WOCC, Inc. Sponsors Attendance at Blue-Billed Curassow Workshop

White Oak Conservation Center, Inc., through the generosity of donors, funded Chris Holme’s and Mike Taylor’s attendance at a blue billed curassow workshop in Medellin Colombia and visits to three zoos where they made recommendations on improving husbandry and care.  The blue-billed curassow is a critically endangered endemic species that has not been reproduced in captivity in Colombia. The meetings were sponsored by the Colombian Government and were organized and run by the Colombian zoo association, ACOPAZOA, which has 15 or 16 member zoos.  There are currently 26 blue-billed curassows in ACOPAZOA zoos, all considered wild caught.

Mike and Chris gave presentations on blue-billed curassow taxonomy, husbandry, breeding, incubation, and chick rearing; gave an update on the international studbook for the blue-billed curassow (Crax alberti); and then led workshops on incubation and enclosure modification.  Through their participation, a strong connection has now been made between US and Columbian Zoos.