeks old. Two are being raised in the nest, one by its own parents, the other by foster parents (Green-winged Macaws), and another chick is in the Baby Station of Loro Parque being raised by hand. After having received the two Lear’s Macaw pairs in October 2006 from the Sao Paulo Zoo in Brazil by the Brazilian conservation authority (Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity Conservation) that oversees the breeding community, the population has grown, through the last year’s and this year’s breeding successes, in less than two years to eleven animals in the Loro Parque Fundación. This is an excellent contribution to the conservation of endangered parrot species and motivates the staff of the Loro Parque Fundación to redouble their efforts.

Following that the young Pesquet´s Parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus) hatched in the spring is now independent, another chick has hatched some days ago, and will be also raised by hand. Presently Loro Parque is possibly the only zoo Europe-wide that is constantly rearing these parrots which have become very rare. We would like to try to build up over the long term a self-sustaining breeding group with several pairs. A very good breeding year has taken place for our Purple-bellied Parrots (Triclaria malachitacea), with four pairs successful in breeding again.

While our Lesser Vasa Parrots (Coracopsis nigra) still haven’t started to breed, our breeding group of Greater Vasa Parrots (Coracopsis vasa) is firmly established. Four pairs raised their youngsters by themselves, whilst the other two young birds were successfully hand-raised in the Baby-Station of Loro Parque. This nearly black parrot from Madagascar is not very common in captivity, an unsatisfactory situation! Their interesting reproduction, but also their melodious, almost singing sounds provide sufficiently interesting feature to keep these parrots, and through captive breeding to stabilise the breeding population.

A few years ago we got our Pileated Parrots (Pionospitta pileata) to breed successfully for the first time in a bigger group aviary. Today five adult pairs are kept separated in five side by side enclosures. Certainly the aviaries are

separated by visual barriers, so that the birds can hear, but can’t see each other and therefore no mutual disturbance can take place. Four of the five pairs have started to breed this year, from which one pair produced infertile eggs. The other three pairs were more successful and each of them reared between three and five chicks by themselves. After last year’s breeding pause our Red-spectacled Amazons (Amazona pretrei) were this year successful again. While two youngsters are being hand-raised up in the Baby Station of Loro Parque, three youngsters are growing-up with their own parents. They are attended very well and have already been ringed.

Amazona pretrei

Coracopsis vasa

Enicognathus ferrugineus

Psittrichas fulgidus

Triclaria malachitacea

Ruth Kühbänder with her painting of the holotype of Spix’s Macaw.

PARROT COLLECTION NEWSPARROT COLLECTION NEWS


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The Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a critically endangered species found in the savannas of Beni, north-east Bolivia. Since 1995 the LPF has supported Armonía of Bolivia in its actions for the recovery of this species, in particular to avoid any illegal trafficking of birds and to reduce the loss and deterioration of its preferred habitat. Part of the Armonía/LPF Blue-throated Macaw conservation programme has been a wide search of the enormous savannas to find more birds. More have been found and, as reported in Cyanopsitta Nº87, there was a recent unprecedented find of a flock of 70 birds on one farm, raising the total wild population to as many as 350.

Now come important news from Armonía that it has managed to purchase the farm where this concentration of Blue-throated Macaws lives. This 4,254-hectare ranch is located in Yacuma Province to the northwest of the city of Trinidad, the capital of Beni.

The ranch represents a typical example of the habitat for this species, with seasonally inundated savannas and dispersed higher areas free of water which form islands of palms and other trees. The purchase of the ranch was made possible by donations from the American Bird Conservancy and World Land Trust. This important step now provides the first protected area for this species, and the Armonia/LPF Blue-throated Macaw programme can begin habitat protection measures that have not been possible to achieve until now because of a lack of land owner permission. Among others, these can include habitat restoration studies, experimentation with natural and artificial nest designs, and the exploration of long-term sustainability through ecotourism.

The project installed 57 nest-boxes during the 2007–2008 season, 51 in the southern area and 6 in the north, some sponsored by The Bird Endowment. The nests in the northern area were only explored by Blue-and-Yellow Macaws Ara ararauna, but in the south four nests were occupied by Blue-throated Macaws, 24 by Blue-and-Yellow Macaws, and by other animal species (Table 1). Two of the Blue-throated Macaw nests were successful, one producing one chick and the other with three, all fledging in March.

From January to mid-May the principal markets in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz were monitored for parrots in the pet trade. No

Three of the species and one subspecies of the genus Pyrrhura, have geographic and ecological distributions very restricted within Colombia, which to a large extent are without protection and in zones undergoing uncontrolled deforestation and other man-made pressures. The Pyrrhura project of Fundación ProAves, with the support of Loro Parque Fundación (LPF), established the National Plan for the Conservation of this genus in August 2005, and since then until the present time it has channeled its efforts into identifying key sites for the species, the monitoring of the population status of these species, the evaluation of threats and the application of conservation efforts. This article provides information on the most recent activities for the conservation of three of the Pyrrhura.

The objective is to continue developing the studies on the monitoring of the Santa Marta Parakeet P. viridicata, Pacific Parakeet P. (melanura) pacifica, Flame-winged Parakeet P. calliptera, and to extend the studies of the recently discovered population of the Perijá Parakeet P. caeruleiceps. The Pyrrhura project is being conducted in four main localities in Colombia. The Natural Bird Reserve (RNA) El Dorado, where P. viridicata is found, is located in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Magdalena. It is composed of premontane and high Andean forests, and has a altitudinal range between 900 and 2600 amsl. P. caeruleiceps has been found in the Municipality of Ocaña, North Santander, where the RNA Hormiguero de Torcoroma and its buffer zone are located. The species has been searched for in the zone from 500 to 1300 amsl, that has 50% of the landscape converted to cultivation and pastures for cattle, but that also there are secondary forests in regeneration, and some coffee cultivation. The actions to conserve P. calliptera are carried out in the buffer zone of the Chingaza Natural National Park located in the paramo of the eastern range of the Andes mountains, in Cundinamarca. Finally, the tropical and premontane rainforests in the municipality of Barbacoas, Nariño is the natural habitat of P. m. pacifica. The zone has an annual precipitation of 7000 mm and the trees have a great profusion of epiphytes, parasites, and mosses that altogether comprise the complicated structure of the functional unit of the forest. The species is found in the RNA El Pangan.

Important advances for the Blue-throated Macaw

Table 1. Occupancy of nest-boxes in the 2007-2008 Season.

Species Common Name Number Occupied

Ara ararauna Blue-and-Yellow Macaw 24Aratinga leucophthalmus White-eyed Parakeet 6Polistes spp. Wasp 5Ara glaucogularis Blue-throated Macaw 4Apis mellifera Honey Bee 4Dendrocygna autumnalis Black-bellied Whistling Duck 3Machetornis rixosus Cattle Tyrant 1Cairina moschata Muscovy Duck 1Empty 11 Total nest-boxes 59

Blue-throated macaws were seen, but a total of 5,714 parrots of 19 different species were recorded, including three individuals of the Bolivian endemic and threatened species, the Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys). Of all parrots recorded, 86% were of five species, the Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) – 26%, Blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva) – 22%, Green-cheeked Parakeet (Pyrrhura molinae) – 17%, Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) – 11% and Blue-winged Parrotlet (Forpus xanthopterygius) – 10%. With regard to Blue-throated Macaw protection, these statistics indicate that vigilance still has great importance.

The other important advance has been the signing of a formal agreement between the LPF, Armonía, the Zoo Fauna Sudamericana (ZFS – zoological park of the Municipality of Santa Cruz), the Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum (also located in Santa Cruz and affiliated to the Autonomous University Gabriel Rene Moreno). The agreement formalises the initiation of a managed cooperative breeding programme in Bolivia, as part of the international conservation effort for the Blue-throated Macaw, with the participation of the LPF as international studbook keeper, supporting the programme with expertise and funding.

Threatened Pyrrhura parakeets in Colombia

Map of the general location of the new reserve for Blue-

throated Macaws.

Typical habitat found in the new reserve

Blue-throated Macaw breeding in nest-box.

Regions in Colombia where the four species of Pyrrhura naturally occur.

Applying a leg-ring to a chick of P. viridicata

P.melanura pacifica

ProAves biologists checking the status of a Pyrrhura chick.

PROJECTS UP-DATEPROJECTS UP-DATE


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PROJECTS UP-DATE

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PROJECTS UP-DATEThis year 29 records were made and a total of 286 individuals were counted of P. caeruleiceps within an estimated area of 109 ha. It has been possible to observe how the species tolerates a moderate degree of intervention since the species was seen crossing pastures in search of food and sites to rest, near houses and places with human presence. On the other hand it is also an indication of the serious threatening situation under which this species exists. The field team has witnessed uncontrolled fires, the cutting of forests to create more pastures, the expansion of the agricultural border in general, the presence of people in the foraging areas of the parakeets and indications of the birth of illegal cultivations in the zone. To the date no behaviours related to reproduction have been recorded, and thus it is presumed that this stage is actively initiated in the first semester of the year.

The efforts for the conservation of the core reproductive population of P. viridicata will be extended with the implementation of a programme of ecological restoration, in which 20,000 plants of the non-native and invading species Pinus patula have been eliminated from the RNA El Dorado and its adjacent zones, and these will be reforested with 5,000 trees of native species that are key food plants for P. viridicata. It has been confirmed that the species has one breeding season with two well-defined periods, which are the peaks of nesting. The season includes almost all the year, from December to October of the following year, although a peak period nesting takes place December-April and the other July-October. Until this year the events of the first period occurred in complex wooded habitats, whereas in the second the nests were located in areas of open vegetation with trees and scattered palms. The choice of sites with complex vegetation structure was correlated with the increase by Wagler’s Conure Aratinga wagleri in the use of artificial nests in the open zones, this species using with the same frequency these types of habitats. Furthermore, the nesting in open zones in the second peak happened when the other species of parrots (including the Coral-billed Parrot Pionus sordidus and the Scaly-naped Parrot Amazona mercenaria) had finished their reproductive stage. This suggests that in the absence of competitors and more aggressive species during the reproductive period, the P. viridicata use palms in the open zones, the opposite happening when all the parrot species use similar resources to nest. The diagnosis of these factors affecting nest occupation has resulted in the implementation of management measures for the optimization of use by P.

As we approach, at the end of 2008, the tenth anniversary of the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme (PCCP), we can all celebrate the fact that the efforts have resulted in a ten-fold increase in the population of wild Philippine Cockatoos (Cacatua haematuropygia) on Rasa Island, the main stronghold in Palawan and the Philippines for this critically endangered species. Those responsible for this success, Peter and Indira Widmann, Sabine Schoppe and the rest of the PCCP team, have recently reported to us that the population on Rasa Island has reached the number of 205, increased from only 22 ten years ago. Rasa Island, with an area of 8.3 km2 has the highest natural density found anywhere of the Philippine cockatoo.

The PCCP is run by the Philipinne-based Katala Foundation, supported by the LPF, Chester Zoo, CEPA - Conservation des Espèces et des Populations Animales (including ZooParc de Beauval) and ZGAP (Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations). The Philippine Cockatoo is restricted to lowland forest areas and mangroves in the Philippines. Formerly, it could be found all over the archipelago, but in the last few decades of the last century a rapid decline set in which brought the species to the brink of extinction. Of the various factors involved, habitat destruction and poaching were, and still are the most important factors threatening the Philippine Cockatoo. Thus, the aim of the PCCP is the conservation and restoration of the most viable subpopulations of this species and its habitats, with the involvement of all key stakeholders. A current objective is to achieve a down-listing of the species in the “Red List” from ‘Critical’ to ‘Endangered’ within the next six years.

The key to the success of the PCCP is its empowerment of local people to fully participate in decisions and actions that help the cockatoos. Thus, its strategy includes the community-based management of local resources (within the framework of Philippine law, capacity-building for local decision-makers to ensure sustainability of the conservation efforts, and an ecosystem conservation method with the Philippine Cockatoo as flagship species. An important part of the success has been the recruitment of local people, especially previous nest-poachers, and with a modest inducement, to become wardens to protect the cockatoos and habitats. As the connection between local income and presence of the cockatoos has become clearer, more people have been encouraged to become wardens, and at an early stage the PCCP encouraged the formation of Local Protected Area Management Committees, in some cases with the Municipal Mayor as presiding officer. The situation in Rasa Island, where this model of conservation for the Philippine Cockatoo started, is now so improved that the island has recently been declared as one of the top 13 bird-watching sites in the Philippines by the Department of Tourism.

This year on Rasa Island the wardens monitored 32 nest-trees, six of them new, and 49 fledglings were leg-ringed. With the island population having reached saturation level, the young birds especially are expanding to the nearby mainland of Narra district (of Palawan), where the PCCP is

viridicata. However, the breeding in an artificial nest was monitored successfully and the chicks filmed with web cameras.

From the information collected, P. m. pacifica is more common in the tropical rainforest, between 650 and 730 amsl, although pairs and solitary individuals have been found even up to 1650 amsl. A natural nest in a dead palm was found, the outer part of the trunk armed with needle-sharp thorns that seemed to protect the parakeets from predators trying to climb and attack the nest. The nest was at a height of 5,8 m from the ground, and with a cavity 95 cm deep from the entrance hole. This is a species that nests in colonies composed of up to 3 pairs, laying up to 8 eggs per clutch. All the adult occupants who sleep in the nest help in the care and feeding of the chicks and in the same way the adults share the incubation, this behaviour being observed on repeated occasions, previous to and after the appearance of eggs. In this specific nest it is assumed that the incubation process began the second week of July and, as the nest is communal, the supposition is that several females laid their eggs and that these were incubated by the same females. Artificial nests were installed in the zone, but after four months all the boxes were still damp and empty.

P. m. pacifica remains common in its area of distribution, with a stable population, and its preferred habitat is protected in the RNA El Pangan. However, the parakeet populations in this region are threatened by existing pressure from the local settlers, who catch them to have as pets, or to trade them. At present this species does not pose any threat to the crops of the villagers. A survey of people, including hunters, nest-poachers, and owners of captive parakeets was undertaken, and all agreed that the parakeets do not visit the crops.

Because there is an element of worry about the situation of each species, the awareness and education campaigns are continuing in all the places where the projects are being conducted. Each place has periodic visits of the mobile environmental classroom, the “LoroBus”, and also being continued is the creation of ecological groups “Friends of the Birds” and the “Slingshot Amnesty”.

Ten years of effort: ten times as many Philippine Cockatoosalso conducting a year-round intensive campaign to protect them, along with other local partners. The cooperation of local government is impressive, for example the Narra Mayor signing an order requesting all local district leaders and officials to help in monitoring the cockatoos in their respective areas. We look forward to at least another ten-fold increase before the next ten years have passed.

P. caeruleiceps.Young P.calliptera.

Wild Philippine Cockatoos.

Narra – Philippine Cockatoo capital of the world!

It needs skill and courage to check the nests of the Philippine Cockatoos.


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Bärbel & Klaus Binder, Brotogeris Society International, Fandango, Fontasol, Garjor, Global Sistemas Integrales S.L., Lero Minusval S.L., Simone Armbrüster-Röver, Caroline Simmons, Cavas Catalanas, Cumba, Dialte, Emerencio e Hijos, Frutas Cruz Santa, Luis y Guillén Carpinteria Metálica, Malinda Chouinard, Mark Hagen, Papageienfreunde Nord e.V., Reynolds Polymer, Netzing Solutions AG, Rohersa, Tilla Ganz, Vogelfreunde Achern e. V., Vogelfreunde Höchstadt e.V.

Our thanks to all our sponsors, donorsand other supporters

Sponsors and donors of Loro Parque FundaciónLoro 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 parrot and biodiversity conservation activities of Loro Parque Fundación.

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The LPF Calendar 2009 13 fabulous photos of baby parrots

Don’t miss out on next year’s calendar, which can make the perfect gift, and brighten-up any room with its beautiful photos of baby parrots reared by the Loro Parque Fundación. The calendar measures 42cm x 30cm.

Prices (euros):

Nº of calendars Price Saving Plus post/packing cost Europe Rest of World

1 13.50 0.00 3.00 4.702 24.00 3.00 4.40 7.503 32.50 8.00 7.50 14.00

For bigger orders, please contact the Loro Parque Fundación.

How you can pay:

• By banker´s cheque/ eurocheque/ international money order payable to Loro Parque Fundación.

• By Mastercard/ Visa Card. Please telephone or fax the card number and expiry date.

• By direct transfer to the Loro Parque Fundación account:

IBAN: ES 85 0182-5310-61-001-635615-8, Swift /BIC Code: BBVA ESMM (please fax or email to us your name and the transfer confirmation from your bank)

• By cash, at the LPF kiosks in Loro Parque (please do not send cash by mail).

the newsletter of loro parque fundación...the newsletter of loro parque fundación saving wildlife...

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