Red-fronted Macaws (Ara rubrogenys) in the old Parrot House at Chester Zoo, 1981.
These birds were very rare in captivity at the time and 8 were presented to the zoo after being confiscated by HM Customs. All eight turned out to be hens.
Luckily Jersey Zoo had two males and they were sent to Chester where the birds bred 32 chicks between 1990 and 1998. The colony came to an abrupt and totally unexpected end in 1999 after they all suffered a reaction to a routine worming treatment and died.
