Conservation and status of Ara ambiguus and Ara macao in two reintroduction sites: Punta Islita and Manzanilla, Costa Rica

Ara ambiguus is a threatened species typical of Central American forests, whose populations have declined dramaticaly due to poaching and deforestation, and Ara macao is a species that although not classified as threatened by the IUCN, is in population decline due to the loss and fragmentation of habitat, illegal trade and hunting. That is why Project Ara has focused its efforts on captive breeding and subsequent reintroduction of individuals of these two species in the lowland primary forests of Costa Rica, at 600msnm. Specifically, work is at two sites: Punta Islita, a tropical dry forest of the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where the reintroduction of individuals from Ara macao is carried out, and Manzanillo, a tropical humid forest of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, where the reintroduction of Ara ambiguus individuals is carried out. In each site 12 breeding pairs are available and 30 individuals have been released in both Punta Islita and Manzanillo, with 4 breeding pairs registered in the wild from the reintroduction releases in Manzanillo, obtaining 10 youngsters of these pairs. These results show that the population management activities of these species are successful.