After being locally extinct for more than a century (!) in Belém, Brazil, the golden parakeets are being reintroduced by conservationists from the Institute for Forest Development and Biodiversity (IDEFLOR-Bio) and the Lymington Foundation. They have released no less than 50 individuals into the wild since 2018 and aim to release another 50 over the next two years. According to the conservationists involved in the project, this is an ongoing success, as the released birds have adapted well to life outside captivity and have even reproduced in the wild.
Image by Marcelo Vilarta

The golden parakeet is at risk of extinction in the Amazon due to illegal pet trade and habitat loss. Their population has been reduced to less than 10,000 wild individuals. This is a big issue, especially regarding the crucial role these birds play in ecosystem services, such as in seed dispersal of the popular açaà berry and up to 22 other plant species native to the Amazon.
It is therefore great to see that they are (successfully) being reintroduced into their local environment. And I hope that more will be done to prevent illegal pet trade!
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23 w
Wow..this is great...it's about time that we protect the environment before the various important species become extinct.
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23 w
@jane_wangui definitely! And I love to see that once we start acting, we can make it better!
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29 w
Very impressive. This represents a promising sign of ecological recovery and habitat restoration efforts. This wildlife sighting indicates the potential for species rebound and the effectiveness of conservation initiatives in the region.
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29 w
@walter_lungayi definitely! It is great to see such conservation initiatives succeed
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29 w
Great news, and thanks to IDEFLOR-Bio and Lymington foundation for the great efforts and commitments
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30 w
This is great it's beneficial to the plants
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25 w
@jane_kamau_670 Absolutely!!
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30 w
The parakeets play a crucial role, which benefits many plant species. Here's to more successful conservation efforts 🥂