The
Yellow-Eared Conure (Ognorhynchus icterotis) may
be one of the most endangered parrots in the world. This large,
macaw-sized South American parakeet once was numerous and commonly
seen in the high Andes mountains of Ecuador and Colombia. However,
due to habitat destruction and being hunted for food, the Yellow-Eared
Conure now is on the brink of extinction.
A
small population of 110 birds is clinging to existence in a remote,
unprotected area of Colombia. Many bird species are threatened
due to pressures of trapping for the pet trade, but this is not
the case with the Yellow-Eared Conure. In fact, it is essentially
not kept in captivity and no successful breeding has ever been
achieved in captivity. This very fact makes it the parrot most
threatened with extinction in the Americas. If it cannot survive
in the wild state, it will disappear from the planet forever.
The Yellow-Eared Conure is listed as "Critically Endangered" and appears in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
ICA
Joins the Fight for SurvivalIn August 2000, The International Conure Association joined forces with several other organizations to raise support for the Proyecto Ognorhynchus. This project is for the conservation and study of the Yellow-Eared Conure. Proyecto Ognorhynchus is in association with Sociedad Antioquena de Ornitologia (SAO).