Vantara Partners with ACTP to Reintroduce Spix’s Macaws to Brazil

January 30, 2025: The journey of restoring the Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), a species declared extinct in the wild in 2000, has taken a major leap forward with Vantara’s recent collaboration with the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP). This partnership aims to reintroduce these iconic birds to their native habitat in Brazil, with Vantara’s affiliate, Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC), playing a key role in the project.

On Wednesday, 41 Spix’s macaws were successfully transferred from ACTP’s breeding centre in Berlin, Germany, to a release centre in Bahia, Brazil. This marks a significant milestone in the global reintroduction program. Vantara, a wildlife preservation project founded by Anant Ambani, is providing critical resources and expertise to ACTP, underlining its commitment to the restoration of the species within Brazil’s Caatinga biome.

This transfer follows the successful release of 20 Spix’s macaws into the wild in 2022, which led to the birth of the first wild-born chicks in over 20 years, offering hope for the species’ long-term survival.

The 41 macaws transferred included 23 females, 15 males, and three unsexed juveniles. While some will join the group prepared for release this year, others will be part of the breeding program to ensure the species’ continued success.

The birds underwent over 28 days of quarantine at ACTP’s facility in Berlin, where they were tested for diseases that could pose a risk to Brazil’s wild environment. On January 28, they flew to Petrolina Airport in Brazil and were transported to a quarantine facility in Brazil, with all logistics coordinated carefully.

ACTP founder Martin Guth expressed gratitude for Vantara’s critical role in the project. “On behalf of ACTP, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Anant Ambani and Vantara for their remarkable contribution to the Spix’s Macaws Reintroduction Project. Their financial support and expertise have been invaluable,” Guth said. “We look forward to continuing our work together to save as many endangered species as possible.”

The Spix’s macaw, famously featured in the Hollywood film Rio, is now the focus of a global conservation effort that includes Vantara’s GZRRC, ACTP, and the Brazilian government. The dedicated release centre in Brazil has been instrumental in facilitating the transport of birds from Germany and Belgium.

Vantara’s dedication to wildlife conservation also extends to projects in India, including efforts to restore rhinos, bolster Asiatic lion populations, and reintroduce cheetahs to Indian forests following a successful breeding program.