The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación No. 68 - March 2003...Cyanopsitta The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación No. 68 - March 2003 Wolfgang Kiessling 2 Message from the Founder

No. 68 - March 2003Cyanopsitta The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación

Wolfgang Kiessling

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Message from the FMessage from the FMessage from the FMessage from the FMessage from the Founderounderounderounderounder

Cyanopsitta - Latin for blue parrot. The onlymember of this genus is Cyanopsitta spixii, theSpix’s Macaw. It is a highly endangered species,symbol of Loro Parque Fundación, and of theneed to conserve our planet.

Message from the Founder ........................ 2LP team helps the clean up in Galicia ....... 3Endoscopic testicular biopsy techniquein psittaciformes ........................................ 4LPF’s advisory board annual meeting ........ 6Meeting Point ............................................ 8Loro Parque Hotline .................................. 9Foundation News ..................................... 10New Spix´s Macaw Working Group ......... 12Conservation Assistance for the St.Vincent Parrot ......................................... 14Expansion on the Red-tailed Amazonconservation activities ............................ 16News about the Philippine Cockatoo ..... 18Yellow-eared Parrot: the future is bright! 20Inauguration of the Mari-it aviaries ........ 22Cover: Golden conure (Guaruba guarouba).Foto LPF/J. A. del Corral

CyanopsittaCyanopsittaCyanopsittaCyanopsittaCyanopsittaNo. 68 - Mach 2003

Editorial Office:Loro Parque S.A.38400 Puerto de la CruzTenerife, Canary IslandsSpainTel.: + 34 922 374081Fax: + 34 922 375021E-mail: <[email protected]><[email protected]>

Editorial Committee:Dr. Javier Almunia, Corinna Brauer, Inge Feier,Wolfgang Kiessling, Matthias Reinschmidt, Prof.David Waugh and Rafael Zamora.

Visit our websites:Visit the website of Loro Parque Fundación,which provides you with detailed informationon our programmes at: <http://www.loroparque-fundacion.org>. For the website of Loro Parque,please check out <www.loroparque.com>.

Membership:Become a member of Loro Parque Fundación tosupport us in our activities. You will then receiveour trimestral newsletter Cyanopsitta, as well asa supporter’s card permitting free entry to LoroParque during the validity of your membership.The current annual membership fees are:Adults (non-resident): ................... 90,00 €Adults (resident) &children (non-resident): ................ 45,00 €Children (resident): ....................... 22,50 €Please send us your membership subscription bymail, fax or e-mail, or call us, and we will signyou up immediately.

Bank Account:Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)

Swift Code BBVA ESMM0182 5310 61 001635615-8

It is a great pleasure to address you after those days devotedto commemorate the 30th anniversary of our beautiful Loro Parque.During the anniversary celebration, with the ceremony to place thefirst stone, Siam Park, our future expansion project in the south ofTenerife, was also officially presented. Simultaneously, during the lastfew months, my son Christoph has become the Deputy Director of LoroParque, a position in which he will get the opportunity to familiarisehimself with the zoo's global management activities. As you can see,these have been days to evoke wonderful memories from the past, butalso to prepare the foundations of a promising future.

The opening of the new Humboldt penguin exhibit «El Pacífico»proves that we have not stopped working for the future. Curiously, thisinauguration came during the most exceptional breeding season for therest of the penguin species, which live in our impressive Antarctichabitat.

While we were working in all of these celebrations, Loro Parquedidn't forget its solidarity with nature and the commitment to protectionthat inspired i ts creat ion. During one week of December, ourorganisation sent a group of volunteer workers to perform specialisedtasks on the retrieval of birds oiled as a consequence of the Prestigesinking, and also to collaborate in the cleaning operations of the coast.

Meanwhile, in the Foundation after the last Advisory BoardMeeting we have started to work with the new 2003 budget. Some newprojects have been added to our portfolio, while we still maintain thelong term financial support to the main projects. We will give you furtherdetails in this and future issues.

The parrot collection of Loro Parque Fundación established anew breeding record in 2002. This record give us enormous satisfactionbut, at the same time, it means the need to establish the ideal size of thecollection so as to help nature without putting an unbearable burdonon LPF's finances.

Another important change for the Foundation has been theleaving of our current Director, Yves de Soye, at the end of February,who wishes to take-up new challenges on the conservation field. Duringalmost five years with us, Yves de Soye has been an honest andenthusiastic worker. Now we have the task to find another person tocontinue the consolidation of Loro Parque Fundación among the worldleading parrot conservation organisations.

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Loro Parque Team helpsthe clean-up in Galicia

With the sinking on the 19th November 2002of the oil-tanker Prestige, tonnes of fuel oil spilled intothe sea, this being Spain´s most serious ecologicalcatastrophe. As a consequence of the spillage, theecological damage will be incalculable and the numberof dead animals is immense. Because of this, insolidarity with the nation, on 16th December LoroParque sent a six-person team to collaborate with thevarious institutions and centres of rescue andrecuperation of animals.

In Galicia the team was based at the BirdRecuperation Centre of Santa Cruz de Oleiros near toLa Coruña, where it collaborated in the collecting,recording and maintenance of birds and other animalsaffected by the black tide, as well as undertaking thedaily tasks such as feeding, cleaning and monitoringthe admitted animals. Distinct from the majority of theother volunteers, the members of the Loro Parque team

A six-person team was sent to collaborate in the cleaning of oiled fauna for a week

have much direct experience in the care andmanagement of animals, and therefore were able tomake a very important contribution. The centre hasended-up with thousands of birds in its installations,and among the the birds affected by the spillage aregannets, cormorants, gulls, guillemots and puffins. TheLoro Parque team had the opportunity to performnecropsies of dead birds in collaboration with theveterinarians to thus determine the real cause of deathof these specimens. Once stabilised, the living birdshave been transferred from the Santa Cruz de Oleiroscentre to the Provisional Centre of Pontevedra for theirfurther evaluation before release.

Further to its work with the oiled birds, the teamcoordinated with the Galician government to contributeto the cleaning of beaches on the Galician coast and,again in recognition of its expertise, was able to providehelp to the Finisterre Aquarium.


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Endoscopic testicular biopsytechnique in psittaciformes

The improving of the breeding performance inPsittaciformes has multiple implications, in both theconservation and aviculture fields. The breedingperformance is crucial in the conservation field, becauseusually the captive breeding efforts of recovery projectsare based on small populations. In this context the breedingability of each individual becomes essential for success.Consequently, all efforts made for improvement ofbreeding performance increase the hope for those specieson the verge of extinction.

On the other hand, the development of noninvasive techniques to improve the breeding performanceof a parrot collection is a step foward for parrot welfare.

The different ways in which this research canhelp parrot conservation and welfare makes the breedingperformance a central issue in the LPF veterinaryinvestigations, and this endoscopic testicular biopsytechnique represents a promising diagnostic tool in thisfield.

The hypothesisInfertility and poor breeding performance are

frequently encountered in avicultural facilities. Theproblems of infertility or inadequate performance mayhave either medical or non-medical origins. It is not alwayspossible to diagnose causes of infertility with the non-invasive diagnostic methods that are used routinely. Theinvestigations developed by the Loro Parque FundaciónVeterinary Department, in collaboration with Dr. HelgaGerlach from the Fachtierarzt für Geflügelkrankheiten.in Munich, proposed that testicular biopsy can be usedas a possible diagnostic tool to confirm infertility in malebirds. To test this hypothesis the research team performedtesticular biopsies in almost 40 psittacine males. Thedescription of the technique and post-operativecomplication were published in the Journal of AvianMedicine and Surgery, Volume 16, Issue 2, pages 106-110.

The Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery has published a research paper produced by theLPF veterinarian department in collaboration with the Fachtierarzt für Geflügelkrankheiten.in Munich. The paper describes the endoscopic testicular biopsy technique in psittaciformes,its applications and the postoperative effects on different species of Psittacidae . This work

has revealed interesting applications in the diagnosis of infertility, in the improvementof breeding performance analysis and in parrot welfare for

several parrot species.

The problemInfertility and poor breeding performance are

commonly encountered in avicultural collections. Themajor causes of psittacine infertility are differentiatedinto two groups: medical and non-medical. Any diseaseprocess that affects the anatomy or function of thereproductive tract directly or indirectly can result inclinical infertility. Medical causes of avian infertilityinclude lameness or foot problems, altered vision,malnutrition, reproductive tract disease, systemicdiseases, cloacal abnormalities, hypothyroidism andsome toxicoses.

Non-medical causes of infertility that have beencited include immaturity, sexual inexperience, looseperches, inappropriate perching substrates, aviarydisturbances, inappropriate nesting site and material, lackof flock stimulation, inbreeding/genetic, mateincompatibility, homosexual pairings, and heavy cloacalfeathering.

Management procedures, nutrition,environmental concerns, aviary records, physicalexamination, and laboratory diagnostic testing (includingendoscopy for at least verification of the sexes) areimportant in the diagnosis of infertility. When diagnostictests and management reviews are unable to determinea diagnosis for the cause of nonbreeding or infertility,semen collection or testicular biopsy may be indicatedin male birds.

The previous workSemen may be collected artificially as in some

Galliformes (heavy weighted chicken lines, turkeys,pheasants). Artificial collection and insemination isperformed in these birds to avoid disease transmissionand/or physical damage to the significantly lighter hens.These techniques are also fairly common inFalconiformes and some Gruiformes, such as the white-naped crane (Grus vipio), sandhill crane (Grus

Adapted from: Crosta L., Gerlach H, Bürkle M and Timossi L: Endoscopic Testicular Biopsy Technique inPsittaciformes. J. Avian Med. Surg. 16(2), 106-110, 2002.


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canadensis), Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo),sarus crane (Grus antigone), and wattled crane(Bugeranus carunculatus). Avian semen is typicallyevaluated microscopically before artificial insemination,but semen may be collected solely to evaluate its quality,without inseminating the hen.

Testicular biopsy has been proposed to evaluateinfertility, but the technique has not been described. Thepurpose of this study was to describe an endoscopictesticular biopsy technique useful in a variety of psittacinespecies.

Psittacine birds used in this study haddemonstrated poor breeding performance during theprevious 2 breeding seasons. Each work-up consideredthe individual patient, its mate, and breeding history.

The resultsAll patients recovered from the anesthesia and

endoscopic biopsy uneventfully.

Repeated endoscopic examination of 7 of 39birds between 20 and 30 days post-surgery suggestedthat biopsy may induce permanent anatomical damageto the testicle in some birds. In this study, 2 birds wereobserved with post-operative scars at the biopsy site, ofthe testes. Both birds were Illiger's macaws [Propyrrhura(Ara) maracana], and both had had large biopsies duringthe first trial to develop both the surgical technique andthe histologic experience. The biopsy site in the lefttesticle was still evident in both birds at re-evaluation.These observations suggest that small birds, such as theIlliger's macaw, may be at greater risk, or those birdswith small testicles. This risk appears to be greater if thesize of the biopsy is large relative to the testicle. Whilemacroscopic abnormalities were found in the these 2birds, no histologic changes were observed in thetesticles.

The other 5 of 7 re-evaluated birds healed withno gross abnormalities, suggesting that avian testes healeasily after biopsy, in most cases.

The discussionInfertility is a frequent problem in aviculture.

Semen analysis offers some value, but may not providean etiologic diagnosis or determine whether infertility iscorrectable or permanent. Testicular biopsy may providea diagnosis.

Semen collection is performed during thebreeding season, while biopsy should be performed atthe end of the breeding season. Testicular biopsy duringthe culmination phase when testicles reach their maximumsize (and engorgement) can lead to partial leakage oftissue into the coelem. Testicular biopsies taken at theend of the breeding season show either normal physiologicatrophy in species with very specific breeding seasonsor pathologic conditions.

Proper technique is important during testicularbiopsies to avoid unnecessary damage and to ensure agood sample. When the endoscope is placed too close tothe organ for visualization, it does not allow properhandling of the endoscope with forceps. It may preventor impede clear visualization of the delicate structuressurrounding the testicle. When performing this technique,the testicle with its surrounding structures were carefullyobserved before advancing the biopsy forceps. Thetesticle should be approached to allow the open jaws ofthe biopsy forceps to be perpendicular to the testicle'slonger axis. The greater curvature of the testicle in thisorthogonal approach makes it easier to snip a biopsysample with minimal pulling. In addition, the forcepsshould be perpendicular to the surface of the testicle.

Precautions should also be taken not to pull onthe testis itself and on its ligaments, as this might damagethe blood vessels lying between them. To avoid thiscomplication, "fix" the bite with the biopsy forceps anduse the examination sheath as a tool to keep the testiclein position. This can be achieved by pulling the biopsyforceps while gently pushing the examination sheathagainst the testis.

Unless focal lesions can be visualizedendoscopically, we recommend that the biopsy be takenfrom the middle, cranial portion of the testis along itsventral surface, because this location will limit damageto the epididymis and/or the ductus deferens.

Even if some gross lesions of the testis, such asirregular surface, altered subcapsular blood supply, anddifferent sized testicles were observed endoscopically, itis not yet possible to correlate them with the diagnosedhistologic changes. By performing testicular biopsies,we have diagnosed histologically degeneration andchronic orchitis, in this study and on other occasions.While chronic orchitis is considered permanent andproduces infertility, it is unknown whether degeneratedtesticles can regenerate (either heal or improve infunction). In the regressed testis the seminiferous tubulesstill look organized with spermatogonia and normal Sertolicells in the basement membrane. Furthermore there isno lumen in the tubules. The degenerated seminiferoustubules show few spermatogonia at different developmentstages and Sertoli cells with pycnotic nuclei scatteredover the whole tubule. Frequently there is a lumen evenwith detritus. A chronic orchitis was diagnosed, whenamong other lesions there was a distinct proliferation ofconnective tissue.

Further studies will be undertaken to identifylesions that can be diagnosed with this biopsy techniqueas well as to understand possible changes of the diagnosedabnormalities. In this perspective it is our intention tocompare the histopathologic results with the breedingperformance of the birds in the next breeding season.


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LPF’s advisory boardannual meeting

The meeting was attended by the President ofLoro Parque Fundación Mr. Wolfgang Kiessling, itsSecretary Antonio Caseras, and the rest of the Trustees:Brigitte Kiessling, Christoph Kiessling and Isabell Kiessling.Members of the Advisory Board Professor Ian R.Swingland, Dr Nigel J. Collar, Dr Jorgen Thomsen, PovlJorgensen, Dr Susan L. Clubb, Dr Tomás de Azcárate yBand and Dr Wolfgang Grummt also attended de meeting.

As the meeting was celebrated in the days justprior to the V International Parrot Congress, Paul Salamanand Marc Boussekey had the opportunity to present to theAdvisory Board their current reports on the projects thatthey lead in Colombia and the Philippines respectively. Also,Prof. Helga Gerlach, who collaborates in a regular waywith Loro Parque’s veterinary department, had theopportunity to present to the board a proposal on newveterinary research topics.

During the two days of the meeting, the advisorshad the opportunity to be informed by Yves de Soye, DrJavier Almunia and Prof David Waugh about the educationalactivities carried out by LPF in Loro Parque, the results ofthe on going projects and the planning of the future actions.Dr Lorenzo Crosta presented an abstract on the activitiesand publications made by the veterinary clinic during 2002.In future, the efforts of the department related to the LPFparrot collection will focus on: infertility and

The Loro Parque Fundación Advisory Board Annual Meeting , as in previous years, washosted from September 16th to 17th 2002 in the Loro Parque's Thai Village. This two-day

meeting, under the presidency of our founder Wolfgang Kiessling, is the essentialdecision tool of Loro Parque Fundación, and on this occasion the management

guidelines for 2003 were established as was the amount of funding foreach conservation field project.

unproductive pairs, thyroid glandhypertrophy, standard values in proteinelectrophoresis and haematology, and therole of the glycogen body in chick growth.

LPF bird curator Matthias Reinschmidt, presenteda report on the current situation of the LPF parrot collection,which last year was incremented by 20 taxa (reaching the337 taxa, 243 of them species and 94 subspecies) andnumbering 3500 individuals. Reinschmidt pointed out thatthe breeding results in 2002 will exceed those in the previousseason, with estimated a total of 1350 ringed chicks. Thegoals of the bird department for the next year will focus onthe improvement of parrot welfare through environmentalenrichment, the development of an optimal collectionmanagement and, in addition, to make an effort to developa good distribution network so as to make possible a moreefficient reduction in the demand for wild caught parrots.The Advisory Board’s opinion was that the main goal forthe department should be to optimise the positive effect ofthe parrot collection for conservation, while minimising itsfinancial impact on the foundation. Finally, the creation ofa master plan was proposed, to establish the futuremanagement of the collection.

The need to design a research master plan wasalso discussed, which should include the priority researchtopics and co-ordinate the different departments which

The Advisory Board of LThe Advisory Board of LThe Advisory Board of LThe Advisory Board of LThe Advisory Board of Loro Poro Poro Poro Poro Parque Farque Farque Farque Farque Fundacionundacionundacionundacionundacion

Ian R. SwinglandFounder

Durrell Institute ofConservation and Ecology

Kent, England

Roland WirthPresident

Zoological Society for the Protectionof Species and Populations

Munich, Germany

Povl JorgensenAviculturist

Haslev, Denmark

Nigel J. CollarBirdlife International

Leventis Fellow in Conservation BiologyCambridge University, England

Susan L. ClubbAvian Veterinarian

Florida, USA

Wolfgang GrummtAnimal Park Friedrichsfelde

Berlin, Germany

Tomás de Azcárate y BangMinistry of the Environment

of the Canary IslandsTenerife, Spain

Jørgen B. ThomsenSenior Vice-President

Conservation InternationalWashington DC, USA


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receive university students from all around the world, inorder to formulate concrete objectives and optimise theuse of resources in the priority topics. The LPF AdvisoryBoard suggested that the research master plan should beclosely linked to the parrot collection management masterplan, in the sense that fundamental research projects wouldhelp to establish the basic management and welfareparameters for the collection. While the research masterplan is prepared, the board approved the funding of differentresearch projects, some of them meaning the continuationof long-term efforts and others opening new research fields:behaviour of the Spix’s Macaw, feather plucking andinfertility problems, comparative studies on commercialdiets, the role of the glycogen body in chick growth, etc.A total budget of US $ 40.000 was approved to finance theex-situ research projects with the LPF collection.

The Advisory Board members showed theirsatisfaction with the results achieved by the accomplishedfield conservation projects, which were analysed anddiscussed during the meeting. Among the projectscompleted in 2002 were those focused on the Echo Parakeet(Psittacula echo), the Yellow Crested Cockatoo (Cacatuasulphurea) in Sumba, the construction of parrot aviaries intwo wildlife rescue centres in West Visayas, and the Blackcheeked Lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis) in Africa.

Assessing the renewal of funding for some of theprojects involved long and detailed debates in the meeting.Examination of the continuation of funding for the Spix’sMacaw project resulted in a long and complex discussion,to which the Advisory Board members contributed withmultiple observations and recommendations. Finally, anagreement was reached to have a funding reserve withinthe total budget so that funds will be ready to be invested inthe project if (as it seems) the appropriate circumstancesfor a feasible species recovery are met.

Another continued project is that of the Red-tailedAmazon in Brazil, in which, besides continuing to supportthe activities implemented by the Instituto de PesquisasEcologicas (IPE), the conservation efforts will be extended.This will be possible due to the additional funding ofcomplementary projects on the Red-tailed Amazon inadjacent areas. With this diversification strategy, the generalobjective is to attain a complete knowledge of theconservation status for the species, which allow the designof an efficient Action Plan while continuing the successfulwork in education and awareness about the speciesimplemented by IPE in Superagüi.

Evaluation of the continuation of the Yellow-earedParrot project in Colombia was illustrated with apresentation by Paul Salaman, the field co-ordinator, whogave the members of the Advisory Board the unusualopportunity to gain first hand knowledge of the project’sstatus and respond to their questions immediately. TheAdvisory Board was pleased with the results obtained so

far by the field team, and with the proposal to continuewith the conservation tasks. Thus, the final decision wasto continue with the funding of the conservation activities,and to deepen involvement in the project to strengthen theconservation strategy in the area in the long-term. Thiswillingness was reflected not only in the sponsoring of thesubmitted proposal, but also of some other conservationactivities that will be simultaneously carried out by the fieldteam.

The co-ordinator of the Red-vented CockatooConservation Programme, Marc Boussekey, also took theopportunity of his participation in the International ParrotCongress to make a direct presentation of his proposal, inwhich he showed the need to expand the successfulconservation activities carried out in Rasa Island. TheAdvisory Board was very positive about the results obtainedby the field team in their previous activities, and thereforefunding of the continuation was agreed. However, theexpansion proposal was not agreed in as far as there is noAction Plan for the species in which the possible effectshave been analysed. The Advisory Board decided that partof the approved funding should be used to promote studiesfocused on the production of an Action Plan for the Red-vented Cockatoo, which fully analyses the conservationneeds of the species.

In the analysis of the Blue-throated Macaw projectin Bolivia the Advisory Board stated that the strategy carriedout by LPF has proved adequate and fruitful. At present,an Action Plan for the retrieval of the species is beingprepared with the essential collaboration of LPF, and it willprobably be finished by April 2003. As this Action Planwill establish the priority actions to be taken for theconservation of the bird, taking into account all the availableinformation, an agreement was reached to make areservation in the general budget which can be used forthe priority needs identified by the Action Plan when finished.

The Advisory Board also evaluated very positivelythe results obtained by the staff of the Royal ForestDepartment of Thailand, one of whom took the courseEducation for Conservation organised by the RARE Centreand DICE. The future development of the project willcontinue with the strength of the environmental educationaspects, and to do so several possibilities are being considred,such as the creation of an Environmental EducationWorkshop in Thailand, or the implementation of a widerenvironmental education project in the area of influence ofPhu Khieo .

Additional to the principal projects, the Board alsotook decisions about small scale projects, such as thecontinuation of the St. Vincent Amazon Conservation Projectand the Yellow-crested Cockatoo Conservation Project, bothinitiated in 2001, and also the continuation of theConservation of the El Oro Parakeet Pyrrhura orcesi inEcuador, for which funding by LPF was initiated in 2002.


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MEETING POINT - MEETING POINT - MEETING POINT - MEETING POINT

We also received Mr. KlausPeters and his family:Angelica, Geraldo and Ana.Mr. Peters leads theFundacion García d’Avila inPraia do Forte, Bahía (Brasil),which donated the land forseveral parrot conservationprojects, included thebuilding of the Lear’s andSpix’s Macaw breedingcentre, in which LP and LPFare involved.

The guest starsof the III LyricDinners ofT e n e r i f e ,organised bythe SpanishBroadcas t ingCompany COPE,visited the LoroParque facilities

A group of 46 participants in the IV National Guide Congress,which was celebrated in the Santa Cruz de TenerifeConvention Centre, enjoyed a journey in Loro Parque. Attheir departure they told us they were longing to come backsome day.

The Canarian singerCaco Senante, whoestablished hisresidence in Madridsome years ago,visited his home townwith all his familybefore thecommencement of hisnew tour, and tookthis opportunity tovisit Loro Parque.

Coral Bistuer, who holdssome InternationalTaekwondo titles, visitedLoro Parque’s facilitiesduring her stay inTenerife for her firstwedding anniversary.

The three times Decathlon World Champion and record-breaker Tomas Dvorak, visited Loro Parque. This member ofthe Czech Republic´s Olympic team came with his family andtwo more international Canarian athletes, Carlos Pérez y AliceMatejková.

In December, LoroParque receivedthe unofficial visitof the UnitedKingdom ex-primeminister Mrs.Margaret Thatcherand her husbandMr. DennisThatcher. Both

and came to know about the activities and goals of LoroParque Fundación. The Director of COPE in Tenerife, JoséCarlos Marrero, accompained: José Alberto García Jañez,Francisco Javier Ferrer Benito, José Antonio García y MarisaGonzález (Spain), Soraya Alzamanza (Colombia), HasmikNahapetyan (Armenia) and Lilliam Mª Castillo González(Cuba) on their visit.

were welcomed by our president, Mr. Wolfgang Kiesslingand his wife, and were positively impressed by our shows.


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LORO PARQUE HOTLINE - LORO PARQUE HOTLINE

On December 17th, Loro Parquecommemorated its 30th anniversary and, on that specialdate, the first stone of its new project «Siam Park»was placed. Siam Park will be built in Adeje (south ofTenerife), on 180.000 m2 of land, and will require aninvestment of between 50 and 70 million euros.

On January the 11th, Loro Parque celebratedthe birth of a new member in the red-handed tamarinfamily (Saguinus midas midas). Tamarins(Callitrichidae), are the smallest among the primates,and some of the most charming species of New Worldprimates. With this new-born, there are 8 tamarinindividuals in the exhibit at Loro Parque.

Loro Parque has an important presence in the

be admired at each step through the park.The future resort will be mostly an aquatic

world, with innovative latest-generation attractionsnever before seen that will produce in our visitors highemotions and unforgettable sensations.

During the celebration of the anniversary,banners were placed in all the island’s villages to thankall the inhabitants of Tenerife their support and loyaltyduring our thirty years of existence, which correspondsto the enormous amount of visits received since ouropening in 1972.

Siam Park will offer the visitor a direct contactwith the Asiatic culture and architecture, inspired bythe ancient kingdom of Siam, allowing them toexperience the magical Orient and the kindness of itspeople. The installations will be surrounded with adiverse collection of exotic flora and fauna which can

International Tourism Fair FITUR, which is hostedannually in Madrid, and regularly attended by LP.Furthermore, our president Wolfgang Kiesslingattended the II International Conference on Tourism,organised by EXCELTUR, during the days prior toFITUR. EXCELTUR is an association for touristbusinessmen that promotes a channel for tourismexcellence, and in which Loro Parque in involved dueto its proven search for quality as the final goal. Thisyear the II International Conference on Tourism wasclosed by the President of the Spanish GovernmentJosé María Aznar, who in his speech proposed to theparticipants three fundamentals to achieve tourismexcellence: quality improvement (both in facilities andservice to the client), promotion of sustainable tourismand innovation.

With the coming of the austral summer to LoroParque, the best breeding season in the history ofPlanet Penguin has been recorded. Ten Gentoo penguinchicks were born in December, and eight king penguinpairs were incubating their eggs. Two rockhopperpenguins also laid eggs but unfortunately those provedinfertile.

This successful breeding season was a resultof the sexual maturity recently reached by mostindividuals in the exhibit, and the extraordinary breedingperformance was a consequence of the abundance ofnest materials provided by the staff.


The French company POLLENERGIEkindly offered the Loro Parque Fundación 23 Kg offresh, nitrogen packed pollen, which represents amarket value of about 1250 euros, to performfeeding trials on lories. The pollen from Pollenergiewas received in December 2002.

Moeller Electric, a new Loro Parquesupplier has become a supporter of Loro ParqueFundación. LPF has received a generous donationof 900 euros from Moeller Electric and the promiseto make an annual donation of 900 euros plus apercentage on the income from LP.

On the 18th of November 2002, Loro ParqueFundación and Telefónica de España, S.A., signedanother agreement of collaboration to continuethe support which Telefónica has been giving to theFoundation for some years now.

FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS

LPF has been providing to these two organisationsduring recent years.

LPF has initiated a new fund raisingstrategy through a collaboration with The BirdEndowment. The goal of this campaign is to raisefunds for the Blue-throated Macaw project inBolivia. The Bird Endowment is a non-profitorganisation dedicated to conservation and welfareof all birds, especially parrots. However, they aremainly focused on breaking the extinction vortex intowhich the Blue-throated macaws have been thrust.In co-operation with LPF, The Bird Endowment israising donations to the Blue -throated MacawConservation Programme. To date we have receivedtwo donations totalling 160 €.

Loro Parque Fundacion also wants to thankthe generous donation of 750 euros received fromFolker de Soye, Bonn (Germany).

At the end of last year, the existing memoof agreement between LPF and the bank CajaMadrid was renewed to develop a new projectcalled “Aula del Mar” (“Learning about the Sea”).The MOA involves a donation of 12,300 € for LoroParque Fundación, whose education department willcarry out the project. The objective is to createdidactic tools about the sea to be used by the schoolgroups which visit Loro Parque, as well as by theother visitors. These tools will consist of interactivecomputer applications dealing with different aspectsof the sea in a playful manner. It is also planned todevelop different levels of applications for alleducation levels. With this project, Loro ParqueFundación strengthens its offer in educationalmaterials to address the necessity of teaching natureconservation; at the same time, Loro Parque

The new contract was signed in LoroParque, the signing parties were represented by theFoundation’s President, Wolfgang Kiessling, and thelocal Director of Telefónica on the Canary Islands,Armando Santana Ozollapa.

This collaboration has the further objectiveto use Loro Parque’s public image for a promotionalcampaign of its ADSL lines. In exchange, LoroParque Fundación will get a donation of 7.212 €from Telefónica. As usual, 100% of the donationwill be invested in its conservation field projects.

During the annual meeting of its advisoryboard, Loro Parque Fundación decided to donate5000 € to the Conservation Breeding SpecialistGroup of IUCN, and further 1,000 € to RARECenter for Tropical Conservation. These donationsare the continuation of the financial support which

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FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS

provides a unique educational element to all theschools of the Canary Islands.

Since the materials which will be producedduring the development of “Aula del Mar” willrequire a huge quantity of good quality graphics,KODAK has donated a digital camera worth over400,00 € to the Foundation. This camera will beextremely useful for incorporating images incomputer applications.

In 2002, LPF was once more able to exceedour last breeding record, with 1,310 chicks ringed:this represents an increase of approximately 14 %compared to 2001. However, it is not only thenumber of offspring which was augmented but alsothe total of new species and subspecies bred which,in 2002, was of 178, i.e. ten more than the yearbefore.

Generally, not every species reproduces ona yearly basis. Out of 178 species and subspeciesbred, only 131 species had bred in 2001; theremaining 47 are those which, for the first time ever,or after a breeding pause, produced young.Nonetheless, there were also 37 species which weresuccessful in 2001 and did not produce offspring in2002.

In the meantime, the whole LPF-collectioncomprises a total of 342 parrot species andsubspecies.

We could say that last year’s breedingseason indeed was an extremely successful one, andthere are the first signs to indicate that the 2003season might also be exceptional.

Traditionally, the first parrots whichannounce that the new breeding season has begunare the keas (Nestor notabilis), and we are gladto say that our most reliable breeding pair hasalready laid a clutch of four eggs. At the same time,a pair of Banks cockatoos (Calyptorhynchusmagnificus) are incubating a single egg.

Loro Parque’s vet team is currentlypreparing the next European Association of AvianVeterinarians (EAAV) conference which will takeplace at Loro Parque and the Hotel Botánicobetween 22nd – 26th April. With over 60 speakersfrom different parts of the world and more than 200participants, this conference is probably the biggestand most consolidated convention for avian vets

from all over Europe. Apart from theoreticalpresentations there will also be a practice day atthe end of the event which will enable theparticipating veterinarians to improve their skills indifferent fields of veterinarian medicine such assurgery or endoscopy. For further information onthis conference please contact: www.EAAV.org.

During the winter months, LPF traditionallyattends different parrot exhibitions which takeplace in Germany. This season, we have added twonew events to our programme: the SpanishChampionship of Bird Breeders (celebrated inTenerife’s capital Santa Cruz), and the InternationalChampionship of Bird Breeders (celebrated in thetown of Amiens, France). The Foundation wasrepresented at both events to spread theconservation message among the visitors. In France,Loro Parque Fundación was supported by theSpanish delegation of breeders which was the third

most successful of the event (94 prizes) followingBelgium and Germany.

During the last few weeks, a SpanishTelevision Team visited Loro Parque to shoot adocumentary about the Loro Parque Fundación.The documentary of 45 minutes will be broadcastednationwide by the channel ‘Televisión Española’ andintends to promote the conservation work that LoroParque Fundación is accomplishing through theprotection of endangered parrots. The report willinclude interviews with staff members of LPF,information about our daily routine work as well asabout our field projects. Hopefully, this will enableus to find new collaborators and sponsors to supportour efforts.

11


New Working Group to ChampionSpix´s Macaw Recovery

In 2002 IBAMA dissolved the PermanentCommittee for the Recovery of the Spix´s Macaw(CPRAA), the previous body charged with theconservation of this species. IBAMA was effectivelyforced into taking this action by the unwillingness ofthe private holders in the Philippines, Switzerland andQatar to subject their birds to single populationmanagement decisions agreed to be in the best interestsof recovering the species. However, with the LoroParque Fundación as a principal partner, IBAMArapidly convened a new Working Group for the species’recovery, and the first meeting of this group took placein Fortaleza, Brazil. This meeting discussed the entirerange of options available for the recovery of the Spix´smacaw under the current circumstances, in particularthe careful breeding and transfer of the captive birds

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Although extinct in the wild, and with difficulties to manage all the captive birds as asingle population, the opportunity to recover the Spix´s macaw Cyanopsitta spixii is still

alive. Thus, the Loro Parque Fundación continues with its efforts to re-establishthis emblematic species in its native habitat. To this end, Christoph Kiessling,

Assistant General Director of Loro Parque and trustee of the Loro ParqueFundación (LPF), and Yves de Soye, LPF Director spent some important

days in Brazil last November and beginning of December, at theinvitation of IBAMA (the Brazilian government wildlife agency),

to discuss the future recovery strategy.

which are available for single population management,including those held by the LPF at its breeding centrein Tenerife.

Of the almost 70 individuals reported to be incaptivity, only eight (four males; four females) havebeen made available for conservation management.However, these include seven of the nine founders ofthe global population, thus incorporating most of theoriginal genetic variability found in the captive birds.An analysis made by geneticist and workshopparticipant Dr Jon Ballou of the Smithsonian Institution,shows that almost all pairings are acceptable betweenthese birds from a genetic standpoint. To these eightbirds is added another individual recently discoveredas a pet bird in the USA and repatriated to Brazil by


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the US Fish & Wildlife and IBAMA agencies. Thismale bird, known to be at least 25 years old, is likely tobe genetically unrelated to the other birds. Due to theappearance of this bird, the Brazilian Government willprobably offer a new amnesty for undeclared holdersof the species. The Working Group agreed the mostappropriate pairings for all these birds, and currentlysome transfers are taking place. The possibility forfree mate choice through group pairing was proposedby the LPF, but this will not be adopted for the time-being. The Working Group meanwhile discussed theimportance to continue to explore acceptable ways forall parties to again unite all the captive Spix’s macawsto boost the recovery of the species. There areexamples of other species successfully recovered fromvery low numbers in captivity, but it is fact that therisks are reduced if the population is larger.

The future captive breeding strategy includesthe incorporation of Spix´s macaws into a breedingcentre in Brazil, in Praia do Forte, Bahia, which willcontain breeding Lear´s macaws. The LPFrepresentatives had the opportunity to tour the agreedsite of the breeding centre, extending over 20,000m2,with the director of the Fundaçao Garcia d’Avila, theNGO which manages several conservation projects inthe same area, all on sites donated by the owner of theland. The suitability of the site is universally agreed,and now efforts are under way to achieve the requiredtotal of funds so that construction of the centre can goahead.

A further subject discussed in the workshop wasthe importance of protecting suitable habitat for theSpix´s macaw, and to maintain the enthusiasm of thelocal people to help protect it where the species lastoccurred naturally. The opportunity exists to acquirethe land near to the town of Curaçá where the Spix´smacaws were last found, and the LPF is fundamentallyinvolved in the process to ensure that this happens.Obviously, this land would be managed for conservationof the species and the habitat, which is caatinga scrub,together with the all-important caraibeira gallerywoodland.

Finally, as a further example of the uncertainties whichsurround the Spix´s macaw, there was another reportof birds in the wild, at a previously unexplored location.IBAMA mounted a search mission but, as with previousreports, presence of the species was not confirmed.

The site of the impending breeding centre in Praia de Forte, Brazil.

Christoph Kiessling and other participants in the workshop.


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With the support of several internationalorganisations, a number of positive steps forward weretaken by the Forestry department of St. Vincent during2002 towards the conservation of their national bird -The St. Vincent Parrot. This included several trips bymyself to St. Vincent to support conservation initiativeson behalf of the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary withfunding support towards my travel expenses beingprovided by the Loro Parque Fundación.

The year began with major structural renovationworks being carried out at the Calvin Nicholls WildlifeComplex that houses a large captive population of theSt. Vincent Parrot. The wildlife complex has been in

The beautiful St Vincent amazon Amazona guildingii remains on the threatened species listand is the subject of continuing conservation efforts by the Loro Parque Fundación. The

Fundación is a holder of this species and a member of the St Vincent Parrot ConservationConsortium, which functions as an advisory body to the Government of St Vincent and theGrenadines on every aspect of importance to the conservation of this species. In particular

the Fundación has drafted a species recovery plan and provided funds and expert assistancefor improved management of the captive population. In this article, Roger Sweeney,

former Curator at Loro Parque Fundación and currently Associate DirectorGraeme Hall Nature Sanctuary in Barbados, describes recent events.

Conservation Assistance forthe St. Vincent Parrot

operation for over 16 years, but this was the first majorrenovation of the complex since its initial construction.The work was carried out with funding support fromtwo organizations, Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary(GHNS) in Barbados and Zoologische Gesellschaft fuerArten-und Populationsschutz e.V. (ZGAP) in Germany.The renovations to the wildlife complex have significantlyimproved the physical environment for the captive birds.

During the months of March-April, the forestrydepartment completed the latest census of the St. VincentParrot in the wild. The census suggests that the wildpopulation remains at a stable number of around 550birds, although there is some concern about the

A captive St Vincent amazon in Barbados.


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distribution of the population and patterns of disturbanceto primary habitat across its range.

With the renovation works to the WildlifeComplex having been resolved, the next aspect identifiedto enhance the husbandry management of the captiveparrot population was dietary review. The captive birdshave been receiving a diet based mainly upon fruits andsome vegetables, which was supplemented with crushedCalcium carbonate tablets and poultry feed pellets. It wasdecided that the addition into the diet of a good qualityparrot food pellet and a broad spectrum Vitamin, Mineral& Amino acid supplement to replace the poultry pelletswould be highly beneficial. This was made possible whenthe pet care company, Rolf C. Hagen made the generousoffer to provide a free supply of food products to thecaptive populations of St. Vincent Parrots present in St.Vincent and Barbados. Three products are now beingsupplied on a regular on-going basis: Tropican - a pelletdiet for parrots; Tropi-mix - a low fat diet for obesity-prone parrot species made from a combination oftropican pellets, dried fruits and low fat cereals, etc, and;Prime - a vitamin, mineral & amino acid supplementpowder.

While continuing to improve the captivemanagement of the birds, there was also a clear need toprovide improved public information to visitors at theWildlife Complex, which is situated in the NationalBotanical gardens in Kingstown. Individual cage signsfor each enclosure to provide some basic informationabout the species exhibited were made possible with adonation of signs from the education department ofChester Zoo in England, which operates the "Zoo signs"service. The new information signs are now displayedon every cage at the Wildlife Complex providing somespecific information on each species exhibited there.

Following the visit in 2001 to St Vincent by DrLorenzo Crosta, head veterinarian at the Loro ParqueFundación, and his report on the health of the captivebirds, in July a two week veterinary workshop wasconducted in St Vincent by the field veterinary programmeof the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Dr. SharonDeems of WCS and Ms. Emily Ladwig, a senior keeperat Bronx Zoo conducted a thorough health review of allSt. Vincent parrots present on the island, includingspecimens held by private custodians as well of the mainpopulation at the Wildlife Complex. The staff at the WildlifeComplex greatly enjoyed the opportunity to interact withother animal care professionals and plans are beingprepared to enable some of the Vincentian staff to receiveadditional training abroad in 2003. With funding from theLoro Parque Fundación and Dr Thomas Nichols, duringMarch and April the Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. KathianHackshaw will be receiving practical training in aviansurgery techniques in the veterinary clinic at Loro Parque.

By October of 2002, some additional informationsigns had also been installed at the wildlife complex to

supplement the public information available. The firstwas a renovated version of an old sign that describedthe St. Vincent Parrot and its role and need for protectionas the national bird of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Thesecond was a newly commissioned sign that illustrates awide variety of the unique forms of wildlife found in St.Vincent with a message about the need to protect theisland's unique biodiversity. Work on both signs wasfunded by GHNS.

While several conservation and educationactivities are being planned for 2003, the main focus willbe centred upon the production of a captive populationmaster plan for the birds in St. Vincent.

Top: Main parrot housing block of the wildlife breeding centrefollowing renovation works. Center: Mr. FitzGerald Providence,St Vincent Government Forestry Department Supervisor, at therenovated Calvin Nichols Wildlife Complex with new informationsigns visible. Bottom: One of the wildlife breeding centre keeperswith captive St Vincent amazons.

Text and Photos by: Roger Sweeney


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Expansion in the Red-tailedAmazon conservation efforts

The proposal received from IPE for 2003has as its main goal to promote the integration ofthe researchers in to the t rad i t iona l loca lcommunit ies to improve the conservat ion ofSuperagüi National Park. This proposal has beenapproved by the Advisory Board of Loro ParqueFundacion, which agreed to fund IPE with 30.000euros.

The Inst i tuto de Pesquisas Ecológicasproposed to accomplish several goals with theproject renewal, among them: to continue with thepromotion of the local students and teachers in thedifferent areas of the educational project, thetraining of the local students to make them capableof collaborating in the educational activities of theRed-tailed Amazon project; the integration of theresearchers into the local community (teachers,students, fishermen, and women´s associations);the establishment of a local theatre company in thecity of Vila Barra do Superagüi to perform playson ecology among the different communit iesinvolved in the project; the creation or adaptationof an interpretative trail to enrich the programmefor the locals and tourists; the development ofeducational activities addressed to all the localcommunity; the organisation of expeditions to theRed-tailed Amazon roost island with teachers andstudents; strengthening of the cooking and puppetworkshops; spreading of the importance of theRed- ta i led Amazon conserva t ion among theSuperagui inhabitants; the evaluation of all theeducational strategies and the publishing of theresults in peer-reviewed publications and, finally,the involvment of the local communities in theRed.-tailed Amazon conservation.

To achieve these goals, IPE proposed tocarry out several activities, such as:

Since 1995 Loro Parque Fundacion has been sponsoring the Instituto de Pesquisas Ecologicas’(IPE) efforts for Red-tailed Amazon conservation in Brazil. At the end of last year LPF receiveda proposal for the renewal of funding for the conservation activities implemented by IPE and,moreover, several funding proposals from other organisations for different projects focusedon the Red-tailed Amazon conservation. Following its commitment to the establishment ofprojects with long-term benefits, the Advisory Board of Loro Parque Fundacion decided tocontinue with the sponsorship of the educational activities that IPE has been succesfullyimplementing and, simultaneously, promote an expansion of the scientific aspects to improvethe knowledge of the species’ conservation status.

Periodically visiting the schools in the areato perform debates with teachers, interviews withlocal researchers, ecological games, etc.

Performing environmental courses forteachers, students and guides.

Designing sustainable livelihood projects.Producing didactic materials such as panels,

teacher booklets, etc.Celebrating ecologically significant dates

such as the Environmental day, Earth day, tree day,water day, etc.

Us ing the loca l media to spreadenvi ronmenta l in format ion through rad iocommercials, interviews, promotional activities,etc.

Performing theatre plays on ecologicalproblems by a local company

Des igning an in te rpre ta t ive t ra i l ,b roadcas t ing educat ional v ideos , publ i sh ingdivulgative articles, etc.

In addition to IPE’s proposal, some otherproposals on the Red-tailed Amazon were received,mainly research projects to establish the species’status in its range in a more precise way. One ofthese was that presented by Dr. Stuart Marsdenand Dr. Mauro Galetti, endorsed by the Institutefor Biological Conservation (IBC), in which theysolicited funding to undertake a study on theecology and conservation of the Red-tailed Amazonin the Sao Paulo and Paraná States, through aresearch , capac i ty-bui ld ing and educa t ionprogramme. The Advisory Board considered thatit was the necessary complement to the work thatIPE has been doing to date, and decided to supportit. Among other activities, Loro Parque Fundaciónis going to sponsor the determinat ion of thedistribution and population density of the Red-tailedAmazon in the study range, determining precisely


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the breeding and foraging areas using GeographicalInformation Systems (GIS), the establishment ofa monitoring programme in Sao Paulo and ParanáStates, the development of a capacity-buildingprogramme for the guards and local students, dataanalysis aimed at the preparation of a SpeciesRecovery Plan (with special emphasis on theanalysis of the anthropogenic aspects of the speciesdecline and in recommendations to minimise thoseimpacts), the divulgation of the main programmeachievements in the scient if ic peer-reviewedjourna ls , the c rea t ion and management of awebpage with details on the project and the startof an educational programme in the Cardoso StatePark (based in Marujá) and in Cananeiá.

While the planning tasks are already started,the field work will begin in June 2003, and it isexpected that the project webpage will be publishedin August.

I t is widely known that f ie ld work intropical forest involves different difficulties thatmake it hard to get detailed information on wideareas. Traditionally, statistical tools are used to inferthe bird density in the whole area from that foundin randomly chosen transects. The main problemof this method is the assumption that the habitat inthe area has the same capacity to host the birds,something that is virtually impossible to prove dueto access difficulties and the extent of the area.Nevertheless, in this case a complementary methodto check the habitat capacity and availability, basedon satellite imagery, is going to be used. The fieldteam, during the census transects, will take data

on the vegetation. The precise localisation of thetransects will be made using a Global PositioningSystem, which will allow to compare the field teamobservations with the satellite images of the jungle.That will allow characterisation of how the satellitedetects the ideal habitat for the Red-tailed Amazon,and thus establish the extent of ideal habitat fromsatellite imagery of the whole region.

The submit ted proposal a lso includeddifferent educational activities, but the AdvisoryBoard did not agree its funding because this aspectis fully covered by the Instituto de PesquisasEcologicas in Superagüi.

Finally, a third funding proposal, fromPedro Shcerer Neto, was approved. This proposeda census in the southernmost limit of the Red-tailedAmazon distribution range, in Santa Catarina State.

The simultaneous sponsoring of thesethree projects means a unique opportunity toprogress on the Red-tailed Amazon conservation.The information obtained in the censuses, thesamplings and the satellite imagery, will be a idealbasis to write an Action Plan for the species toprioritise, formulate and optimise the conservationactivities. On the other hand, the environmentalawareness ac t iv i t i es tha t a re now be ingimplemented will serve as the starting point of awider community programme and, at the sametime, it will provide an enormous experience in theplanning of the future communication strategies.

Principal ProjectsPrincipal ProjectsPrincipal ProjectsPrincipal ProjectsPrincipal Projects* Brazil: Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) Recovery Programme* Brazil: Conservation of the Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis)* Bolivia: Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Conservation* Colombia & Ecuador: Conservation of the Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis)* Thailand: Protection of Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary* Philippines: Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) Conservation Programme* Indonesia: Conservation of Endemic Parrots on the Tanimbar Islands

Small-scale GrantsSmall-scale GrantsSmall-scale GrantsSmall-scale GrantsSmall-scale Grants* Ecuador: Conservation of the El Oro Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi)* St Vincent & the Grenadines: Conservation of the St Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii)* Indonesia: The nesting ecology of Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata) on Sumba* Colombia: Project Hapalopsittaca: parrot search in the Central Andes

Current Parrot Field Conservation Projectsof Loro Parque Fundación:


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Some good news aboutthe Philippine Cockatoo

For five years the Philippine CockatooConservation Program/Katala Foundation (PCCP) hasimplemented a conservation project in Palawan,Philippines in close cooperation with its partnerorganizations, the Loro Parque Fundacion, Spain, Parcdes Oiseaux, Villars-les-Dombes, France, the Departmentof Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines,German Embassy-Manila, Philippines and other partnersand donors. The main target of the conservation effortsis the Red-vented or Philippine cockatoo, which can onlybe found in the Philippines. The Katala, how the speciesis called locally, is listed as "Critical" by the InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature, the highest categorybefore being considered extinct. Main reasons for therapid decline of this parrot are poaching for the pet trade,and unabated habitat destruction. Probably as few as athousand birds are left in the wild, as recent estimatesreveal.

In its initial phase the program was focusing onRasa, a small uninhabitated coral island covering 8.3 km²,just offshore of Palawan Island, which is the principalremaining stronghold for the species. In 1998, a minimumof 36 individuals could be counted at a traditional roostingsite. Due to strict nest protection, intense informationcampaigns, offers for alternative livelihood for poachersand close cooperation with local authorities, it waspossible to more than double the population to at least78 birds after the breeding season of 2002.

The example of Rasa shows that conservationtogether with the local people is possible, even in

Internationally recognised as probably the most successful in-situ species conservation project in thePhilippines, the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program has been supported by LPF since 1999.

The appropriate protection measures taken are about to produce a surplus of wild cockatoos inRasa island which will help to expand the population towards its former geographical distribution.In this article Peter Widmann, Indira D. L. Widmann and Marc Boussekey, from Katala Foundation

and CEPA, make a review of the actual situation and the future possibilities.

developing countries, where economic pressures forcepeople to exploit natural resources beyond sustainability.In Rasa Island we managed to convince poachers activein the area to work for the conservation of the cockatoo.Ex-poachers meanwhile take pride in being part of thiswork, because they understand the uniqueness andinternational relevance in terms of biodiversityconservation of Rasa. Poaching from outside is unlikely,because the probability of outsiders going undetected onRasa is low. Furthermore, the program regularlymonitors and backstops the activities of the wardensand also the population development of the cockatoos.

Several visitors from the internationalconservation community, like Dr. Thomas Brookes fromConservation International or Dr. Ben King, AmericanMuseum of Natural History, New York, certified thatRasa Island might be the most successful in-situ speciesconservation project in the Philippines, and that theapproach of involving local communities in conservationefforts is a promising one.

However, these conservation efforts were onlyinitial steps. The formal declaration of Rasa as protectedarea on a national level is still pending because of a verylengthy and bureaucratic process. With the success ofprotection, pressures from other groups interested in theisland are mounting. At present, the local governmentunits, conservation agencies and the differentstakeholders have to prove that they are able to managethe cockatoo and its island habitat; consequently, theLocal Protected Area Management Committee for Rasa


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Island was created. Technical support is provided bythe PCCP/Katala Foundation.

Outside of the island of Rasa, cockatoopopulations are still decreasing dramatically. In most partsof the Philippines, it has disappeared already. Mostcockatoo populations collapsed to a critical thresholdwhere remaining birds do not form a genetically stableunit anymore, and are also extremely vulnerable toexternal impacts, like natural disasters, predation, andhuman persecution.

As a consequence, the Philippine CockatooConservation Program/Katala Foundation is in theprocess of expanding its efforts to other areas, whereviable populations of the cockatoo still can be found.PCCP conducted several surveys in locations with formerrecords of the cockatoo. The outcome was mostlydisappointing: either the cockatoo disappearedcompletely, or levels of poaching were so high anduncontrollable that any investment of money andmanpower would be futile. This conclusion is consistentwith the experiences of most conservation projects inother parts of the Philippines.

However, one island off Palawan was identified,which meets most of the criteria for the implementationof an additional conservation project. Dumaran Islandstill holds a potentially viable population of the cockatoo,the local government and communities are cooperativeand welcome the Katala Foundation-led recovery efforts.In some of the best areas for the cockatoo like theextreme south of Palawan, and the Sulu Archipelago,political instability, rebel groups, and piracy prevent usfrom implementing long-term conservation projects.Fortunately this is not the case in Dumaran.

One of the reasons why there still remains agood population of cockatoos on Dumaran Island becameapparent to the PCCP team during initial surveys. Thecondition of roads to the area is extremely poor. Thepublic vehicles loaded to the edge with people, groceries,live chickens, sacks of fertilizer and seeds take almosteleven hours for a stretch of 130km. Transportation byboat proved to be faster, but offers its own challenges,particularly during northeast-monsoon with high waves,strong winds, and heavy downpours. With all theseadverse conditions, it is unlikely that poached cockatoo

nestlings would survive the trip to be sold in the provincialcapital of Puerto Princesa City.

Further areas with important cockatoopopulations that are however currently inaccessible dueto insurgency problems or seem to be uncontrollable interms of poaching can not be neglected either. The PCCPhas started intensive information campaigns to informpoachers, buyers and the general public about the criticalsituation of the cockatoo, other wildlife and their habitats.Massive information campaigns are vital to anyconservation pursuits. Not only direct stakeholders aretargeted but also future decision-makers and the hope ofthe country: its youth. Hopefully in the future it will bepossible also to set up conservation projects in these areas,and buy some time for the survival of the Philippinecockatoo.

Another strategy of PCCP/Katala Foundation isto identify areas within the former range of cockatoodistribution which are suitable for translocation. Theproject expects that the cockatoo population of Rasa willreach its natural limits within the next years. Birds arenaturally dispersing to the mainland, but surplusindividuals could also be used for translocation in suitableareas within their former range to increase the numberof existent, or more likely, rebuild entirely newpopulations. Potential areas were surveyed on the islandsof Bohol, Leyte and Negros. So far however, no areascould be identified which fulfill the strict criteria fortranslocation of a highly threatened species. Either areasare not efficiently protected against poachers, or theyare too small to accommodate a viable population. Notsurprisingly for the Philippines, all of the areas surveyedare ecologically degraded and are in need of habitatrestoration, before a translocation of cockatoos could berealized. One of the tasks of the program therefore is tosurvey and describe cockatoo habitats, including importantnesting, food-providing and roosting trees, and theassociated flora and fauna. Time is running out, becausethe Philippine cockatoo naturally lives in lowland habitatsthat suffer most from human encroachment. Mostaffected are mangroves, coastal, swamp and lowlandrainforests, the prime habitats for the cockatoo.

Not only the cockatoo benefits from theconservation efforts, but a wide range of other species,like the Blue-headed racquet-tail, another threatened parrotendemic to Palawan, the Blue-naped parrot, Grey imperialpigeon, Palawan hornbill, Dugong, three species of marineturtles, just to mention a few.

Since the sustainability of the captive populationis still a problem to be solved, and sites for translocationare not readily available in the near future, focusing onthe conservation of the last remaining viable populationsin the wild seems to be the most promising strategy fornow to save the Philippine cockatoo from its bleak futureof extinction.

To help support the conservation of thePhilippine cockatoo and to ensure its long-term survivalin nature please contact the Loro Parque Fundación [email protected] or the KatalaFoundation at [email protected].

The wildlife wardens are playing an important role in theproject’s success.


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Since the rediscovery of 81 Critically EndangeredYellow-eared Parrots on 18th April 1999 in the High Andesof Colombia, the Loro Parque Fundación has been vital inencouraging a team of young enthusiastic ornithologistsand conservationists - Proyecto Ognorhynchus - to protectthis enigmatic species. Today, we are proud to report thatthe situation for the species has never been brighter. Theoriginal population of 81 birds has grown steadily over thepast four years to present total 276 individuals (including129 juveniles) in the Central Cordillera, after two bumperbreeding seasons! Added to this, the second populationin the Western Cordillera of Colombia that numbered 277 inearly 2000, worryingly declined in 2001, but after much effortby the project the population now numbers 303 individuals.The global population of Yellow-eared Parrots to-date is astaggering 579 individuals, which presents a fantastic turn-around for this species that was on the verge of globalextinction just 4 years ago!

Such a phenomenal population increase is thanksto sustained support of the Loro Parque Fundación whichhas permitted the Project Ognorhynchus to intensify threekey strategic conservation actions to protect the species:population monitoring, local community awareness, anddirect land protection.

Monitoring the Yellow-eared Parrot over the pastfour years has shed a great deal of information on the speciesecology and habits. At both study sites we haveestablished their daily foraging routes out from the regularroosting areas in Wax Palms. The species covers a widearea and its weekly and monthly movements accuratelytrack the changing supply of available food resources. Forexample, in the Western Cordillera the parrots have 22foraging routes and feed on 10 tree species, but prefer tofeed on the fruits of 5 tree species. This information is vitalin predicting where the species may be present at any timeof the year, and therefore enable us to undertake preemptiveactions to protect them as well as reforest areas with treesof their preferred feeding type.

Yellow-eared Parrot: thefuture is bright!

Proyecto Ognorhynchus, one of the Loro Parque Fundación’s Principal Projects, continuesto provide some of the most encouraging parrot conservation news received to date. Theproject leader, Dr. Paul Salaman, presents recent exciting results and new developments asthe project grows from strength to strength and is now influencing conservation actions for

other threatened parrots across Colombia. The Foundation allocated US$55,000 for theprogramme in the year 2003 (bringing our total Yellow-eared parrot conservation support

to US$ 201,044), of which US$10,000 comes from our funding partner the ZoologicalSociety for the Protection of Species and Populations (ZGAP)

By Paul Salaman, Proyecto Ognorhynchus,[email protected]

We continue to intensively monitor nesting,which is the most critical period for the species as adultsdefending nests can easily be shot and young removedfrom their hollow Wax Palm nests. The constant monitoringof nests ensures the population is protected at their mostvulnerable moment. We have established that the CentralCordillera study site has a highly successful breedingpopulation, with on average 50% of attempts producing onaverage 2 young and 2 breeding attempts per annum. Itseems that the Yellow-eared Parrot's are making up for losttime! During 2003, the Loro Parque Fundación hassponsored 3 Colombian thesis students to furtherinvestigate movements and breeding biology in the CentralCordillera.

Research has identified that the key threats tothe Yellow-eared Parrot remain the imminent loss of habitatand nesting areas. Montane forests are vital foraging areasfor the parrot, but are systematically logged and cleared forever-encroaching agricultural development, whilst WaxPalms are cut for Palm Sunday processions. We addressboth these threats through a combination of direct habitatprotection and local community awareness.

An innovative model for habitat protection hasconsisted of establishing a network of private naturereserves at both study sites. These reserves are owned bylandowners that are dedicated to protecting their forest forthe parrot and wildlife. These private nature reserves arenow officially registered and recognized in Colombia andeven able to apply for tax rebates! The project continues tostrengthen the network with assistance for reforestationand fencing as well as multi-institutional agreements to lendsupport and expertise, for example with local and regionalgovernment. To date almost 4000 ha of forest have beenprotected through this highly economical system. Wecontinue to develop this model to each study area and hopeto encompass a further 4000 ha forest during 2003.

One of the projects greatest strengths has beenits dedicated "eco-groups" lead by our environmental


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educators in each study area. Over 6000 person hours ofeffort have been dedicated to local community activitiesand education in 2002, including the highly successful PalmSunday campaign to save the species’ nesting and roostingsites - the emblematic Quindío Wax Palm (see Cyanopsitta63). The groups continue to grow and provide an importantforum to divulge and disperse the conservation message ineach community. Presently, we are preparing for PalmSunday 2003, and are planning another major national TVadvertisement campaign before Easter to capture public andinstitutional support for protecting the Wax Palm and theYellow-eared Parrot.

In the past 2 years, the project has gainedstrength through its staff and many volunteers, that haveculminated in forming "Fundación ProAves" to provide anon-profit organization to facilitate this and other projectsfor the conservation of parrots and all birds in Colombia.One of our greatest successes to date has been therediscovery of Fuertes's Parrot Hapalopsittaca fuertesi thatwas only known from 7 specimens collected in August 1911.

Like the Yellow-eared Parrot, the species is foundin montane forests in the Central Cordillera ofColombia. Alarmingly, the rich soils and lushvegetation of the volcano where this species wascollected had long attracted a plethora of coloniststhat had ravished its natural resources anddenuded its steep hillsides. Despite accuratedetails of where Fuertes's Parrot originally wasfound, all subsequent searches over nine decadesfailed to locate the parrot. The plight of Fuertes'sParrot had not gone unseen, as national andinternational conservation and ornithologicalauthorities, such as BirdLife International, hadlisted the species as Critically Endangered ofglobal extinction. Whilst this dire situation forthe parrot has long alarmed the globalconservation community, the harsh environmentand difficult access have largely deterred searcheswithin the species's possible range.From August 2000, with the support of Loro

Parque Foundation, Project Ognorhynchus staffthrough Fundación ProAves helped student JorgeVelásquez and Alonso Quevedo, search for thespecies, but to no avail until on 28 July 2002, theyascended over 10,000 feet through a mosaic ofpastures to a small patch of "cloud" forest on thehighest Andean volcano in central Colombia.There they witnessed the ghostly silhouettes of14 parrots tumbling from the mist, drawing nearer,as if "released from the heavens" said Jorge. Theyspiralled downwards in tight vortices to alight inthe trees. In those few seconds, that seemed aneternity, brilliant flashes of emerald greens, cobaltblues and scarlet reds flashed before Jorge andAlonso. They thought they were witnessing "amiracle from heaven", as Fuertes's Parrot haddescended and materialized before their very owneyes.

Sadly, five globally threatened parrot speciesoccur together in the Central Cordillera of Colombia.However, with the assistance of the Loro Parque Fundaciónwe are implementing a conservation program for all fivespecies. Loro Parque Fundación has committed $7500 forAlonso Quevedo to continue searches to locate the lastsurviving populations of threatened parrots across theCentral Cordillera in 2003. With extensive knowledge of theregion, and especially of its peoples, Project Ognorhynchusplays a critical role in developing conservation initiativesand gaining community support for a very special part oftheir natural heritage.

The future is bright. With the continued supportof Loro Parque Fundación, Project Ognorhynchus andFundación ProAves continue to safeguard the fragile fateof Fuertes's Parrot and the Yellow-eared Parrot - twoenigmatic and powerful flagship species for theconservation of Northern Andean forests.


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William Oliver, Director of Fauna and FloraInternational’s ‘Philippines Biodiversity ConservationProgramme’, visited Mari-it on 27th October, with anincoming group of visiting project partners from theUK (Roger Wilkinson of NEZS, Duncan Bolton ofBristol and Tony Warburton of WOT and VogelparkAvifauna in Holland). As the new range of parrot andhornbill aviaries, jointly sponsored by LPF and NEZShad been nearing completion for some time, theopportunity was taken to invite the President of WestVisayas State University to formally inaugurate thenewly completed aviaries.

Mari-it Conservation Park is located at WestVisayas State University’s College of Agriculture andForestry Campus, in Lambuano, Iloilo Province, PanayIsland. The inaugurated aviares were the last of the14 high quality breeding aviaries for various threatenedendemic parrots constructed with the support of LPF.

William Oliver highlighted the excellent jobdone by Project Manager Prof. Lucia Lastimosadespite the limited resources and logistic problemsdetailed in previous issues of Cyanopsitta (see Nº 65June 2002). In his communication to LPF WilliamOliver pointed out that the seven aviaries really lookedgood, and seemed to work well. The design was

Inauguration of the Mari-it aviaries in Panay Island

improved with a long and roomy 'safety porch' extendingthe entire length of the back of the range, with newdesigned dish platforms (easy to clean, removablehanging basket food), and incorporated subterreaneansloping concrete floors (covered with soil to allow someplant growth, whilst preserving the rat proofing of theaviaries) which drain out at the front corners of eachaviary. The drainage system design was excellent, asa tropical storm proved five minutes after the inauguralceremony.

A view of the new aviaries at Mari-it Conservation Park in Panay Island. (Photo by Duncan Bolton)

One of the blue-crowned raquet-tails now housed in the new aviaries(Photo by Duncan Bolton)


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Hotel Botanico, Sattva Music, Emcadisa, Panalu, Pretty Bird, Haribo, Pollenergie, Vogelfreunde Achern, The BirdEndowment, Cash and Carry, Verlag Michael Biedenbänder, Emerencio e Hijos, Georg Fischer, Moeller Electric,Cita, Betacar, Hagen Avicultural Research Institute, Pakara, Agencia Guimerá, Rohersa., Rotary Club Distrito2200, MRW, Artecolor, Fixoni, Matutano, Kanarien- u. Exotenzuchtverein Forchheim 1963, Cavas Catalanas,

Celgan, Club de Leones, Iberlanda Garden, Dialte, Procalor, Frutas Cruz Santa.Malinda Chouinard, Diane Bock, Manuel Fraga Alba, Folker de Soye, Renate Brucker, Rolf and Ellen Pape,

Carolyn Debuse & Kim Fondrk, Gisela Tiemann.

Sponsors and DonorsSponsors and DonorsSponsors and DonorsSponsors and DonorsSponsors and Donorsof Lof Lof Lof Lof Loro Poro Poro Poro Poro Parque Farque Farque Farque Farque Fundaciónundaciónundaciónundaciónundación

WWWWWe want to thank alle want to thank alle want to thank alle want to thank alle want to thank allour sponsors and donorsour sponsors and donorsour sponsors and donorsour sponsors and donorsour sponsors and donors

Over 30.000 Euros

Over 5.000 Euros

Up to 5.000 Euros

Loro Parque is the Foundation’sprincipal sponsor. Therefore, the fi-nancial support provided by oursponsors, members and donors can

be dedicated 100% to the widerange of parrot and biodiversityconservation activities ofLoro Parque Fundación.

Documents

The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación No. 68 - March 2003...Cyanopsitta The newsletter of Loro Parque Fundación No. 68 - March 2003 Wolfgang Kiessling 2 Message from the Founder