Hyacinth Macaw
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
Characteristics
- Origin
South America
- Habitat
tropical rainforest
- Diet
Nuts, fruits, seeds
- Status
vulnerable
Threat Categories of IUCN
At home in the tropics
Hyacinth macaw numbers plummeted during the 1980s, and an estimated 10,000 of the birds have been caught illegally and were sold as pets. The parrots are also hunted for their feathers and their meat. The ongoing destruction of the South American rainforests is another reason for the decline in numbers as it robs the macaws of their home. In recent years, deforestation has intensified in Brazil: between August 2015 and July 2016 alone, 8,000 km² of primeval forest was destroyed – that is an area ten times the size of Berlin. Zoo Berlin is helping to protect hyacinth macaws in Bolivia.