4 Black-fronted piping guans send to the project 'SAVE Brasil' for re-introduction into the wild . From Facebook : "Four black-fronted piping guans (jacutingas) bred at Parque Das Aves joined other captive-bred conspecifics in a journey to Serra da Mantiqueira (São Paulo, Brazil), to be prepared for future reintroduction in the wild, part of a conservation programme by SAVE Brasil. The zoo had already sent six jacutingas to the programme in 2017 and five of them were reintroduced in the Mata Atlântica."
Incredibly sad news today. 172 of the 176 of the park's flamingos were killed in a wild jaguar attack. A mother and her son from the atlantic forest subspecies invaded the institution last night and attacked the animals. Both chileans and greater flamingos were kept in the big flamingo pond, and the institution will be closed in the next three days. There were movement sensors and light alarms to prevent this kind of attack, and it's still unknown how the predators found their way in. At this moment, the biologists and vets are planning to start another group of flamingos in the future...
yeah, i've seen this today, but well flamingos breed fast, i don't think it will take a long time to create a new colony again.
Yes, but this was actually very sad. Imagine taking care of the same flamingo colony for 26 years, doing everything for them to breed and to feel well, and then lose practically all the individuals in a single night. The zoo's crew is surely devastated, but I do believe they will get to restablish the group soon. I got to visit the institution back in 2019, and the flamingo flock looked incredibly healthy and full of youngsters. I'm pretty sure they have enough competence to keep doing a great job with both flamingo species they keep, and at this moment I only hope they don't feel blamed and get to comform. They much probably did all they could, but now all they can do is to focus on the future.
I discovered Parque das Aves last week. I must say I have been impressed by the quality of housing and the care provided to the visitor experience. Of course building a zoo in the middle of the Atlantic Forest is an asset but things are done with taste and relevance. Not a single bird is living outside an aviary anymore (except casowarry of course). Most of the collection is actually housed in several huge (really) walkthrough aviaires with diverse focus. My favourite is the "Cecropia aviary" that features loads of small south-american parakeets that can be fed on a platform for an extra-fee. I have not been there in person but it looked to me like the south American version of Lori Loft at Jurong. Those large communal aviaires may not be the best for breeding but additional pairs seem to be held backstage. Honnestly, the average quality is one of the best I have seen, and easily worth some of the best bird park in Europe, maybe with a.smaller collection, focused mainly on Atlantic Forest species of conservation concern. I would not advice to go there just for that but if you happened to be in southern Brazil, that's definitely worth the trip and the half day necessary to visit.
Parque das aves is considered by many (me included) as the best zoological institution in Brazil. Of course, we're talking about a much less diverse collection when compared to regular zoos that keep mammals, reptiles and amphibians besides birds, but the general structure and accession to several conservation projects and programs make it a top notch institution. I've visited the park in 2019, before the cecropia aviary was inaugurated, and I already had a very good impression of the place. The flamingos were an important part of the park's history and identity, of course, and losing them was terrible, but I'm pretty sure they keep doing a great work. They are planning to develop some very interesting new conservation programs that I'm aware, and hopefully it will happen soon.
Parque das Aves hatches 5 Toco Toucan chicks from rescued eggs. WAZA on Instagram: "@parquedasaves welcomes five toco toucans from rescued eggs! Eight toco toucan eggs were confiscated by the Brazilian Federal Police at the Foz do Iguaçu airport. After undergoing a careful disinfection and evaluation process, some of the eggs revealed developing embryos, culminating in the birth of five toco toucan hatchlings. The Parque das Aves technical team supervised every step, from incubation to fledging of the young toco toucans, a species native to the region. Parque das Aves is closely collaborating with the local environmental agency IAT (Instituto Água e Terra), who offered to temporarily or permanently house the birds, recognising that animals raised outside their habitat often face difficulties in the wild. This rescue highlights the importance of collaborating between environmental organisations and agencies to ensure a sustainable future for all species."
