- In Parrots Blog
Conservation Progress 2016
by John Catchpole
Looking back over a past year, we try to think of positive things that have happened and what comes to my mind is the increase in awareness of how we keep our pets in captivity and, in contrast, how we care for our birds in the wild. For years there have been intense conservation efforts being made and it is heartening to see the number of successes now materialising.
I always remember the plight of the Spix’s Macaw and how there was only one known individual in the wild in Brazil, but despite much effort years back, that particular bird disappeared, making Spix’s extinct in the wild. However, due to the undying efforts of conservation projects, the number of Spix’s Macaws that now exist, although in captivity, has risen, and when numbers reach around 150, there will be serious action to release them in to their natural habitat in Brazil.
One of the biggest achievements this year, and fairly recently, was with CITES issuing a ban to stop commercial trading of African Greys. However, these birds still need protection and the World Parrot Trust has been campaigning to raise money with their “Be His Hero” project - click here.
Some other successes: Field conservationist, Dr Sam Williams, has spent many years in Central America with the Echo Project and through his determination and hard work, has brought the plight of Central American Amazons to the fore. In Bolivia, there is great work by Asociación Armonía to increase the populations of the Blue-throated Macaws, supported by Loro Parque Fundación. In the Far East, efforts by the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP), which is fighting the cause for many of the White Cockatoos. I have just mentioned a few here, but we must not forget the many other organisations around the world that are fighting to keep our wildlife intact. All in all I think the efforts of all these organisations is quite outstanding and to see the populations of these birds increasing in the wild is heartening.
