The organization Volando con Guacas (in english: Flying with parrots) exists since 2013 and is part of the international organization of World Parrot Trust and works together with National Geographics. Volando con Guacas is protecting Aras militaris mexicanus, which are threatened with extinction.
One important part to make this happen are the Eco-Tours operated by Volando con Guacas which lead to the world´s second largest burglary doline (funnel-shaped deepening of the earth’s surface, subsidence) – the Sótano del Barro – to observe one of the last populations of green macaws.
The tour creates a unique nature experience and raises awareness of protecting the rare birds. The Eco-Tour is operated in cooperation with the local population and thus benefits the local community of Santa Maria de Cocos where you can also find an education and information center.
On the other hand, Volando con Guacas operates a Protection- and Research Center near Querétaro, which aims to reproduce the Aras militaris mexicanus .
We have been living and working in Mexico for over 13 years, travelled a lot and are always discovering new places and destinations as well as nature reserves. This is how we found Volando con Guacas in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro, a limestone mountain range and biosphere reserve on our doorstep. It´s definetly a project that we support wholeheartedly.
One of the last populations of the Aras militaris mexicanus lives in the Sierra Gorda Nature Reserve in Sótano el Barro. (71 animals, as of September 2018). You can still find this species of macaw in the mountains of the Pacific coast, Gulf of Mexico and some areas of central México. Unfortunately over the time these biological corridors are getting smaller and the Aras militaris mexicanus are going to be eliminated more and more. This is as always mainly due to human intervention, such as deforestation and captiving macaws, which are sold on the black market and kept as pets.
As a tour operator, it is our responsibility to protect this magical, diverse and beautiful country. This is why we support the project Volando con Guacas, to save one of the last populations of the Aras militaris mexicanusfrom extinction.
We climbed with Juan C. Orraca Corona, the founder of Volando con Guacas, the Sótano el Barro and had an exclusive Interview with him. Thanks Juan 🙂