On May 20, 2012, a new Hyacinth macaw chick hatched at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. Both protective parents watched as their chick emerged from the nest box for the public to see in early August. This new addition to the Zoo’s collection is the second chick hatched by this pair of parents at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. In the wild, Hyacinth macaws can be found in the forests of Central South America. Visitors are able to view the Hyacinth macaw chick in the Zoo’s Discovery Center. This largest member of the macaw family is considered an endangered species, largely due to their popularity as pets. This species of macaw is protected by the Brazilian government, where the macaw is found in the wild, and is listed as Appendix 1 of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). A CITES listing restricts the ability for individuals to sell this species internationally thus protecting the species in its home of Brazil. In 2011, only two Hyacinth macaw chick hatchings were reported in zoos; one in France and one in Indianapolis.
