Have you watched the movie Rio? The 3D animation features a blue macaw called Blu, a rare bird species from the Brazilian Caatinga. This curious animal really exists and is also the main character of one of the initiatives sponsored by Vale. Launched in 2012, the Ararinha na Natureza project has the mission of returning the species to its natural habitat. The animals are expected to be returned to the Caatinga in 2022.
With the help of state-of-the-art technology and even artificial insemination, the initiative gets to 2018 with the mark of 158 specimens in the world, 11 of them in Brazil. Birds still live in captivity, but they are getting closer and closer to returning to their true home. In 2000, there was the last record of a free macaw in the wild, and after that the species was declared as extinct.
The Ararinha Azul (Blue Macaw) project is a partnership between the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (Funbio) and other entities from Brazil and abroad. Besides Vale, the initiative counts on the sponsorship of those institutions that keep the species in captivity.