The Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday that it’s sticking with the current Endangered Species Act status of the scarlet macaw, a foreign bird with a colorful plumage and a complicated history.
Capping a review compelled by prior litigation, the federal agency announced it will retain the northern distinct population segment of the southern subspecies of scarlet macaw as a threatened species under the ESA. The decision reaffirms a 2019 listing.
“The scarlet macaw’s historical range and population have been reduced and fragmented over the last several decades primarily because of habitat destruction and collection of wild birds for the pet trade,” the Fish and Wildlife Service stated.
The agency’s decision not to increase the scarlet macaw’s ESA protection level was decried by Jennifer Best, wildlife law program director of Friends of Animals.
