Anodorhynchus leari, Lear’s Macaw

Category Terrestre
Date  1999-2024
Investment 220.527 $

Thanks to LPF’s conservation efforts, the Lear’s Macaw has been saved from extinction. Although their populations are currently fragmented, their numbers are increasing, which gives even more hope to this parakeet.

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Lear’s Macaw

The Lear’s macaw, a species endemic to Brazil and closely tied to semi-arid ecosystems where it relies heavily on licuri palm fruits as its main food source, has seen a remarkable improvement in its conservation status thanks to a comprehensive approach led by Loro Parque Fundación.

Once listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 1994 to 2008, the species is now classified as Endangered, although it still faces ongoing threats such as habitat loss caused by wildfires, agriculture, and grazing.

The project combines ex situ breeding and management—with 49 individuals bred since 2006—and planned reintroductions in Brazil of macaws born in Tenerife. It also includes compensation schemes for farmers affected by crop damage, and community awareness campaigns.

A key milestone was the successful breeding in the wild of a reintroduced pair, which raised four chicks—clear evidence of the effectiveness of the conservation model and a hopeful sign for the future of the species.