Parrot lover and conservationist Daria Feinstein is on a mission to protect one of Miami’s most spectacular wild residents: the Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). Indigenous to Central and South America, these colorful parrots were introduced into Miami in the mid-20th century, and have since established a small but well-beloved breeding population in the city. Today, however, their numbers are crashing as poachers capture the macaws and their chicks to sell them into the lucrative pet trade.
Florida state law provides no legal protection for these non-native birds. But the state’s wildlife agency considers the macaws “non-invasive” because they don’t seem to compete with or harm native species. Therefore, some municipalities have adopted “bird sanctuary laws” to protect them. How far should we go to protect non-native species, and can Miami’s wild macaws be saved before it’s too late?
A Film By DAY’S EDGE PRODUCTIONS
Director / Editor: NEIL LOSIN
Producers: NEIL LOSIN, NATE DAPPEN
Music: NEW WEST STUDIOS
Special Thanks: DARIA FEINSTEIN, RICHARD FEINSTEIN, JAMES STROUD, MYK AROSTEGUI, CHRISTOPHER COOKE-YARBOROUGH, LLOYD BROWN, PAUL FISHER, PAUL RIELLO, TONY SILVA, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, RAINFOREST EXPEDITIONS
© 2018 Day’s Edge Productions LLC
All rights reserved.