World's rarest bird finds shelter in Asia

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http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0907-al_wabra_interview.html

*Sheikh goes from collector to conservationist in effort to save the world's

rarest parrot

Mark Szotek, special to mongabay.com

September 10, 2009

*

 

*From Collectors to Conservationists: Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation *

 

Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) is a private conservation and

endangered species breeding-center located in the Arabian gulf State of

Qatar. Founded by Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani, the facility

focuses on work with threatened antelope and bird species. Although AWWP has

had great success with numerous endangered animals, the Preserve is most

noted for developing a captive breeding program for the Spix's Macaw, a

species of parrot now extinct in the wild and once considered " the world's

most endangered bird species. "

 

In May 2009 Mark Szotek visited Al Wabra in Qater to speak with Dr. Sven

Hammer, the Director of Wildlife and Veterinary Services at Al Wabra, Ryan

Watson, Blue Macaw Coordinator, and Dr. Amrita Deb, Al Wabra's Head of

Conservation. The following is a compilation his interviews.

 

*Mongabay:* *Please tell us about Al Wabra's mission and how the facility

evolved from a " hobby farm " of the Al-Thani family into a world-class

facility for breeding endangered species?

 

 

Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani with Spix's Macaw at Al Wabra. ©

AWWP, Hammer **Dr. Hammer (Director of Wildlife and Veterinary

Services):*It is quite common for wealthy Sheikhs in the gulf region

to keep wild

animals, most of which are acquired illegally from unstable parts of the

world such as the Horn of Africa region. Rarely do these animals receive

proper care and are simply replaced if and when they die. Just prior to the

turn of the 21st century Sheikh Saoud made the decision that this practice

was no longer personally acceptable and that if he was going to continue

keep exotic animals at Al Wabra farm, conditions had to improve. From this

point, professional zoo management practices were implemented through the

hiring of qualified and experienced staff to manage the animals at Al Wabra.

Sheikh Saoud went from " Collector " to " Protector " and Al Wabra went from

your typical Arabian hobby farm to a world class wildlife preserve.

 

Now the mission of AWWP is to maintain genetically and demographically

sustainable populations of " focal species. " This is accomplished by

providing facilities conducive to breeding success through the stringent

management of behavioral, nutritional, and health requirements. Most of our

focal species are currently threatened with extinction, but not all.

However, one thing they all have in common is that they are very rare in

captivity and for some species, AWWP has the only managed captive population

in the world. "

 

*Mongabay:* *The Spix's Macaw is the flagship species of AWWP. How did AWWP

come to work with this very endangered bird?

 

**Ryan Watson (Blue Macaw Coordinator):* The Spix's Macaw had long been a

species which Sheikh Saoud admired for its beauty and unique physical

characteristics. In 1999 Sheikh Saoud requested information about the

conservation activities for the Spix's Macaw, with the intention of

involving AWWP if it would be beneficial for the species. Realizing the full

plight of this very endangered species, we stepped forward " .

 

*Mongabay:* *Sheikh Al Thani is a noted international art collector; how did

the Spix's Macaw's rarity and beauty play a factor in choosing to work with

this species?

 

**Dr. Hammer:* " Sheikh Saoud does admire the rare and beautiful and is a

world renowned art collector. However working with the Spix's Macaw (and

other endangered species) offered a more compelling opportunity by acting as

a " protector " rather then a " collector. "

 

*Mongabay:* *At one point there were less then 40 Spix's Macaws known to

exist, scattered around the globe in private collections. Al Wabra

management stepped up to acquire most of the birds remaining in private

hands - What lead to this decision?

 

 

Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) © AWWP, Hammer **Ryan Watson:* " At this

time there were considerable problems within the group of people involved

with Spix's Macaw conservation; for example the second largest holder of

Spix's Macaws, Dr. Joseph Hammerli, pulled out of the program and sold most

of his birds to another private collector, Rolland Messer of Switzerland

(Dr. Hammerli would not comment on the location of his remaining birds).

This left the majority of the birds in remaining in the program in one

location, Birds International Incorporated (BII), Manila - Philippines, the

largest commercial parrot breeding facility in the world. Al Wabra contacted

BII to discuss the possibility of sending some of their Spix's Macaws to

Qatar to establish another breeding population. BII agreed that it would be

wise to split the population for bio-security reasons and sent AWWP 4 birds

in 2000.

 

In 2002 another 4 birds were sent to AWWP, this time from Roland Messer

whose Spix's Macaws had also become part of the official breeding program.

By this stage the last wild Spix's Macaw had disappeared and the

international committee for the recovery of the species had been dissolved

due to constant disagreements between the members. The species future looked

very bleak, but Sheikh Saoud and the Al Wabra team were committed to the

species survival. In 2003 when BII decided that all of its Spix's Macaws

would be best managed at AWWP (due to serious health problems that were

threatening the birds) Sheikh Saoud did not hesitate to make available the

resources necessary for facilitating another 25 birds. As Roland Messer

encountered financial problems and could no longer adequately run his

breeding facility, he also decided to transfer ownership of his 11 birds to

Sheikh Saoud in 2003 (He retained ownership of one breeding pair, which Al

Wabra managed until 2005). This is how AWWP acquired its founding stock and

since 2004 we have bred 21 Spix's Macaws.

 

Currently our population stands at 52, all of which are managed as part of

the international studbook for the species that currently includes 68 birds.

 

 

*Mongabay:* *Your group plans to return the Spix's Macaw to the wilds of

Brazil. How are your efforts proceeding?

 

**Ryan Watson:* Returning Spix's Macaws to the wild is AWWP's goal but first

we must establish a stable and sustainable captive population, a task which

is proving extremely difficult because of health and genetic issues

(infertility). In the mean time, AWWP, along with several other groups

participating in Spix's Macaw conservation are supporting education programs

in the Curaca region of Brazil where the species formerly occurred. Two

important pieces of former habitat which were on private property have been

acquired for the species if and when the Spix's Macaw is able to be

reestablished in the wild. One of these properties, a 2200 hectare parcel

called Concordia Farm was purchased by Al Wabra late in 2008.

 

*Mongabay:* *The last wild Spix's Macaws suffered from habitat loss coupled

by pressures from the " pet trade. " What efforts are AWWP and the Brazilian

government taking to insure that reintroduced birds do not suffer a similar

fate?

 

 

Lear's Macaw © AWWP, Bishop **Ryan Watson:* Community awareness activities

occurred in the Curaca region throughout the 1990s and continues today in

the form of education programs. The Spix's Macaw is now very important to

the local community and therefore the success of releases is of the highest

priority. Part of our education process is to help local people understand

that poaching benefits only a few people, where as protection of the species

has the potential to benefit an entire community through employment

opportunities, improved literacy and eco tourism.

 

Additionally, the full time presence of conservationists in an area is

generally a very effective deterrent to poachers who typically can only

operate in locations receiving little or no attention. Two good examples of

this in Brazil are the Hyacinth Macaws and Lear's Macaws; both species

populations significantly increased in numbers once conservation projects

were established in their habitats. This is almost entirely due to reduced

poaching. The Spix's Macaw is now so high profile that it would be very hard

for illegal trafficking to go unnoticed.

 

*Mongabay:* *What other endangered species and conservation agendas are

focuses for AWWP?

 

**Dr. Amrita Deb (Head of Conservation):* " The philosophy at AWWP is to

carry out in-situ (field) research in parallel with the ex-situ (captive)

breeding efforts. Both efforts tend to complement each other in species

conservation. A good example of this is in regards to work with the Lear's

Macaw. AWWP (and other conservation facilities) had been unsuccessful in

breeding this species. In-situ studies on the habitat and ecology of the

wild population in Brazil revealed an intricate nesting structure with

tunnels used by the birds in cliff walls. When these patterns were

replicated at AWWP, a chick was hatched the following year and every year

since.

 

Another species AWWP is working with in the field is the Dibatag Antelope

(Ammodorcas clarkei), a unique and endangered endemic of the Ogaden region

in Ethiopia. This area is at the heart of the conflict zone between

Ethiopian authorities and guerrilla fighters of Somali origin. On the basis

of the 3 year research project, AWWP made recommendations to the local

authorities for delineating a conservation area for the species and has made

an offer, supported by the IUCN captive breeding specialist group (CBSG), to

manage a safety-net population at AWWP using abandoned juvenile animals from

Ethiopia.

 

AWWP is also involved with the conservation of the Blue-headed Quail Dove

(Starnoenas cyanocephala) endemic of Cuba. AWWP's expertise in captive

management contributed to the breeding success of the ex-situ (captive)

population in Cuba and in-situ research and awareness initiatives to

conserve this endangered species remaining habitat.

 

*Mongabay:* *What's ahead for Al Wabra? What new projects and conservation

initiatives will the Preserve undertake?

 

 

Adult male Dibatag Antelope © F. Wilhelmi 2003 **Dr. Amrita Deb:* Beside the

ongoing Spix's Macaw and Dibatag Antelope projects, which will remain a

focus for the coming years, there are considerations of buying land in

different countries for habitat protection (e.g. Madagascar, East Africa).

AWWP now tends to alter its conservation strategies from working solely with

individual species towards habitat conservation. Because of the increasing

human population, saving ecosystems is the most important step to preserve

biodiversity for future generations.

 

*Mongabay:* *The Al Wabra story represents a success for both the " marriage "

of captive breeding efforts with field conservation and the important shift

from the " collector mentality " to that of a true conservationist. *