The World of Birds Show at the Minnesota Zoo raises funds for conservation during the presentation of their free-flight bird shows. Money is raised with the help of one of the show's parrots who demonstrates to the audience how to place dollar bills into a donation box. Guests are invited to do the same after a short presentation about the project being supported. More than $15,000 was raised during the past three summer show seasons and fundraising efforts continue.

Money raised during the 2001, 2002 and 2003 summer seasons has been given to a conservation organization called BioBrasil, a non-profit foundation created in 1994 by Dr. Charles A. Munn III and a group of Brazilian environmentalists. BioBrasil owns 10,000 sq. acres of dry forest in the state of Piaui, Brazil. Within this plot of land are cliffs that serve as important nesting sites for many Hyacinth macaws, the largest type of parrot in the world. The Hyacinth macaw is also an endangered species.

The biggest problem for these endangered birds prior to BioBrasil's involvement was the pet trade. Most of the Hyacinth macaw chicks born in the area were being taken from the nest to be sold illegally as pets. The land is now being regularly patrolled by BioBrasil's conservation officers and their presence has been successful in halting what was once a regular occurrence. Many of the chicks will now have the chance to reach adulthood in the wild.

Local people hired by BioBrasil care for and protect the land, and act as guides to tourists who come to view this unique ecosystem. This local involvement helps create support and pride in the protection of this species and its habitat. Some of the money raised at the Minnesota Zoo is destined to go into a fund that will enable BioBrasil to purchase an additional 6,000sq. acres of adjacent property, thus ensuring further protection for this particular population of Hyacinth macaws.

BioBrasil is working on several projects to protect other endangered species as well. They are working to help save the critically endangered Lear's macaw and its habitat. Currently there are only about 250 Lear's macaws left in the wild. Another project is helping to protect the endangered Golden conure and its extremely endangered Atlantic rainforest habitat.

Dave Cruz, one of the Bird Show staff members here at the Minnesota Zoo, visited the BioBrasil Hyacinth site and helped patrol the extensive reserve along with BioBrasil guides. He met with the director of BioBrasil to discuss future projects and the potential for further collaboration of the zoo in BioBrasil's conservation efforts.

Dave recently received conservation grants from The International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE), the local American Association of Zoo Keepers chapter, and the Minnesota Zoo's Conservation Action Team. These funds will allow Dave to return to Brazil to assist BioBrasil with further research on the Lear's Macaw.

The Zoo's World of Birds Show continues to raise money for BioBrasil as well as other Minnesota zoo-based conservation programs. For their promotion of conservation and their fundraising efforts for BioBrasil over the last year, the World of Birds Show recently received a conservation award from The International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE) at their annual conference. The award included a $500 monetary endowment which will be donated to BioBrasil. The next time you attend one of the Zoo's World of Birds Shows, remember that your conservation donations really do make a difference in the lives of endangered species!

Multimedia: Listen to bird show trainer Melissa Babich talk about her trip to the BioBrasil reserve in Brazil