In December 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the Great Green Macaw, a parrot species known for its “beauty, intelligence, and charisma,” as critically endangered, meaning that it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Over the past 15 years, the numbers of wild Great Green Macaws have “fallen from about 1,500 to 3,000 birds worldwide in 2005, to 500 to 1,000 in 2020.”
In Costa Rica, the rapidly growing pineapple industry has dire implications for the Great Green Macaw population’s long-term viability. While the pineapple industry offers tremendous economic opportunities for individuals, communities, and the nation, it also has negative environmental and social impacts that threaten macaws, communities, and the ecosystems they share.
Requested by the Macaw Recovery Network (MRN), CLC along with members of the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration, coauthored a report detailing the ways in which the rapidly growing pineapple industry in Costa Rica threatens the survival of the Great Green Macaw, an already endangered species. The report specifically examines the impacts of the pineapple industry on the environment, labor rights, and public health. It also provides overviews of several initiatives aimed at amending the pineapple industry and offers suggestions for enhancing Great Green Macaw conservation efforts. Finally, the report outlines potential next steps for continued research that may be helpful to MRN’s conservation efforts.
The Conservation Law Center is focused on the protection of endangered species and dedicating our time and efforts to wildlife conservation efforts at home in Indiana and internationally.
Suggested Citation:
Cook, Kacey, Kara Foley, Christian Freitag, and Tina Nabatchi. 2021. Pineapples, Parrots, and People: Challenges and Opportunities for the Great Green Macaw in Costa Rica. Bloomington, IN: Conservation Law Center, and Syracuse, NY: Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration.
