Recently reintroduced red-and-green macaws have produced the first successful wild chicks in the Iberá wetlands in 150 years. Extinct throughout Argentina, the return of this species is also a key step in restoring native forests to this valuable ecosystem.
After several unsuccessful attempts, three red-and-green macaw hatchlings were born to a breeding pair reintroduced in 2019. The last registry of the species in Argentina was 150 years ago.
Rewilding the red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) has proved an exceptional challenge. Rewilding Argentina, the strategic partner of Tompkins Conservation, started the process in 2015 with once-captive macaws that had never flown before. They required extensive training to live in the wild. So far, 15 macaws have been set free in Iberá and the nascent population is prospering.