Capturing The Blue of Barba Azul | Bolivia
By Humberto Tan | Photographer | Bearleader in Photography
Through the lens of Humberto Tan (2026)
Bearleader in Photography | Photographer Humberto Tan | Beni | Bolivia
A friendship through nature
It started with a lunch in Amsterdam. Introduced by fellow bird enthusiast Arjan Dwarshuis, Humberto met Tjalle Boorsma, a Dutch conservationist who had travelled to Bolivia eleven years earlier, determined to make a difference. After graduating from Wageningen University, Tjalle had arrived without a job. Several organisations turned him down before Armonía offered him a four-month opportunity, on the condition that he raised his own salary.
Eleven years later, he was still there, working to protect some of Bolivia's most threatened wildlife. When Tjalle told Humberto about the rare blue-throated macaw, he invited him to see the conservation project for himself. A few months later, the two were exploring the Bolivian savanna together. Although they had only met twice, their shared love of nature made them feel like old friends.
Into the wilds of Beni
Barba Azul is a remote nature reserve in northeastern Bolivia, where immense grasslands, wetlands and scattered forest islands create a haven for wildlife. For Humberto, it was a journey of discovery. In less than a week, he and Tjalle encountered more than 168 bird species and 14 mammal species. Among them was the elusive maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), spotted near the airstrip. They watched it with goosebumps on their arms for over half an hour as it quietly fed on guava-like fruit from a Alibertia edulis plant, moving effortlessly through the tall grass.
“I travelled to a region I knew nothing about. Bolivia, Beni, the blue-throated macaw, Barba Azul — none of them were familiar to me. I returned with unforgettable memories, photographs and a new friendship on the other side of the world.
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The bird that brought them there
The blue-throated macaw is unmistakable, with brilliant turquoise-blue wings, a golden-yellow chest and its distinctive blue throat. Found only in Bolivia's Beni region, it is one of the world's rarest macaws. Ten years ago, only around 455 birds remained in the wild. Thanks to the extraordinary conservation efforts of Tjalle and his colleagues at Armonía, the population has since grown to nearly 800 pairs — approximately 1,600 birds.
Their work includes protecting vital habitats, installing nesting boxes and working with local communities to reduce hunting.
One particularly ingenious solution involved replacing traditional feathers used in ceremonial headdresses with alternatives made from palm leaves. According to Armonía's figures cited in Humberto's original account, 90% of the headdresses came to use this alternative. Meanwhile, more than 180 macaw chicks have successfully fledged from the nesting boxes.
It is a remarkable example of how practical ideas, local cooperation and years of dedication can help save a species.
The work behind the wilderness
Conservation may sound romantic, but Humberto discovered how much determination it requires. Every month, conservationists travel deep into Barba Azul to count the blue-throated macaws returning to the forest islands at sunset. These remote locations can only be reached by tractor or horseback.
Humberto joined the team for an hour-and-a-half tractor ride across the savanna. As the sun disappeared, they counted 38 macaws. On the journey back through the darkness, a crab-eating fox ran ahead of them.
Behind these unforgettable moments lies a very different reality. Tjalle must continually raise funds for staff salaries, tractor fuel, nesting boxes and fire prevention. Even keeping the grass short in certain areas can make the difference between protecting a habitat and losing it to fire.
The beauty of Barba Azul is not simply being preserved. It is being actively protected, day after day.
More than a journey
Humberto arrived in Bolivia knowing little about Beni, Barba Azul or the blue-throated macaw. He returned with photographs, unforgettable encounters with wildlife and a new friendship on the other side of the world.
“Sometimes, the most meaningful journeys begin with a shared curiosity about something you have never seen.”
Beni landscape
GUIDE | By Bearleader in Photography | Humberto Tan
Join photographer Humberto Tan in Bolivia's Beni region as he discovers the rare blue-throated macaw, the wild beauty of Barba Azul and its conservation story.