Primolius maracana pdf

We spoke about the need for installing wind farms far from the priority areas for P. At this time, we highlighted the need to create formal conservation units in the priority areas outlined by the current study.

The state has recently implemented a number of measures to establish new conservation units CUs in the caatinga, so our presentation was important for the authorities to recognize the immediate possibility of establishing CUs in these areas. Alexandre Rochinski, and several wildlife technicians. We presented the results of our assessment, emphasizing the need for a sustained wildlife monitoring effort in the Serra de Santana region in order to enforce the prohibition of hunting, capture and trade of fauna.

It was agreed that the priority areas will be targeted for more intense patrolling and that our team will accompany IBAMA technicians during future expeditions to Serra de Santana for an in loco inspection of priority areas for P.

General appearance of Serra de Santana, northeast Brazil and visual records of feeding and reproduction of Blue-winged Macaw Primolius maracana made in Our observations point to the presence of P. Thus, it is likely that in the past P. It is important to emphasize, however, that we did not systematically search for P. Furthermore, the current area of occupation that we surveyed does not surpass 10, ha and the overall population size is probably fewer than mature individuals. The two areas of Serra de Santana with recent records of P.

Additionally, this eastern portion of the Serra de Santana is a large and relatively preserved region of the caatinga, the undulating terrain is also unfavorable for agriculture, and there is already significant pressure from grazing and selective cutting. This area also receives more rainfall than the western side of the range and contains tree species that are known to be exploited by P. The ecology of P. Our observations suggest that P.

For some of these species, it is still necessary to study the intensity of use and real nutritional value for P. New information about the foraging habits of P.

The latter is particularly interesting to consider, because cotton was an important crop between the s and s in Serra de Santana. It is highly likely that various Psittacidae species had enough impact on plantations that they were directly persecuted by farmers [19, 26].

In this respect, a better understanding of P. We observed flowers and fruits in different stages of development during the dry season and occurring later in the eastern part of the region than in the western portion. It seems that orographic rainfall in this region is most common and contributes to maintaining the P. The testimony that chicks had been removed from a nest in March indicates that the eggs were laid in January.

Less accurate reports indicate that offspring are born at the beginning of the year. There are reports of P. Precise knowledge of the reproductive cycle of the species in each area of occurrence is important for implementing conservation measures to impede illegal capturing and optimize resources and field efforts. We recommend that efforts to combat the illegal sale of P. Interviews with residents suggest that two eggs are laid, given that the most reliable respondents never described the capture of more than two chicks.

There are accounts of three eggs being laid in captivity, but no additional information on brood size is available for the species [19]. There is no evidence for more than one breeding attempt during the same reproductive season for P. Therefore, active nesting sites must be monitored daily from the first signs of breeding activity in order to prevent the capture of any nestlings.

Constant monitoring of nests has been an essential part of successful conservation actions with other Psittacidae species [27] and will be crucial to conservation planning for P. The tree species that P. The mulungu tree seems to be preferred, probably due to its soft wood and thick branches located high above the ground. This species is also not selectively harvested because it has no commercial value, while cumaru and craibeira are both exploited for various purposes. For these reasons, measures to combat clearing and burning practices, as well as to regulate selective cutting, must be implemented in the short term.

We recommend the implementation of a pilot project that builds on the new knowledge presented here regarding the specific characteristics of natural cavities used by P. With respect to the impacts and threats identified in the areas where P. Although these settlements include areas that are designated as legal environmental reserves, they are not respected and are being systematically altered, invaded by unauthorized occupants, and used to hunt and capture wild animals.

It is crucial that the establishment of these settlements be accompanied by rigorous inspections, enforcement of the laws designed to protect reserve areas, and environmental education. It should also be emphasized that overgrazing is common in some parts of Serra de Santana and has already led to the onset of the desertification process. These areas must also be mapped and monitored, and should be subjected to habitat recovery efforts in especially degraded areas before they become irreversibly damaged.

Although subsistence hunting was a common and widespread practice in the region around 30 years ago, hunters now live mostly in the nearby cities and engage in the activity on weekends. There are also a few local hunters who are known to supply most of the demand for wild game from city residents.

These people do not really depend on hunting for survival, and their illegal activities have not been challenged by the authorities responsible for law enforcement in the region. Immediate and severe measures are needed to preserve the local fauna. Populations of the species that are hunted and captured by wildlife traffickers are undoubtedly overexploited, and local extinctions of threatened fauna, such as C. Regrettably, the illegal trade of wild birds is still widespread in South America and includes large numbers of different species, many of which have been confirmed to be locally extinct [].

This is an essential step in combating the continued loss of local biodiversity and implementing an action plan to recover P. Although our proposals have been generally well received, a lack of resources and organizational structure among local authorities precludes immediate action. Municipal governments in rural areas do not have the technical support to qualify environmental agents as inspectors or conduct environmental education campaigns.

There is also a serious absence of environmental authorities willing to assume responsibility for these oversights, let alone to promote reform or proper enforcement. Constant monitoring and the presence of environmental authorities are urgently needed to extinguish poaching and allow the species enough reproductive success to offset an apparently drastic population decline in the region.

Although we did not document specific cases of illegal trade at the local fairs we investigated, there is little doubt that the population of this species has been seriously compromised.

It may also be the case that nestlings removed from the wild are being purchased in more affluent cities in the region e. Natal, Fortaleza, Recife , where they most certainly fetch a much higher price.

One of the greatest ongoing threats to the effective conservation of parrots and macaws is capture for commercial purposes [, 19, 29, 30, 32, 33]. The evidence demonstrates that P.

Continuous monitoring of threatened Psittacidae populations is practically nonexistent, despite being necessary for understanding basic population dynamics [1, 2].

Monitoring nests over the entire reproductive period, as with the Red-spectacled Amazon Amazona pretrei [34], is one possible way to ensure reproductive success to P. Artificial nest boxes should also be considered as a temporary means of intervention to compensate for the low availability of natural cavities.

This method has proven to be effective in the recovery of populations of various species [26, 35]. Combating overall environmental degradation in the region must start with measures to ensure the enforcement of environmental legislation at rural settlements and private properties in the Serra de Santana.

Habitat loss is a serious and ongoing threat to some of the most endangered parrot species in the Neotropics [1, 33]. Therefore, it is vital to prevent unnecessary losses in the Serra de Santana through strict control over inspection measures and a rigorous environmental licensing process for any proposed undertaking in the priority conservation areas defined for P.

Any potential threats to the species should be considered according to the principles of utmost precaution, and informed decisions must address the potential synergistic effects of all known impacts. Environmental licensing requirements must be stringent, with clear definitions of how any at-risk species will be protected.

For effective management and reintroduction of captured species, we suggest that research on reproductive monitoring, population dynamics, patterns of movement, and food resource dynamics for P. Basic research is an essential component in the conservation process of most threatened Psittacidae [1, 2, 19, 26]. Furthermore, estimates of genetic variability, inbreeding, and the effective size of wild populations are necessary for effective conservation planning and management [36, 37].

Genetic variability in P. Biogeographic studies using niche modeling would also be useful in determining the potential distribution of P. Only through the joint actions of all the stakeholders involved will it be possible to implement the necessary measures and effectively oversee the conservation of P.

Recent vegetation cutting and fauna in captivity recorded in the Serra de Santana, northeast Brazil. A and B: slash-and-burn activity and vegetation clearing observed in ; C, D and E individuals of Blue-winged Macaw Primolius maracana observed in captivity in the respective sites 1 on 16 October , 53 on 26 June and 53 on 3 August ; F: Turquoise-fronted Amazon Amazona aestiva observed in captivity in the site 53 on 26 June ; G and H: a Jaguarundi cub Puma yagouaroundi and a Black-striped Capuchin Cebus libidinosus observed in captivity in the site 1 on February In the most heavily impacted areas, where plant cover has been seriously reduced, particularly in highland plateaus and degraded hillsides, the species is absent.

The effective conservation of priority areas for P. We recommend that a conservation unit with total protection be created for the geographic area represented by each polygon, including a margin of at least 2. An Environmentally Protected Area APA - following the Brazilian system of protected areas should also be established between these units to include the fragments of caatinga vegetation on the flat elevated portion of the highlands and adjacent hillsides, to create an ecological corridor between the aforementioned protection units.

As a complementary action for maintaining existing habitat and preventing additional loss, it will be important for the federal government to provide better incentives for private landowners to establish Private Natural Heritage Reserves RPPN - following the Brazilian system of protected areas throughout the Serra de Santana. Measures that encourage local development projects and socio-economic improvements to improve quality of life and foster respect for regional culture and natural resources must also be implemented.

A concrete local possibility lies in the promotion of tourism, especially ecological and rural attractions. Ecotourism has the potential to give demonstrable economic value to large, colorful parrots and macaws, and contribute a sustainable source of revenue to the local economy [3]. Promoting environmental awareness and encouraging responsible environmental practices should become a top priority among the communities in this region if we are to change and improve the way in which the limited resources of the Serra de Santana are used.

We suggest that the first step in this direction is to support environmental education programs and provide technical assistance to the communities and private properties located in or around priority areas. The initial goal should be to raise awareness among the population, to denounce the continued capture, hunting and sale of wildlife as a criminal activity, and to minimize the further loss of native vegetation and encourage the responsible use of soil and other resources.

Finally, it must be stated that we believe P. The conservation situation here is compounded by an array of extrinsic variables, including fragmented and highly restricted habitat that suffers from ongoing impacts of human activity, possibly worsening drought conditions related to climate change, and the uncontrolled illicit capture of wild birds for the illegal pet trade.

The measures proposed here must be enforced as soon as possible to ensure any chance of conserving P. Our work will contribute to knowledge of the current distribution, population status, and ongoing threats to P. Acknowledgements We are grateful for the hospitality of Antonio Amaro Sobrinho.

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