What a treat! I have never been so close to so many macaws flying freely in my life. El Manatial takes in abandoned, injured and illegally captured birds, rehabilitates and breeds them for release into the wild.  Additionally, the government brings animals, mostly monkeys, which were kept as pets or confiscated in ports (being smuggled out of the country); they cannot be returned to the wild after the smell of humans is found on their skin.

Dozens of gorgeous young macaws perch in the trees around the feeding stations. They constantly fly about, brilliant colors flashing in every direction. We have to occasionally duck as they fly toward the feeding stations. Waddling on the ground, some attempt to open a spigot to get water. Toucans join them for the fruit. The rambunctious teenagers continually squawk and screech. The cacophony occasionally hurts my ears, but what a thrill.  The macaws are free to come or go, most hang around for about a year before they are transported to other jungle locations to live freely.  450 macaws over 15 years, have been released into the jungle by this group ensuring they will not be on the endangered for extinction list ever again.