Early lessons from adoption, translocation, and Ex situ care of eggs and nestlings in Chiroxiphia bokermanni (Coelho & Silva, 1998)

Abstract The Araripe manakin ( Chiroxiphia bokermanni ) is an endemic and “Critically Endangered” (CR) piprid restricted to the slopes of the Araripe Plateau in the municipalities of Crato, Barbalha, and Missão Velha in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The species is threatened primarily by habitat loss and degradation. Population monitoring and genetic analyses have indicated an accelerated loss of genetic variability, highlighting the urgent need for conservation strategies, such as translocation and adoption, to help increase genetic diversity. In this study, we report intraspecific translocation and successful adoption of Araripe manakin eggs and nestlings, including the application of artificial incubation and Ex situ artificial feeding techniques for nestlings. These interventions offer new insights for population management by integrating In situ and Ex situ conservation approaches aimed at reinforcing the population and enhancing genetic variability. Our findings contribute to the development of conservation protocols and demonstrate that translocation and adoption are promising tools for the recovery and long-term viability of the Araripe manakin.