Researchers find 27 blue and gold macaw nests in Campo Grande, Brazil
Friday, November 23, 2012 at 10:07 A team of biologists sweeps through the city looking for parrot nests. In parks, urban wildlife refuges, backyards and even on busy highways.
They appear suddenly. Warning sings say: "Be careful when you cross'.
It's night and capybara don’t care for cars. Crossing the road in droves, unhurried.
They take a stroll and then swim in the pond from dusk to deep into the night.
At the urban Parque das Nações Indígenas (Park of Native Nations), one of the busiest of Campo Grande, it’s is a everyday event to see a family of capybaras crossing the path where people walk, run or do theire exercises. They are so used to people that they lost their fear of them.
"We have around four families, each with 30 to 40 individuals. They eat almost everything, including stems and bark of trees, "said Leonardo Tostes Palma, manager of conservation team.
The world's largest rodents has to eat all the time in order to wear their teeth that never stop growing.
"I had quite a scare when that capybara crossed the street in front of me, luckely nobody got injured, " said Voltaire Garcia Diniz, military policeman.
Accidents however do happen. Some highly unusual. In July this year, a tapir fell in the swimmingpool of a house. The female, approximately three years old, was unable to get out. It spent the whole night swimming to prevent drowning and was exhausted and very sore.
"She arrived with several bruises on the face, left and right, and missing all here hooves," said Alvaro Cavalcanti, veterinarian.
After months of treatment, with medicine hidden in bananas the tapir is now almost good to go. Soon she will be released back to her natural habitat.
Baby Tapir also arrived, their mothers killed by traffic. Growing up at the rehab centre, these Tapir are very tame and will probably have to spent the remainder of their lives in captivity.
Wild animal however should live free and care for their own offspring. In Campo Grande, some couples get a little help.
A team of biologists sweeps through the city looking for parrot nests. In parks, urban wildlife refuges, backyards and even on busy highways.
"This means that we still have a quality environment that provides food for wildlife and a nourishing relationship with people," said Neiva Guedes, biologist of Uniderp Anhanguera University.
It takes a lot work to monitor macaw reproduction but it is worth it, we are learning a lot.
This year researchers identified 27 blue & gold macaw nests in the city of Campo Grande. The macaws return annually to the same tree to lay their eggs. They nurse their young to fledging in three months of intensive care. Protecting the nests sites is crucial in the conservation of the macaws.
Elizabeth gave a copy of the house key to the researchers.
"Sometimes I'm not home and do not want to mess up the biologist work. They now have the freedom to come and go when they want," said Elizabeth Leopold, book translater.
The palm tree died. The nest-box is installed so the pair can continue laying eggs. Three young. The excitement starts early.
The macaws have their supporters. Paul saw that the nest was in danger and called the biologists.
"In 15, 20 days maximum the young will feldge," said Neiva.
Wilson is another supporter of the parrots.
Campo Grande macaws flying over Parque das Nações Indígenas in 2008More than 100 blue & gold macaws fly free in Campo Grande. 40 young born just this year. The speks of blue and yellow that light up the city sky, are proof that it is possible to comine conservation with urban development.