Do you remember the 2011 animated movie Rio? Rio was a classic childhood movie for many. It followed the story of a Spix Macaw bird named Blu and his efforts to escape from a group of animal smugglers. Unfortunately, the Spix Macaw was officially declared extinct in the wild in 2019, just eight years after the movie was released. 

The Spix Macaw was native to the Caatinga, a tropical dry forest in northeastern Brazil. One factor that contributed to the loss of the Spix Macaw in the wild was the depletion of the Caatinga due to agricultural expansion and ranching of the land. 

Similarly, another bird species called the lesser prairie-chicken is also on the verge of extinction. The lesser prairie-chicken lives in the Blackland Prairie and is currently at risk of extinction due to habitat loss. The Blackland Prairie used to stretch almost 13 million acres across Texas and Oklahoma. However, less than 1% of the original prairie remains due to urbanization and the plowing of prairie land. This habitat loss has put many native prairie species at risk, including the lesser prairie-chicken. 

So, let us help this species and many others by putting efforts towards preserving the prairie! Here are some ways that you can help with Blackland Prairie conservation efforts: 

1. Participate directly in conservation efforts by visiting and volunteering at centers like the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. 
2. Plant a native plant garden. As a bonus, since these plants are native to the Texas environment, they do not require as much water to help them survive, which saves you time and money in the long run!
3. Raise awareness of the prairie. Even if you cannot directly contribute to preservation efforts, spread the word to friends and family about the prairie and its species!
4. For more information about the Blackland Prairie, visit the Preserve the Prairie website at https://preservetheprairie.org

Works Cited

“Endangered Species Management.” Tpwd.texas.gov, tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/high_plains/endangered_species/#:~:text=During%20the%20past%20100%20years.

Kupferschmidt, Kai. “Two Decades after It Disappeared in Nature, the Stunning Blue Spix’s Macaw Will Be Reintroduced to Its Forest Home.” Science.org, 9 June 2022, www.science.org/content/article/two-decades-vanished-stunning-spixs-macaw-returns-forest-home#.

National Audubon Society. “Make Plans to See the Lesser Prairie Chicken Now… While You Still Can,” Kansas Public Radio, 15 May 2024, kansaspublicradio.org/2024-05-15/make-plans-to-see-the-lesser-prairie-chicken-now-while-you-still-can.