The ARA Project

WPT Partner, The Ara Project, is a Costa Rican licensed zoological park and non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the two native macaw species of Costa Rica: the critically endangered Great Green or Buffon's Macaw (Ara ambiguus) and the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao).

The breeding centre is currently situated in Rio Segundo de Alajuela in the Central Valley, 5 minutes from the international airport. When the breeding centre was first constructed in 1989 it was surrounded by forests, gardens, plantations and farmland. Now 25 years later, all neighbouring farms have been sold, 200 houses replace where there was once was 200 mango trees, and there are more than 100 flights per day from the airport.

The project is home to over 150 breeding adult birds, who due to injuries and disabilities, could never survive in the wild. Following a gradual process of rehabilitation the birds have formed breeding pairs and by employing captive rearing techniques and intensive aviary management they produce healthy genetically diverse offspring for controlled release back into the wild, all in conjunction with Costa Rican wildlife laws. However the Lease of the Land where we are located finishes in May 2011.

We have been kindly donated a 2 ha property on the South Caribbean Coast, bordering on a 5000 ha reserve which is in an area of abundant natural food and habitat to sustain the birds in captivity and for release.

We need to raise the funding to construct the facilities before the birds can be relocated. Both the Birds and the project will benefit from this relocation:

· More suitable climate and habitat.

· Availability of natural foods all year round.

· Environment will assist in adaptation for release back in the wild.

· A popular area for ecotourism and educational tourism to sustain the project running costs.

The first step in moving the breeding centre is to build the aviary to house all our Great Green Macaws. The new aviary will be designed with both the comfort of the birds and the practical running of the breeding centre in mind. The aviary needs to be 18 x 30 metres and will be used to house initially in the region of 80 macaws.

Learn more about our work at: www.thearaproject.org.