Ara Panama
Guardians of the Green SkyGreat Green Macaw conservation in the Azuero Peninsula
What is Ara Panama?
Ara Panama is a long-term conservation initiative responding to the dramatic decline of great green macaw populations in Azuero. The project combines science, education, and community participation to address the main threats affecting the species and the ecosystems it depends on.
The great green macaw is not only a charismatic species but also a key indicator of tropical forest health. Protecting it means conserving large areas of habitat and benefiting many associated plant and animal species.
Protecting the great green macaw means protecting the last forests of Azuero and every species that depends on them.
Fewer than 50 great green macaws remain in all of Azuero
The Great Green Macaw and the crisis in Azuero
A flagship species on the edge of local extinction due to forest loss, fragmentation, and human pressure.
Critically Endangered
Fewer than 1,000 adults remain in the wild
The great green macaw (Ara ambiguus) faces a combination of factors that reduce reproductive success and available habitat. In Azuero, the problem is more severe because of the historic transformation of the landscape.
90–95%
of forest cover lost in the Azuero Peninsula
The Azuero massif and Cerro Hoya National Park are now among the last viable refuges for the species in this region.
Forest loss
Fewer mature trees means fewer nesting and feeding sites.
Fragmentation
Isolated patches increase risk and limit movement.
Human pressure
Hunting, disturbance, and land-use change increase ecological stress.
Forest fragmentation in Azuero: less food, fewer nests, more risk.
Work area
Ara Panama operates in the Azuero Peninsula, mainly in areas combining natural forest remnants, productive farms, and rural communities.
What do we do in Ara Panama?
Scientific monitoring and nest searches
Systematic searches for active nests and continuous monitoring of great green macaw populations. This information helps assess reproductive success and guide conservation actions.
Habitat restoration
Promotion of natural regeneration and planting of key tree species for feeding and nesting.
Environmental education and awareness
Educational activities for schools, communities, and the general public that build knowledge and local pride around Azuero biodiversity.
Great Green Macaw Festival
An annual festival celebrating local biodiversity and promoting community participation in conservation.
Ara Panama within PWC's work
Ara Panama connects with other Panama Wildlife Conservation initiatives, strengthening biodiversity protection and maximizing the impact of conservation actions.
Strategic partners
Ara Panama is possible thanks to the support of organizations committed to conservation
World Parrot Trust
Tracy Aviary
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
Cámara de Turismo de Mariato
Heliconia Turismo
Ministerio de Ambiente de Panamá
Forest Finance
Geschenkbaum
Guardians of the green sky
The great green macaw is a symbol of Azuero's forests and of the real possibility of conserving biodiversity when science, communities, and territory work together.
Ara Panama represents a firm commitment to the future of this species and the ecosystems it supports.