The bird from the high Andes.
The last species of flamingo to introduce to you at WWT Slimbridge is the multi-coloured Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus). A very special group of birds and another Slimbridge "highlight" as this is the largest flock of this species on display in captivity anywhere in the world. The Andean flamingo is a threatened species in the wild, and its natural haunts are being compromised by human activity. Hunting, ecotourism, traditional South American medicines and disturbance of breeding colonies are all taking their toll on population numbers across the Andean flamingo's range. Fortunately, dedicated conservation work out in the field is helping to raise awareness of the plight of this species and to stabilise population numbers in the future. The birds kept at WWT are excellent ambassadors for this ongoing, and essential, in situ (meaning "in the wild") preservation work. Andean flamingos are closely related to the James' flamingo but are larger and more robust birds. The Andean flamingos are an integral part of the social behaviour research that is currently on-going at Slimbridge. Check back to the diary regularly to find out more.
