Rare Lear's macaws get new home in Cornwall

A flock of rare birds has been given a new home in Cornwall.

Wildlife centre Paradise Park said it had taken on the 12 Lear's macaws "following an urgent need for a change in their living situation".

The flock was the only one in the UK and "their preservation is critical", it added.

The group was originally among birds illegally smuggled into the UK in the 1980s, which had increased through breeding over time, keepers said.

When the birds, which are native to Brazil, were found to be smuggled, "they were subsequently confiscated by Customs and Excise officials [and] have lived in seclusion ever since," a park spokesperson said.

The attraction, in Hayle, west Cornwall, did not specify what prompted the change in their living situation, but said it was "proud to be the only sanctuary in the UK to house them" and had built a new aviary for them.

Curator David Woolcock said: "These are important birds, an endangered species threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and the wild bird trade.

"The future plans for these magnificent birds may include reintroduction into their native habitat as part of a larger conservation project aimed at preserving the species."

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