THE Spix macaw is so rare that you must hold a license to own even one of its discarded feathers. These beautiful cobalt blue birds, from one small region in Brazil, have the curious nature of all parrots, but it is their striking color that has led to their near extinction. A combination of poachers and changes in the birds' natural habitat have drastically reduced their numbers in the official stud book to only 79 in the world – all in captivity. Fortunately, Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al Thani has come to their aid. He was able to buy two large collections of Spix's macaws from the Philippines and Switzerland and bring them to his farm, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, in Qatar. The Spix's macaw is one of several critically endangered breeds taking shelter at the Sheikh's conservation centre. Somali wild ass, the King bird of paradise, Somali cheetahs and rare gazelle and antelope are all housed at the center, which is about 45 minutes outside Doha. Al Wabra, a 2.5sq km conservation center, started out as a hobby farm in the 1990s but as Sheikh Al Thani learnt more about the need to protect the endangered status of the species he was housing, he turned it into a vital research center in 2000. The next step for Al Wabra is to increase public access so that the community can learn more about the important conservation work being carried out there. The center describes itself as a “well hidden secret in Qatar”. This is in part because of its remote location off the Al-Shahaniya camel racing track and also because its work is relatively unknown in Qatar. Dr Tim Bouts, director of Al Wabra, said however, that it was time for the center's work to be recognzed in its home country. Al Wabra is home to 2,000 animals from 90 species. These rare breeds live at the center alongside the staff, who include four vets, two curators, five biologists, 40 wild animal keepers – and their families. In all, there are citizens from 13 nations living at the center, which is testament to its global reach and reputation. — SG
