Macaws called a conservation victory

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. and Guatemalan researchers say a group of scarlet macaw fledglings taking flight over the forests of Guatemala represents a major conservation victory.

The newly fledged birds total 29 macaws, a success for the Wildlife Conservation Society's Guatemala Program, WCS's Bronx Zoo, the National Park Service of Guatemala and other groups working for the survival of the species, a WCS release said Monday.

With a total estimated population of just around 300 macaws in Guatemala, each successfully fledged bird is critical, the researchers said.

"The success in increasing the nesting success of scarlet macaws through intensive chick management and fostering is a great step forward for macaw conservation," said WCS Conservationist Rony Garcia. "We believe the lessons learned can not only help save the scarlet macaw in Guatemala, but be extended to help other threatened species of parrots and cavity nesters across the globe."

The WCS said it has been working to conserve the scarlet macaw, one of the world's largest parrot species, by protecting the species from habitat destruction and poaching for the pet trade.