598 Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 36(4): 598–605, 2005 Copyright 2005 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians HEALTH EVALUATION OF FREE-RANGING AND CAPTIVE BLUE-FRONTED AMAZON PARROTS (AMAZONA AESTIVA) IN THE GRAN CHACO, BOLIVIA Sharon L. Deem, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. A.C.Z.M., Andrew J. Noss, Ph.D., Rosa Leny Cue ´llar, M.S., and William B. Karesh, D.V.M. Abstract: Bolivia has a total of 47 species of Psittacidae, seven of which have been identified in our study site, the semiarid Gran Chaco of the Isoso. One species, the blue-fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva), is frequently captured by local Isosen ˜o Guaranı ´ Indians for exploitation on the national and international market. These birds are often temporarily housed in small villages under unhygienic conditions with poultry and other domestic species. On occasion, these parrots escape back to the wild. Additionally, many of these birds are kept as pets or are used to lure wild parrots within slingshot range for subsequent capture. In this study, we evaluated the health status, including the level of exposure to selected infectious agents, in the wild-caught captive birds and free-ranging birds. Physical examinations were performed, and blood was collected, from 54 live birds (20 captive and 34 free-ranging). Feces were collected from 15 birds (seven captive and eight free-ranging). Necropsies were also performed on four recently dead wild- caught birds. On serologic testing, no birds were found to have antibodies to avian influenza virus, Chlamydophila psittaci, infectious bronchitis virus, infectious bursal disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Marek’s disease virus, paramyxovirus-1, paramyxovirus-2, paramyxovirus-3, polyomavirus, eastern equine encephalitis virus, western equine encephalitis virus, or Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Positive antibody titers were found for psittacine herpesvirus (8/44, 18.2%), Aspergillus spp. (3/51, 5.9%), and Salmonella pullorum (33/49, 67.3%). All three of the birds that tested antibody positive for Aspergillus spp. were captive, whereas six of the eight and 15 of the 33 birds that tested positive for psittacine herpesvirus and S. pullorum, respectively, were wild. Key words: Amazona aestiva, Bolivia, hematology, plasma chemistry, psittacine, serology. INTRODUCTION Amazona aestiva parrots are traditionally owned as pets in Isosen ˜o-Guaranı ´ indigenous communities and have been exploited historically throughout the Chaco for the pet trade. 1,2 Currently they are the most important species for Isosen ˜o-Guaranı ´ com- mercial hunters, though hunting has declined con- siderably since international markets closed in the early 1990s. Around 2,500 birds per year continue to be sold to merchants or pet owners in the city of Santa Cruz. 10 In 1999, with assistance from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Isosen ˜os initiated a community wildlife management pro- gram focused on ensuring the sustainable utilization of this species. Collaborative research with parrot hunters has focused on offtake, population censuses of parrots, nest counts, and diets. 9,10 The objectives of this study were (1) to establish baseline health indices, including hematology, plas- ma chemistries, evidence of exposure to selected From the Field Veterinary Program, Wildlife Conser- vation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460, USA (Deem, Karesh); and WCS-Bolivia, Casilla 6272, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Noss, Cue ´llar). Present address (Deem): Department of Animal Health, Smithson- ian’s National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008, USA. Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Deem. infectious disease agents, and parasite loads, and (2) to evaluate the differences in these values be- tween free-ranging and captive A. aestiva in the region. These types of health data are important for understanding the effects of the parrot trade on par- rot conservation in Bolivia and for determining the effects of domestic animal, human, and wildlife in- teractions in the region. 5 MATERIALS AND METHODS Study period and site description The research was conducted at several Isosen ˜o- Guaranı ´ communities within the Isoso indigenous territory, adjoining Bolivia’s vast Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park (Fig. 1). The communities are located along the Parapetı ´ River. Captive parrots were sampled from five of the 23 villages: Ibasiriri (19°32'58S, 62°33'42W), Iyobi (19°23'15S, 62°31'53W), Karaparı ´ (19°48'00S, 62°42'42W), Rancho Nuevo (19°26'30S, 62°34'06W), and Ran- cho Viejo (19°25'55S, 62°31'33W). Free-ranging A. aestiva breed away from the river in dry Chaco forests and savannas but are collected by hunters when they congregate during the dry season to feed in Acacia aroma stands on sand dunes along the river. The free-ranging parrots in our study were captured at Tuscal Manechi (19°52'62S, 62°46'11W). Evaluations of individual parrots and