Conservation: Two Macaws Now Listed As Endangered Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) recently added two more animals to the Endangered Species list, according to a news release. The military and great green macaws are facing significant population declines from habitat loss and poaching in Central and South America.

Previous conservations efforts have not been able to protect these birds and as a result they are facing extinction. While military macaws have relatively widespread distributions throughout tropical forests in Mexico and South America, they are facing population declines from small, fragmented groups of only a few pairs. Currently, their population ranges from 6,000 to 13,000 adults, according to the FWS.

On the other hand, great green macaws are suffering from more staggering declines. The FWS reported that their population now only ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 individuals, spread throughout forests of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Under the new regulations, these two bird species will not be imported into or exported from the United States without a permit, which will only be issued for scientific purposes that benefit the species in the wild or enhance survival. This includes habitat restoration research. This will ensure that U.S. citizens do not play a role in the birds' future decline.

This ruling officially goes into effect on Nov. 2. 

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