Artigo-11

Morrinhos Farm, an environmental preservation area authorized by Ibama for 17 years; it was the site chosen by biologists for the pilot project .

One hundred and fifty wild birds of 15 species, including bluebird, canary-of-the-earth, cardinal, corió, chorão and baianinho goldfinch (endangered), are being returned to the wild. The place chosen for the release of the animals was Fazenda Morrinhos, in the municipality of Queimadas (300 km from Salvador), which for 17 years has been an environmental preservation area authorized by Ibama.

The release is occurring gradually so that the birds recognize the habitat. According to  biologist Aline Borges , from the Wild Animal Triage Center (CETAS), the birds were seized at open markets in Salvador and, since January, they were being treated at the agency to try to recover from the aggressions suffered during capture. After a period of quarantine, when the physical and behavioral conditions are evaluated, they are released by biologists and veterinarians for return to nature.

“These birds are from the Caatinga biome and need to be released in these places in order to have a chance of survival. All were tagged with sealed and numbered rings, to enable monitoring after the release”, explains Aline.

A bióloga diz que, caso os animais fossem soltos em Salvador, com bioma Mata Atlântica eles poderiam não sobreviver e até provocar um desequilíbrio ecológico, uma vez que, sem predadores, poderiam se reproduzir em maior quantidade, deixando outras espécies em risco. A soltura dos pássaros está sendo feita dentro de um projeto piloto do Cetras, que prevê a criação de áreas de soltura de animais silvestres. A Fazenda Morinhos é a primeira neste módulo.

“Escolhemos esta fazenda por ter uma caatinga nativa, além de o proprietário ter a preocupação de preservar a natureza, tendo orientado funcionários e população para não realizarem a caça e protegerem o local e os animais”, conta a bióloga. Aline alegra-se com a primeira vitória do projeto: Ser reconhecido nacionalmente através do Centro de Pesquisa de Áreas Silvestres (CEMAVE).

O centro enviou as anilhas prateadas que são numeradas e cadastradas nacionalmente. “Os pássaros recebem anilhas e qualquer pesquisador que capturá-los para pesquisas terá acesso a todas as informações sobre eles. Pela numeração, eles chegam ao cadastro nacional do animal”, frisa.

The wild animals were taken to the Farm last week. They are in nurseries, where they feed on grains and seeds easily found in the local nature and are visited by several species that survive in the caatinga. “Here, they are becoming familiar with their habitat, so the release is done gradually. We leave the hatchery door open and they leave when they want, until they all return to nature”, highlights the biologist, adding that, in the period after 1 year, the technicians return to the site to carry out the monitoring .