The principal threat facing the Central Pacific Scarlet Macaw population is the poaching of nestlings for the pet trade.
Poachers, locally known as laperos (macaw thieves), live in some towns and villages surrounding Carara National Park. A poacher can sell a Scarlet Macaw nestling for $200 - $400, the equivalent of two months average wage. Many local men take advantage of easy money option.

Some laperos have poached enough macaws in four months to buy a motorbike, finish building their house or avoid working for the rest of the year.

Poaching of nestlings is such a common practice that without protection, few Central Pacific Scarlet Macaw chicks would successfully fledge. During the 2005 breeding season, at least 19 chicks were reportedly poached from Guacalillo Mangrove Reserve in one week. This means more nestlings were poached in one week of 2005 than fledged safely from nests and were counted flying with their parents in 2004.

A sad fact is that of those chicks poached, few will survive. Poachers take chicks as young as a month old and raise them with fruit and corn meal (not a very good diet!!!). This is when the chicks are most vulnerable to disease and starvation, but many also die in transport while being smuggled to destinations where they will be sold as pets.

Poaching of scarlet macaw, parrot and parakeet nestlings will continue if the demand continues. Residents of local towns have been poaching for years and it is an accepted part of the culture.
Protecting nests and giving environmental education classes can control the amount of macaw poaching in the area. But while the wealthy buy wild caught macaws and other parrot species for pets, the temptation for the poor to earn easy money by stealing them will continue.