Scarlet Macaw chicks stolen!
On Saturday the 15the of July we found the nest of the Scarlet macaws empty. Two weeks before team Araproject found two chicks in perfect health. No sign of a struggle were found and we therefore conclude the chicks were stolen.
Team Araproject is inconsolable. These two chicks were the hope of this species that is threatened with extinction in their native lands. Toos and Nape, the parents, show signs of distress. They have sat at the entrance of the nest for hours looking for their babies. Even looking down to see if they had fallen down. It is heartbreaking to see their despair.
The chicks have probable been stolen by a “parrot fancier�? in the area of Haarlem. There is no other way to get the mandatory CITES papers for this rare and precious species. Only if the authorities can be made to belief they are home bred can these papers be obtained. The birds are not banded so they are easily recognised.
The macaws will probably not start another breeding cycle this year. We have good hope for 2007. To prevent similar event we will install video surveillance on the nest tree.
Please help Araproject fund the video equipment by donating trough Paypal:
Thank you!
Team Araproject