A wild Macaw makes a daily trek to the BioParque zoo in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, to visit with captive parrots. As reported by Phys.org, the bird, dubbed Juliet, is believed to be the last wild parrot in the city and experts think that she is lonely.
The lone macaw has flown to the zoo daily for the past two decades – each morning she arrives to visit with the captive birds through the fenced enclosure. Observers have seen Juliet nuzzling the other birds, and engaging in grooming with them. It’s a sad situation for the solitary bird – who should be enjoying the company of a lifelong mate, and social interaction from a large flock.
Unfortunately, these beautiful birds have not been seen in the wild in Rio since 1818 – and they used to be plentiful in the city.
Neiva Guedes, president of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute, an environmental group, commented on the likely source of Juliet’s behavior:
“They’re social birds, and that means they don’t like to live alone, whether in nature or captivity. They need company, (she) very probably feels lonely, and for that reason goes to the enclosure to communicate and interact.”
According to the publication, plans are in the works to start a breeding program and reintroduce parrots into the Tijuca Forest National Park near the end of 2022.
(screenshots via Phys.org)
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WHY CAN’T THE ZOO LET THIS LONELY MACAW STAY AT THE ZOO WITH HIS FRIENDS?