We
were joined in
Curaça,
Brazil by Dr. Yara Barros, PhD., the field coordinator for the former
Spix's Macaw Project. The Spix's Macaw Project, largely funded by Loro
Parque Foundation, ceased operations in
Curaça
in 2002, two years after the last Spix's Macaw disappeared from the wild.
Although it had been
four years since the last researcher left
Curaça, as
we explored the former Spix's habitat were amazed at the commitment the
community still has to the Spix's Macaw. Of significance is the innate
respect the local people have for their wildlife and birds.
The End of the "road" at the Gangorra Farm,
historical Spix's habitat
Case in point:
Early
one morning, prior to day break, we had driven down one wisp of a dirt
road to investigate an area of Spix's habitat called the Gangorra Farm. In
the early dawn we passed by two small farm houses without stopping to
attempt to arrive in the field early that morning to view and photograph
Illiger's Macaws. We drove about 4 kilometers past the last house, drove
off-road down over hills and through caatinga brush, parked, and then
hiked
down into the Riacho Melancia creek bed. Later in the morning, as the heat
of the Caatinga grew, and as Marie and I were busy taking photos and videos
of Illiger's from the dry creed bed, we noticed three distant
figures lurking around our red truck still parked in the distance. The
figures then tracked our footsteps down into the creek, shadowed us behind the creek bank
shrubbery,
and mysteriously disappeared. Very spooky and disconcerting.
Spix's Macaw School children and teachers:
On far left: one of
the child "trackers" in the royal blue t-shirt on the left,
Mark and Marie Stafford, in front of
cactus.
Dr. Yara Barros, PhD on far right
Second from right: Jorge de Sauza Rosa, who
drives an old Pick-up truck to pick up and
delivers the children to the Spix's Macaw School
each day.
Third from right: Lidia Martins Rosa,
former teacher of the Spix's School
Fourth from right (standing next to Marie):
Maria de Socerro de Olinera, teacher
Later,
when we headed back toward
Curaça,
re-tracing our drive, as we passed first small farm house the same
three figures ran out in front of our truck. They were three
children! (perhaps age 16 to 10). They called their father out from
inside the farm house as they blocked our path. Their father explained
that the children had tracked our truck four kilometers on foot, through the
heat of the caatinga, and recorded our license plate, as they thought we were
trappers looking for canaries! Where would you ever expect to find
that!....four years after the project left the
Curaça!!
We had been tracked and followed by children!!! The children from the tiny
local Spix's Macaw School! Obviously someone had done a fantastic job of
education and community awareness during the past. You couldn't buy that community
awareness and commitment for any amount of money. This amazing
enthusiastic community support is a dream for a future reintroduction
program for the Spix's Macaw.
Marie dispensing gifts to the children of
the Spix's School
Based
on that experience, Parrots International donated on the spot to
keep the Spix's Macaw School open and began a campaign to save the Spix's
Macaw School. We also committed to continue the support of the
Spix's Macaw School and the children for their future, and for the potential
future reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw. The Spix's Macaw School,
located in one of the poorest areas of Brazil, presently has 25 students,
ages 5 through 16, enrolled in day classes.
__________
The
Spix's Macaw School was originally built in 1995 through a partnership
between the Spix's Macaw Project, who sponsored the construction material,
and the community, who gathered together to build the school. The name of
the school was chosen by the children. The school is located in the
Fazenda Pau de Colher, in the former range of the Spix's Macaw. After the
Spix's Macaw Project suspended its activities in 2002 the Project ended
support of the school (the last Spix's Macaw in the wild disappeared in
October 2000)and the school has suffered economic hardship. The teacher's
salary for day time classes and lunch are presently funded by the City
Hall but not in sufficient amounts to provide for basic educational
requirements. "The governmental powers that be" in Town of
Curaça,
an hour and a half drive north of the school, are considering closing the Spix's
Macaw School due to lack of funds. Those same politicians have cut the funding
for the "Spix's School bus", an old pickup truck.
Parrots
International and partners have joined to donate funds to help save the Spix's Macaw School. It
is some of the best money that could be placed into an investment
toward future plans for Spix's Reintroduction.
Inside the Spix's
School on the day of adoption: no lights, no electricity, no running
water, no toilet.
Standing is the Spix's
School's teacher, Maria de Socerro de Olinera
Parrots
International met with Lymington Foundation in August 2006 and forged the
first partner for the renewed support of the Spix's Macaw School. From that first meeting we have
gained many partners and supporters, including AWWP, ACTP, Hill Country
Aviaries, and NPRPS.
The partners are committed to taking the Spix's
Macaw School
from no night time electricity, and essentially no books and paper....to solar/battery
electricity, a library, and adequate teaching supplies and a sanitary
toilet. Solar/battery electricity
will allow interior lighting for reading, allow the school to be opened
for night classes for the adult education, and allow Parrots International
and our partners to donate DVD and computer equipment for modern educational
teaching methods. The partnership is now sending monthly resources that
allows the teachers to purchase necessary didactic materials.
Ana
Vitoria - Age 5
Jose Alves - Age 9
(Photos by Bill and
Linda Wittkoff - Lymington Foundation)
Another
priority is the establishment of night classes. Thanks to the help of Dr.
Yara Barros, Ph.D., conversations with the teachers of the Spix's Macaw
School (Lidia and Maria) revealed that many adults of the region were
interested in learning basic reading and writing, however there is no
funding from the City Hall of for this education. Therefore, the
partnership is funding the teachers salaries to open evening classes at
the Spix's Macaw School for the local adults that have not had the
opportunity to attend school and learn to read and write. Adults (ages
16+) attending night classes must miss their evening meal with their
families to be able to participate. Therefore we (the partners and
supporters) are donating to provide an evening meal for each night class
attendee.
Lindomar - Age
16
Jailane - Age 6
(Photos by Bill and
Linda Wittkoff - Lymington Foundation)
In
July 2007 the Spix's Macaw School Project, via funds from Parrots
International and Lymington Foundation, delivered 30 new student desks and
chairs, A new teacher's desk as well as bookcases and cabinets to the
students at the Spix's Macaw School. Lymington Foundation organized the
purchase and shipping.
The
long range goal of the Working Group for the Recovery of the Spix's Macaw,
of which Parrots International is a member, is the reintroduction of the
Spix's Macaw into its historical habitat. Thanks to the cooperative
commitment of the present holders of the 78 Spix's Macaws in captive
breeding programs, the dream of reintroducing the Spix's Macaw back into
its historical habitat is now a potential reality....a goal.
Typical home of the
students of the Spix's Macaw School,
Curaça,
Brazil
The
realization of this goal, The reintroduction and the subsequent
protection of the reintroduced Spix’s Macaws and their habitat, is
only possible if the local people truly believe that the species must be
saved. To achieve this, the Spix's Macaw project members are working with
the local community, before the reintroduction actually begins, to
demonstrate that the Spix's Macaw reintroduction and conservation is a
win/win for both the community and the Spix's Macaw. This is what will
assure the long term survival of the species. The support for the Spix’s
Macaw School is a very important conservation tool to achieve this goal.
The support of the Spix's Macaw School provides the groundwork for the
future introduction of the Spix's Macaw.
Meeting of the Working Group for the
Recovery of the Spix's Macaw
Sao Paulo Zoo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. November
2006
Of
important note: the Spix's Macaw School partners and supporters are
working under the approval and authority of the Brazilian Wildlife
Ministry, IBAMA, now named the
Institute Chico Mendes of Biodiversity
Conservation. The partnership's goal is the support of the
Working Group for the
Recovery of the Spix's Macaw in the long range goal of the successful
reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into its historical habitat.
In
further promoting the reintroduction goal, Parrots International, in
partnership with Lymington Foundation (Brazil) and ACTP (Germany),
purchased The Gangorra
Farm on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2007. The Gangorra Farm consists
of 400 hectares, fully 1000 acres, of prime Spix's Macaw habitat adjacent
to the Spix's Macaw School. The partnership obtained the habitat for
the future use of the Spix's Macaw Project. Over the next few years the
habitat of the Gangorra Farm is undergoing restoration and can be used as
a base for the Breeding and Reintroduction Center for the Spix’s Macaws.
Please join our growing
list of supporters of The Spix's Macaw School Project !!!
"The Dream"
