Scarlet macaw rescued from captivity in Orellana, Ecuador

Authorities in Orellana, Ecuador, rescued a scarlet macaw (Ara macao) that had been held captive at a tourist complex in the Loreto canton for more than three years. The bird was used as a commercial attraction to draw visitors via social media.

During an operation conducted by the National Unit for the Investigation of Crimes Against the Environment and Nature (Unidican) and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, officials discovered that the establishment's administrator, Yajaira M., had been periodically cutting the bird's flight feathers to prevent it from flying away. This practice forced the animal to depend on the complex for food and survival.

The administrator was apprehended and placed at the disposal of judicial authorities. The case is being investigated as a suspected crime against wild flora and fauna under the Organic Integral Penal Code. The macaw has been transferred to the Coca Zoo, where it is receiving specialized veterinary care and rehabilitation.