Leading conservation charity, Twycross Zoo, has announced the arrival of two red-fronted macaws — one of the most endangered species of parrot in the world.

Wednesday 10th July: Leading conservation charity, Twycross Zoo, has today announced the arrival of two red-fronted macaws — one of the most endangered species of parrot in the world.

The pair recently arrived at Twycross Zoo from Edinburgh Zoo and Welsh Mountain Zoo thanks to a carefully curated move as part of a European zoo conservation programme, designed to help protect and preserve endangered species and support their wild counterparts.

Native to Bolivia, the red-fronted macaws are currently listed as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as its global population is continuing to decline, leaving less than 300 in the wild.

The move, which was carefully planned and recommended by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), marks an important milestone in the conservation of this species and in Twycross Zoo’s conservation efforts.

The macaws’ arrival at Twycross Zoo is of particular interest to Assistant Bird Curator, Rhys McKie, who previously worked at Edinburgh Zoo and was among the team that was there when the male macaw hatched.

Rhys commented on the new arrivals, “It’s always an exciting day when a new animal arrives at the zoo but being reunited was a really special moment.

“When he hatched last year, it was the first time in over 15 years that the species had been successfully bred at the zoo. So, to now give him a home at Twycross Zoo where he will continue the conservation journey and hopefully breed more of this rare species, is very momentous for me.

Photo caption: Twycross Zoo’s new red-fronted macaws

“The species stands out for their bright red forehead of feathers and long blue-green tail. In the wild, these parrots can only be found in a small semi-desert, mountainous region of Bolivia, making them unique amongst macaws. In this arid climate, the birds feed on desert plants like cactus and are one of the main seed dispersers for the plant. I’m looking forward to our visitors getting the chance to see them and our other stunning parrot species in our parrot habitat.”

Dr Rebecca Biddle, Director of Conservation at Twycross Zoo, added: “I’m delighted to welcome a brand-new breeding pair to the zoo and I’m so proud to see Twycross Zoo leading the way for the conservation of this incredibly important species.

“Red-fronted macaws are among the most endangered species of parrot on the planet, so bringing this pair to Twycross to hopefully facilitate breeding further down the line, is a necessary and important step to save this species.”

As well as seeing Twycross Zoo’s hottest new couple, book to coincide with the launch of the Animal Bricktacular adventure, which is coming to zoo between 13th July and 1st September and includes 40 life-size sculptures made from over 2 million brightly coloured toy bricks.

Plus explore 100 acres of outdoor space whilst meeting hundreds of animals from 70 different species — including giraffes, penguins, tigers, its four species of great ape and of course, plenty of birds.

When booking, visitors to Twycross Zoo can now benefit from an annual ticket, enabling them to pay for a day and visit FREE for 12 months and enjoy the value of a whole year of fun.

For more information, visit www.twycrosszoo.org

For further information, please contact Bronia Hennessy at bronia@leopardco.com or 0121 812 0272.

 

About Twycross Zoo:

 

• Twycross Zoo is a registered charity (501841) which exists to support conservation, education and research of some of the most endangered species on the planet.
• Twycross Zoo is working at the forefront of conservation and scientific research – making a global impact for endangered animals around the world, from the very heart of the UK.
• Twycross Zoo is one of the UK’s major zoos, caring for hundreds of animals from around 70 different species. It welcomes around 600,000 visitors a year to its 100-acre site in Leicestershire.
• Twycross Zoo is the only zoo in the UK, and one of only four worldwide, where visitors can see four great apes – gorilla, orangutan, chimpanzee, and bonobo.
• Twycross Zoo recently unveiled its Conservation Strategy 2023-2030, sharing publicly it’s goals to work collaboratively with other organisations to make the most impact for the conservation of species, become a recognised European Centre of Excellence and develop the UK’s first and only National Science and Conservation Centre.
• Twycross Zoo is a member of European and international organisations, including the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and The Great Ape Survival Partnership.

 

For more information, visit www.twycrosszoo.org