Project Report
| Oct 23, 2026
Taking a pause on protections for the macaw
By Dr. Sarah Otterstrom | Executive Director
![]()
Dear Friends,
Your support for the macaw program has been essential. Thank you.
We are sorry to share that we are pausing our Cyanoptera macaw program in Northwestern Nicaragua. This was a difficult decision because over the past decade we have learned so much and we have successully protected nests from poaching, Through educational outreach, local communities have become more aware of this unique macaw, and its importance to forest health.
While many donors like you have stepped up to help this program, we still lack the resources to ensure round-the-clock nest protection during the upcoming nesting season. This is needed if we hope to save this macaw subspecies from local extinction in Nicaragua. We will continue to search for funding opportunties for this program, and when we have reached a minimal level of support ($6,000), we will reactivate this GlobalGiving campaign and reach out to you to let you know.
Thank you again for your past support. We look forward to reconnecting with you when we restart the program.
With Gratitude,
Sarah Otterstrom
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
Jul 29, 2026
Our Macaw Project Needs Help
By Kate Huey | Conservation Intern
![Beautiful Macaws]()
Beautiful Macaws
Hello Friend,
I wanted to write to you to give you an update on our Magnificent Macaw program. Thanks to your support, we are still holding out hope that we will be able to raise enough funds to keep this program up and running. But our ability to monitor and protect nests from poachers will depend on whether we will be able to garner enough support.
While many donors like you have stepped up to help this program, we still lack the resources to ensure round-the-clock nest protection during the nesting season. Which is needed if we hope to save this macaw subspecies from extinction in Central America. Thus, our goal over the next six months is to raise $10,000 so that in the fall of 2026, we can have the "boots on the ground" needed to secure these nests and slow the wildlife trade. In the meantime we have been reporting to the mangrove forests of El Salvador and we will verify the data in the coming months.
Thank you for your attention and consideration,
Kate Huey
Conservation Intern
Paso Pacifico
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
Mar 30, 2026
Not giving up on the macaws
By Sarah Otterstrom | Executive Director
![A macaw that was confiscated from traffickers]()
A macaw that was confiscated from traffickers
Thank you for your past support for protection of the Cyanoptera macaw in Nicaragua. We are nearing the end of nesting season, and unfortunately no successful nests have been documented. The community partners in El Rosario has confronted many challenges, including the loss of the wife of one of our lead rangers who had been very supportive of the macaw conservation program.
The artificial nest boxes that we installed have been invaded by non-native, aggressive bees that prohibit the macaws from nesting. Thus, we will be visiting the next boxes at the end of April to clean them out and fumigate them so that the bees cannot reestablish in the near term.
While many donors like you have stepped up to help this program, we still lack the resources to ensure round-the-clock nest protection during the nesting season. Thus, our goal over the next six months is to raise $10,000 so that in November 2026, we can have the "boots on the ground" needed to secure these nests and slow the wildlife trade.
Thank you for your support for this program. We are truly grateful for the chance to affect positive change. Thank you.
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
