Parrot romance at Wuppertal Zoo: Chicks celebrate World Parrot Day!

Parrot romance at Wuppertal Zoo: Chicks celebrate World Parrot Day!

Zoos in North Rhine-Westphalia are popular excursion destinations for children and adults. A particularly pleasant event occurred at the Green Zoo in Wuppertal. A “Singles Exchange for Hyacinth Macaws” recently took place there, organized to help single birds from various European zoos find partners. On this special occasion, two Hyacinth Macaw birds fell in love and became parents. The chicks hatched just in time for World Parrot Day and are in excellent health.

The zoo's surveillance cameras recorded the new family's first steps, and the black and white images have already been released. Animal fans are excited about the news on social media. However, the exact date when the chicks will leave their nest and fly remains unclear. The parents are a couple who successfully raised a young behind the scenes at Aralandia in July, after two previous breeding seasons without success. Inexperienced parents often have to learn the necessary breeding skills, which makes this event all the more significant.

Protection and conservation of hyacinth macaws

Hyacinth Macaws are the largest parrots in the world and can grow up to one meter tall. Unfortunately, they are also an endangered species. Their population suffers not only from hunting for their meat and feathers, but also from habitat loss and conflicts with agriculture. Deforestation in South America is leading to a shortage of mature trees needed for bird nesting. Of the 19 known macaw species, more than half are threatened or even extinct. The Green Zoo Wuppertal and the Zoo Association Wuppertal e.V. are committed to the preservation of these majestic birds and rely on an extensive breeding program.

Aralandia, the zoo's free-flight aviary, is the zoo's largest construction project and was realized with support of 6.4 million euros from the zoo association. In this innovative environment, unmated hyacinth macaws can find mates using modern technology. All parrots are equipped with radio collars and are monitored 24 hours a day. The Green Zoo Wuppertal, together with the Zurich Zoo, leads the breeding program for these endangered birds.

In addition, the zoo has initiated important nature and species conservation projects on site, including in collaboration with the Loro Parque Fundación and the Instituto Arara Azul. On the one hand, these projects provide direct and indirect protection for the birds, for example through the provision of nesting boxes, and on the other hand, they educate the local population to raise awareness of this endangered species.

For further information on these significant breeding successes and the Wuppertal Zoo's commitment to protecting hyacinth macaws, you can read the reports at derwesten.de and wuppertal.de.