Remember Blu? The adorable domesticated Spix’s Macaw from Disney’s Rio with a fear of flying.
Turns out, as depicted in the film, Blu may actually have been the last of his kind.
According to a research by BirdLife International, eight wild bird species are deemed confirmed extinct or are highly likely to be extinct soon. Among those species is the bird, Spix’s Macaw which has been declared “extinct in the wild”.
According to BirdLife International:
“In the 2011 animated film Rio, Blu, a captive-raised Spix’s Macaw, arrives in Brazil to mate with the last-known wild member of his species a female named Jewel. But according to our latest paper, Blu was already 11 years too late – Jewel, the last of her kind, likely perished in or around 2000.”
The wild birds’ extinction may be owed to the rampant deforestation and creation of dams for wild trade. And while they may have all disappeared from the wild, about 60-80 reportedly exist in captivity
BirdLife International says:
“A lone sighting in 2016 sparked hope the species may persist in the wild, but it is now suspected to be an escapee from captivity. If so, it is sadly highly unlikely this Blu ever found his Jewel.”
You deserved better, you majestic birds.
