Belize Bird Rescue

Free Big Red!

"Demand an end to the exploitation of Belize's Wildlife on Harvest Caye"

'Big Red' is wild-caught scarlet macaw confiscated from the illegal pet trade by the Belize Forest Department in October 2016

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He spent 7 months at Belize Bird Rescue in conditions conducive to rehabilitation for release, waiting for Forest Department to decide whether or not he could (or should) be released back into the wild.

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The concerns surrounding his potential release were justified: having spent time in captivity he could have been exposed to pathogens that would endanger the wild populations. Simple tests could have excluded this risk: these tests were never carried out.

Instead, with less than 2 hours notice, a Forest Department official arrived at BBR and removed Big Red from BBR's care.

Big Red and another confiscated (wild-caught) scarlet macaw 'Rosey' were transported out to Harvest Caye to be show-birds for the exclusive Norwegian Cruise Lines cruise-ship island port.

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Wildlife at Harvest Caye include 4 toucans (the National Bird of Belize), iguanas, snakes, butterflies and macaws