Species coordinator:
Mr. Steffen Patzwahl
Parc Paradisio
Domaine de Cambron 1
7940 Cambron-Casteau
Belgium
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Studbook keeper:
Mr. Steffen Patzwahl
Species committee:
Wolfgang Grummt, Berlin Tierpark
Wolf Bartmann, Dortmund
Pierre Gay, Doué la Fontaine
Hubert Lücker, Dresden
Colin Bath, Paignton
Jonas Wahlström, Skansen Akvariet
Günther Schleußner, Stuttgart
Martina Müller, Walsrode
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Committee meetings:
The last meeting was held during the EAZA Conference in Saumur, June 1996 Meetings are usually held every second year (next one during the EAZA Conference in Berlin, September 1998).
Studbook:
European studbook with data through 31 December 1996 published in l997.
Husbandry guides:
Produced first in 1991, updated every two years (last in 1996).
Conservation activities/Research/Publications: Not specified
Status and development of the EEP population: see Table l.
Age and sex distribution of the EEP population: see page 303.
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3. Problems
The main problem with this species is the low overall reproductive rate. Out of 19 pairs, only 23 pairs reproduced successfully in 1997 (1996: 17 pairs out of 114). More than 30 pairs produce eggs, which are either infertile or fertile but die off, or do not raise their chicks. For this reason, the studbook keeper visited several successful breeders in the USA to seek more information. The following is a short summary of important points.
- Diet: this point has often been discussed and should be well known by now. Hyacinth macaws need oily nuts in their diet. Nuts are readily available; recently frozen nuts of the genus Elaeis have become available.
- This species is known to be nervous during breeding. As a result eggs are destroyed or embryos (esp. during the last third of the incubation period) die off.
- Eggs of the Hyacinth Macaws arc relatively small compared to the birds' size. This means that the embryos are quite big. In case the environment of the nestbox or the humidity in the incubator is not ideal, the embryo will die. Contrary to the widespread opinion that this species requires a high humidity, it was found that the weight loss of l6% to 17% could only be achieved at humidity levels of 40% relative humidity.
Taking points 2 and 3 into consideration, it is easy to understand why the majority of chicks of this species are hatched by artificial incubation and reared by hand.
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