The thick-billed parrot, which disappeared from Arizona and New Mexico decades ago after heavy deforestation and hunting wiped out local populations, is finally making a comeback.
Good News Network reported on a survey in Chihuahua, Mexico, showing the number of parrots has grown by more than 10% in the last 12 years, reaching about 2,500. This marks a major step forward for a species that has been endangered for so long and also shows the effectiveness of conservation efforts like reforestation and habitat restoration in the Sierra Madre Occidental forests.
The thick-billed parrot has been the focus of intensive conservation efforts since the 1990s. The National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP), Organización Vida Silvestre (OVIS), and local communities have used sustainable forestry practices like selective thinning and habitat management to support biodiversity and strengthen natural cycles for wildlife survival.
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Definitely 👍 "This emerging success story reflects the importance of collaboration between society and government and a vision of healthy ecosystems and sustainable communities," said Pedro Álvarez-Icaza, head of CONANP, in a public statement.
Conservation challenges like deforestation and the growing population of predatory hawks have threatened the parrots' comeback, but their efforts to restore forests and habitats are paying off anyway. Similar to planting native flowers and reducing pesticides for pollinators, restoring the thick-billed parrot's habitat benefits everyone from wildlife to local agriculture.
Sergio Jiménez, executive director of OVIS, said, "This multi-institutional effort led by Ernesto Enkerlin Hoeflich, scientific director of OVIS, is bearing fruit after three decades, which gives us hope for other species at risk … "
Experts are optimistic that as the thick-billed parrot's population grows, they could naturally return to parts of the southwestern U.S., which would be a milestone that would prove the power of long-term conservation.
By bringing species like the thick-billed parrot back from the brink of extinction, organizations such as CONANP and OVIS, alongside communities in the Sierra Madre Occidental, are showing what's possible in the face of mounting climate challenges. It's a reminder that strategic, long-term action can lead to meaningful change for wildlife and the environment.
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