Parrots Over Puerto Rico

by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore

For millions of years, hundreds of thousands of beautiful green and blue Puerto Rican... read more

For millions of years, hundreds of thousands of beautiful green and blue Puerto Rican parrots lived in the island's rain forests. The island's original settlers were no threat. But the birds were eventually impacted by political and social change. European ships didn't just bring invaders but black rats that ate parrot eggs. As the human population grew, habitat was lost, and fewer and fewer parrots remained. In 1968, the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program began. Parrots were raised in captivity but had little success surviving if they were released. By 1975, only thirteen Puerto Rican parrots were living in the wild. Through trial and error, scientists have developed new approaches to saving the parrots and encouraging the growth of wild populations, which are starting to thrive once again. Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore cover an immense span of time that encompasses social, political, and natural history on the island, as well as ongoing scientific research, in this fascinating account of these birds' fall and rise. Roth's vibrant collage art is a stunning backdrop in this volume that concludes with a brief photo essay featuring the work of scientists trying to save the birds. (Ages 7-11)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2014

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