This bird’s protectors are its former hunters: ‘It was my turn to help them’

The scarlet macaw population in Central America’s largest wilderness area had dwindled drastically. The Indigenous Miskito people stepped in to help save them.

A scarlet macaw perches on a tree branch at sunrise with the full moon in the background in La Mosquitia, Honduras. The region is home to the largest wilderness area in Central America and is the only place in the country where these birds fly freely. The national bird of Honduras had been at risk of extinction but the population has rebounded thanks to conservation efforts supported by the Indigenous Miskito people.

Read This Next

How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places
Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet