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The Uruguayan conservationist and the great parrot heist
Juan Villalba-Macías has risked his life to rescue animals from the clutches of poachers, including two baby parrots who inspired the animated film Rio.
Juan Villalba-Macías has spent decades trying to protect wildlife. He's gone undercover to scupper million-dollar, animal-trafficking deals. He's also rescued two stolen, baby, blue parrots, the last born in the wild, in the midst of a dictatorship. Juan now lives on the nature reserve he created to try and bring native species back from the brink of extinction.
Film clip from Rio (Carlos Saldanha/ Blue Sky Studios & 20th Century Fox Animation)
Presenter & Producer: Louise Morris
Dubbing by Fede di Lorenzo
Photo: Juan Villalba-Macías and the collared peccaries
Credit: Louise Morris
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