The Spix’s Macaw, that inspired the 2011 movie, Rio, is now extinct in the wild. According to CBS News, “the species is now considered extinct in the wild, although some of the birds survive in breeding programs.”
Just like in the film, Rio, Blu and his owner are sent to Rio de Janeiro in order for Blu to mate with Jewel, another Spix’s Macaw, so that their species can be preserved.
In the second film, Blu and Jewel, along with their children, Bia, Carla, and Tiago, fly to the Amazon where Jewel reunites with her long lost flock of Spix’s Macaws.
In the wake of their extinction, we would like to take this moment to remember the majestic blue Spix’s Macaw and their influence on creating an exotic and fun movie for families.
They took us to Rio de Janeiro
They taught us how to samba
They taught us how to fly
They welcomed us back home into the Amazon
And they taught us how to love