THE EDITOR: Bird watchers and members of the public have recently been thrilled to witness the glorious sight and sounds of flocks of blue-and-gold macaws (Ara ararauna) in the vicinity of the Nariva Swamp and along Trinidad’s East Coast.

This is a completely different situation to that which prevailed over 25 years ago when the species was reportedly on the verge of extirpation in Trinidad. Fortunately, its recovery was due to the dedicated and co-ordinated efforts of a number of key organisations and individuals who assisted in the reintroduction of the species into this habitat.

The Nariva Swamp is endemic for numerous bird species including the blue-and-gold macaw and the red-bellied macaw. These species were ecologically successful for many generations in and around the Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary, feeding and reproducing without much disturbance.

However, as time passed, there were increasing threats to their habitat from fires, poaching, rice farming and cutting of the moriche palms which the birds used for nesting and feeding. These activities resulted in a significant reduction in the birds’ populations, especially the blue-and-gold macaw.

During the 1990s, the Forestry Division, under whose authority the Nariva Swamp is managed, embarked upon the restoration of the ecosystem which led to a collaboration with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, which was renowned for its participation in wildlife projects internationally.

Fortunately for us, the research scientist of the Cincinnati Zoo was a Trinidadian, Bernadette Plair, who demonstrated a great eagerness to assist. That joint effort culminated in 1999 with the reintroduction of nine blue-and-gold macaws, which were sourced from Guyana, into the Nariva Swamp on an experimental basis to produce breeding stock and genetic diversity.

Based on that initial success, the former ministry of public utilities and the environment, under the leadership of Minister Pennelope Beckles, supported the expert advice by facilitating additional reintroductions to increase the avian population. Funds and resources were provided and dedicated staff were assigned in support of this initiative.

By then Plair had assumed an additional role as director of the Centre for the Rescue of Endangered Species in TT (CRESTT), which added greater impetus to the programme. Consequently, on December 17, 2003, Beckles and Plair oversaw the reintroduction of 20 additional blue-and-gold macaws translocated from Guyana, once again in collaboration with the Cincinnati Zoo.

The event, which included the Forestry Division, several environmental NGO groups and the media, was held in the vicinity of the Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary, where the imported birds had been housed in cages for acclimatisation before their release.

Today, as we witness the blue-and-gold macaw flying free in all its glory, we thank all those who were responsible for this achievement. Let us utilise this positive experience to spur us on to greater environmental successes in the future.

ANTONY R RAMNARINE,

retired conservator of forests, chief game warden