Bradley in Brazil - Hyacinth Macaw

I'm supporting the hyacinth macaw, which really is a beautiful bird - and everyone knows how much I like birds! There are only about 3,000 left in the world, which is really sad.

Day 1

Hannah: "Well, we arrived in Rio de Janeiro this morning and decided that one of the first things we had to do was go and see the statue of Christ. It was something I've always wanted to see. Bradley decided to take the lazy option and view everything from a helicopter though."

Day 2

Bradley: "Hannah went handgliding this morning and I have to say she done very well considering she was a bit nervous beforehand. I've decided to let her continue enjoying herself in Rio on her own though, as I'm flying on to Sao Paulo to watch some football. Brasil are playing Argentina in a World Cup qualification match. A man's got to do, what a man's got to do!"

Day 3

Hannah: "Today was pretty much a day of travelling for me, working my way into the Pantanal rainforest, to meet back up with Bradley. It wasn't too bad because there was so much to look at on the way."

Day 4

Bradley: "We spent today in the rainforest, so that I could find my special bird - the Hyacinth Macaw. We actually managed to track down a nesting pair, which was really lucky. They were much bigger than I thought they were going to be and a really beautiful blue colour. I can now say that I've seen a few of the 3,000 left in the world. This evening we are going back out into the forest to try and find some crocodiles. It's easier to spot them at night."

Day 5

Hannah: "We spent today at a cowboy ranch, herding cattle. Bradley loved it and was very good, although I don't think his horse was too happy sometimes. He's always owned horses though, so it suited him down to the ground."

WWF's Work

WWF has been involved in the fight to stop and reverse the loss and degradation of the world's forests for over three decades. Much of this work has been towards establishing a network of protected areas throughout the world's forests. In addition, WWF played a leading role in establishing the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which lays down strict international standards for forest management and encourages consumers to buy products derived from sustainable sources. This continuing work will help safeguard the remaining macaw habitat, and thereby reduce one of the major threats to their survival.

In Brazil, WWF is working with conservation partners and governments to find alternatives to a planned waterways project, which threatens the forest habitat of the hyacinth macaw in the Pantanal wetland region.

TRAFFIC International, the wildlife monitoring programme of WWF and IUCN (the World Conservation Union), is working to improve CITES legislation, assist and train customs officers and other officials involved in the regulation of trade, and carry out monitoring, research and investigations into wildlife trade and illegal trade activities. TRAFFIC is also supporting the development of enforcement methods such as DNA testing for countering fraudulent captive breeding claims. These measures will help to reduce the illegal trade in macaws.

WWF is also funding vital research into macaw populations in order to monitor their numbers and distribution. Through this continuing work, we are able to learn more about these birds, their behaviour and needs, which puts us in a much better position with regard to their conservation.