U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Southeast Region News Release

May 9, 2002

Contact:
Lilebeth Serrano , 787/851-7297
Blanca Ruiz, Forest Service 787/888-5611
Astrid Green, P.R. DNER 787/724-8774 ext.4078

Who:

Southeast Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sam D. Hamilton; Secretary of Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Dr. Salvador Salas Quintana; Chief of United States Forest Service, Dale N. Bosworth

What:

Press Conference celebrating the third release of captive-reared Puerto Rican parrots into the Caribbean National Forest or “El Yunque”. The event will consist of a video review of the release, a question and answer session, lunch, and opportunities for one-on-one interviews with agency representatives.

When:

Tuesday, May 14, 2002
10:00 a.m. Press Conference followed by a catered lunch

Where:

El Portal Visitor Center Caribbean National Forest “El Yunque” (located 40 km southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Why:

To highlight the dawn release, and the cooperative efforts of the natural resource agencies to save the endangered Puerto Rican parrot from extinction.

Photos:

B-roll (Beta SP) footage of parrot releases will be made available to television stations. Digital images will be made available via the Internet at the following site:
http://southeast.fws.gov/prparrot/
NOTE: Press representatives will be asked to show official identification in order to enter the event.

How to get there:

From Old San Juan and the LMM Airport:
Take Expreso Baldorioty de Castro (PR 26) going east. Follow the signs towards Carolina. It converts into Expreso Loiza and connects to PR 3 at Plaza Carolina Shopping Center level, the mall will be visible to your left. Follow PR 3 east towards Fajardo. Keep going east (you will pass Canóvanas, Loiza, the Beltz outlets, and Río Grande old town entrance) until you reach the intersection with PR 191(right hand side) turn right there. You will see signs that say El Yunque and El Portal, just follow them. If by any chance you miss the PR 191 intersection, keep going until the next traffic light that has signs for the Riomar Hotel to the left but keep right and turn right at the light and right again at the gas station. Shortly, you will be back to the missed intersection; turn left there into PR 191 and keep following the signs to Km 4.2 where you will turn right into El Portal.
From Río Piedras and Hato Rey:
Follow Avenida Jesus T. Pinero (PR 17) east towards the Teodoro Moscosco Bridge, just follow the signs toward the airport. When you cross the bridge and start to get close to the airport, keep right and take the first exit that says Carolina. After that, you will be in Expreso Loiza going east. Follow the instruction given above to PR 3 and intersection with PR 191.

For more information and photos go to:
http://southeast.fws.gov/prparrot

NOTE: You can view our releases or subscribe to receive them -- via e-mail -- at the Service's Southeast Regional home page at http://southeast.fws.gov. Our national home page is at: http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/.

Third Release of Captive-Reared Endangered Puerto Rican Parrots