Period under review: 1/1/99 to 30/6/2000
Total expenses: R$53,082.77(1999) and R$ 30417.20 (1st half 2000)
Execution: UNIDERP: University for the Development of the Pantanal Region
Financial support: Hyacinth Macaw Fund and WWF Brazil.
Other sponsors: IBAMA, Manoel de Barros Foundation, Estancia Caiman, Toyota do Brasil S/A, Pousada Arara Azul and Hyacinthine Macaw Survival Fund.
Summary: This report refers to the last breeding period of the Hyacinthine Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus (1999/2000). During this period we discovered 53 new nest sites, bringing the total monitored to 310. This represents 74% of all the identified nest sites in the southern Pantanal (N=418). We installed 26 nest boxes and maintained 70 nesting sites, both natural and artificial. Most of our work took place in the Miranda district, where our base at the Pousada Caiman is located, but we also monitored nest sites in the Nhecolândia and Abrobral districts as well as starting monitoring activities in the Rio Negro district. Some 180 nest sites were explored by Hyacinthine Macaws, but only 80 pairs produced eggs. Some 54 pairs raised 74 young, of which 58 achieved independence.
We obtained answers to some questions on ecto-parasites and entomo-fauna in the nest sites with the assistance of team from the Veterinarian College at UNIDERP. In the Miranda district we were able to achieve positive results in increasing the number of young reaching independence each year from 7 in 1997, 19 in 1998 to 25 in 1999. This can be attributed to the increase in available nesting cavities and decreasing competition by the installation of nest boxes. Nine young were fitted with radio collars. All were monitored from the outset, but at present only three continue to be monitored on a weekly basis. We carried out research into the reproductive behaviour of the Hyacinthine Macaws by observing two pairs with young for 800 hours.
In the Nhecolândia and Abrobral districts we monitored the nesting sites of the Green-winged Macaw Ara chloroptera, since they used the same sites as the Hyacinthine Macaws. A total of 48 nest sites were explored by the Green-winged Macaws in 1999/2000. Of 18 pairs which produced eggs, 10 were successful in hatching 15 young, all of which achieved independence. We discovered two large dormitories and two locations with a large number of Hyacinthine Macaws feeding.
The eco-tourism activities were developed mainly with guests at the Pousada Caiman, special groups and university academics. Informal environmental education activities were carried out with the local Pantanal community, in rural schools and the population in general. We received students and carried out training in various activities in the countryside. We presented project results to national and international scientific conventions, gave many talks and participated in press interviews.
The research work of the Projeto Arara Azul/UNIDERP
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