A arara-azul-de-lear (Anodorhynchus Leari) e a sua influência na educação ambiental no bioma caatinga.

Abstract

The Lear's macaw (Anodorhynchus leari Bonaparte, 1856) is an endangered bird endemic to the Caatinga biome in the semiarid of Bahia state. It plays an important role in conservation and environmental education projects and initiatives in the semi-arid region. This study aimed to analyze how Lear's macaw (Anodorhynchus leari) species can influence environmental education and the progress of environmental awareness about the Caatinga biome. Specifically, it sought to: 1) gather information on the biology, ecology, and conservation status of the Lear's macaw; 2) verify if there are projects and initiatives in environmental education that use the Lear's macaw as a flagship species; and 3) analyze the role of environmental education in projects that use the Lear's macaw, highlighting their approaches and impacts on biodiversity conservation. The research adopted a qualitative approach, with a systematic review of the literature in two scientific databases (SciELO Brazil and CAPES Journals) and document analysis of action plans, technical reports, and educational materials from institutions such as ICMBio, IBAMA, and Fundação Biodiversitas. The results showed that the Lear's macaw is used as a flagship species in at least 15 conservation projects and initiatives, focusing on population monitoring, ex situ and in situ management, habitat restoration (especially the licuri palm), the creation of Conservation Units (CUs), and environmental education (EE) actions. The strategies developed include sustainable tourism (birdwatching), workshops for income generation (income for local communities), playful teaching materials (folk literature and games), teacher training, and the "traveling suitcase" (the Lear's Macaw Suitcase). It was observed that environmental education serves as a cross-cutting axis, promoting community participation, valuing local knowledge, and mediating socio-environmental conflicts. However, some challenges remain, such as the socioeconomic vulnerability of local communities, dependence on external financial support and resources, and the difficulty in evaluating the effectiveness of the projects and actions developed. In this context, it is concluded that the Lear's macaw is used as a flagship species and plays the role of mobilizing resources, sensitizing society, and contributing to the environmental conservation of the Caatinga biome. However, it is advisable to strengthen public conservation policies and expand diagnostic assessments before and after the development of each project and initiative to analyze the educational impacts and limitations.