Even if the name Spix's Macaw doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize this bird. It’s Blu, from Rio, the animated film! Also known as the Little Blue Macaw, the species went extinct in the wild due to hunting for the pet trade, loss of habitat, and invasive species. However, scientists raised a captive population of Spix’s Macaws from the few remaining wild birds. In 2022, 52 of the captive-raised birds were released into the wild.

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