They had ended up in the hands of smugglers in the province of Entre Rios, Argentina, in the shady circles of the illegal wildlife trade, but were recovered and treated by experts. 23 specimens of green cardinal Gubernatrix cristata, also known as yellow cardinal from English Yellow Cardinal, they took flight as free animals.
What saved them wasAlianza Cardenal Amarillo PBA, lThe Alliance of Yellow Cardinals of the Province of Buenos Aires, a coalition formed by public organizations, NGOs and research institutes. With the support of the association Fundacion Temaikenthe 23 green cardinals followed a rehabilitation process that lasted months.
Only recently the group was liberated protected natural site north of St. Louis. The chosen area was identified for the conditions it offers, the best for reintroduction, and for its natural population.
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The 23 birds with wonderful yellow plumage thus join the 2000 similar ones that survive in the wild. The species is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Among the threats are poaching, habitat loss and invasive species. These birds are highly sought after by traffickers as they are sold as pets and kept in cages to listen to their melodious singing. In fact, they are among the most seized specimens in state operations.
Their population is declining, every reintegration is therefore crucial to guarantee a future for these animals. This is why the Yellow Cardinal Alliance was born, whose objectives are to dismantle the illicit trafficking of yellow cardinals, reintroduce them into their home and work in synergy to safeguard them in a fragmented territory.
Since then, more than a hundred green cardinals have regained their freedom. This latest intervention is none other than the 15th reintegration into the wild made possible by the Alliance.
