Skip to content
Menu

Animal Directory Featured species in the planned Tropical Rainforest Dome habitat

Scarlet Macaw portrait

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

LC
  • One of the most vivid birds on Earth — its plumage layers scarlet, gold, and electric blue, and its feathers were prized currency in pre-Columbian trade.
  • Has a beak strong enough to crack Brazil-nut shells that defeat most other animals.
  • Pairs mate for life and can live 40-50 years in the wild, often more than 75 in human care.
  • Gathers in flocks at riverbank clay licks to eat mineral-rich soil that neutralises toxins from unripe seeds.
  • IUCN lists the species as Least Concern globally, though several local populations have been wiped out by the pet trade and deforestation.

The Scarlet Macaw is the planned Tropical Rainforest Dome’s moving stained glass — flocks crossing the upper canopy in pairs, calling loudly enough to carry from the entry tunnel all the way to the orchid court.

IUCN status sourced from the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) assessment (BirdLife International, 2020) on the IUCN Red List — listed as Least Concern at the global level despite regional declines.

Back to directory Visit Tropical Rainforest Dome