PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN CONSERVATION AVICULTURE AND WELFARE

Ps i t t a sVcol. 10 No.e 1 Februarnye 1998 The World Parrot Trust HELPING THE SURVIVAL OF THE by Andrew Greenwood, MA, VET. MB, F.I. BIOL., MRCVS A Veterinary Review of the Kakapo Management Programme After about eighteen months of Codfish Island is where the majority Hebrides. Back at the airport in the the tide hit me - we were going to discussion and difficulties with of surviving Kakapo live, and where afternoon, Bill loaded me into a land on the beach! A quick pass to funding, my invitation to visit New the current management effort is small, single-engined aircraft along make sure all was clear, and Bill Zealand finally came through in greatest. with tanks of fuel and other supplies flipped the plane around, dropped it April 1997. Don Merton and his At Invercargill airport, which is a and, with a tremendous roar from a seemingly within inches of some colleagues, who make up the New bit like Stornoway or Bangor, I met very powerful engine, we took off rocky outcrops, and made a perfect Zealand Department of up with Bill Moffat, who was to straight out over the Southern landing just at the water’s edge. I Conservation’s (DoC) Kakapo pilot me over to the island in his Ocean, apparently headed for had finally arrived at the other end Management Team, asked me to small plane. There would be a delay Antarctica. For the next 45 minutes of the earth. spend two weeks with them until the late afternoon, Bill said I felt extremely vulnerable until the Waiting to meet me were Don assessing all the veterinary and somewhat cryptically, because of reassuring bulk of Stewart Island Merton, legendary saviour of the husbandry aspects of their the tide. appeared in front of us, but we Black Robin and the leading expert programme. Needless to say, I did Not fully taking this in, I set off passed it on our left and pushed on on the Kakapo, Grant Harper and not need to be asked twice and by into the small town to visit the to a much smaller island which was his colleague Ros Cole who run the the middle of April I was on my Southland Museum where I learned Codfish (I had not had time to do island, and an assortment of DoC way. The timing proved to be a little about life in the my geography homework before staffers and volunteers working on perfect. and watched their fascinating and setting off). The obvious feature of the . They all grabbed my bags We have read much of the Kakapo unique exhibit of breeding tuatara Codfish was that it was hump- and the rest of the supplies and led (Strigops habroptilus) and its plight (Sphenodon punctatus). Invercargill shaped and hilly and could not the way through the sand dunes to in recent issues of Psittascene. in April is a cold damp little town possibly conceal a landing strip, an extremely well-appointed Suffice to say that by April 1997 it which could easily be in the which is when the significance of wooden house, which was the island stood at a population of 50 birds with a high preponderance of males, and all the birds were “marooned” in semi-captivity on small offshore islands where they were under increasingly intensive management. A single handreared captive female “Hoki” resulted from the last successful breeding which occurred in 1992. The is officially extinct in the wild. Getting to is no joke. The fastest flight is via Los Angeles on Air New Zealand and even that takes a crippling 24 hours, arriving early in the morning. This allowed me to catch an internal flight the full length of the country to Invercargill at the southernmost tip, the nearest airport to Codfish Island which was my ultimate destination. psittacine (sit’å sîn) Belonging or allied to the “; parrot-like “Zephyr” Kakapo and her 40 day old (1.24kg) nestling “Tiwai”, Codfish Island. Photo: Don Merton If we” can save the parrots, we may yet save ourselves © WP T

1 base. As is the rule on all New Zealand’s predator free islands, nothing could be opened until all the bags had been placed in a sealed room, and then everything was thoroughly searched for any rodent stowaways. Despite the remoteness of the island and the difficulties in keeping it supplied, the base was very comfortable and well-equipped, although with so many people around Grant had had to enlist the help of his mother to cook for EDITOR: everyone. At the peak there were Rosemary Low, sixteen people working from the P.O.Box 100, base, most of them looking after the Kakapo but a couple of them Mansfield,Notts Andrew Greenwood of World Parrot Trust, UK with injured Kakapo “Ken”. Photo: Don Merton United Kingdom working on the nesting petrels. The NG20 9NZ great news was that I had arrived in take to it well. The other three located and a watch set up. the middle of the first breeding chicks were in two other nests with Nest management of the Kakapo is season of the Kakapo on Codfish fed females. the most astonishing operation I CONTENTS: since 1992, and the team were Don then brought me up to date. have ever seen. The biologists guarding two nests with chicks and The fostered chick, now called move into a routine which handrearing one rescued . “Gromet” had had to be rescued resembles a cross between an SAS Helping the Survival of again because of inadequate weight close protection squad and a the Kakapo ...... 1-4 THE KAKAPO TEAM gain. So it was back under Daryl’s premature baby unit. A camp is The core members of the Kakapo care. Of the two chicks in one nest, established 50 metres from the nest, AVisit to Paradise...... 5 Management Team number four. there were concerns about the which is usually in a hole under a My interpretation of the different respiration of one bird, although it fallen tree and whose site has been Action Sampiri ...... 6-7 roles they play is my own, but was growing well, and the others marked by a transmitter. While the basically I saw Don Merton as the seemed fine. female’s behaviour is constantly Enough is Enough ....8-9 wildlife manager, Graeme Elliot as Kakapo management falls into two monitored by radio, a predator the scientific ornithologist and Paul parts. In the winter and non- exclusion grid of rat traps and World Parrot Bookstore “Scratch” Jansen as the manager of breeding seasons, the majority of poisoned bait is set up extending out Ð Launch ...... 10 the team and electronics wizard, birds are supplementary fed. Each to 100 m. from the nest. Fortunately, although each of them could bird carries a radio-transmitter on a the only predator on Codfish is the Wild Bird Trade in perform well in any of these roles. harness so it can be easily located Pacific rat or kiore (Rattus exulans) Coimbatore, India ...... 11 The fourth member, Daryl Eason, I and the transmitters have alarm which is small but still capable of had met before when he came over signals which indicate when a bird taking eggs and chicks. A video News...Views... to Britain to study handrearing is immobile for too long. Kakapo camera system is set in the nest, Action...... 12-13 techniques at the World Parrot are fed at feeding stations which using infra-red light, from which Trust’s base at Paradise Park and have specially designed feed cables run back to the camp to a The with Shirley Lawton. It was Daryl’s hoppers to exclude rats and other time-lapse recorder. The system is Project ...... 13 crucial and unenviable job to birds. To reach the hoppers, they based on the technology of the handrear any rescued chicks. At have to stand on a scale, which video entry-phone. Nests are Parrots Helping Parrots some time or other during my stay records their weight and downloads watched from dusk to dawn, which Club ...... 14 all of the team came through the it to a data logger buried nearby. is when the females leave to feed. island to play a part in the work. Feeding is mostly done by visiting So when the nestminders arrive, How You Can Help Save Other DoC staffers came from all volunteers together with the resident they switch on the screen in the tent the Parrots ...... 15 over the place to lend a hand for island managers. Food is prepared to check the nest. When the female shorter periods, and each of them in a purpose-built kitchen and all on a trip, a beam Parrots in the Wild...... 16 had fascinating stories of their work food items weighed before and after triggers a bell in the tent. The all over the Southern oceans, from feeding to determine the food intake screen is switched on and one the Pacific Islands to the sub- and preferences of the birds. At minder watches for rats while the Antarctic and on everything from feeding times the information from other makes for the nest and the New Zealand dotterel to right the data loggers is collected and remains there on guard until the whales. returned to base. Activity of the female, signalled by her transmitter, I had been regularly briefed by birds and their movements are returns. If there is a rat-attack in the Don by fax and telephone as to followed by triangulating their time it takes for the second minder progress with the breeding season. position with the radio receivers. to reach the nest, the first minder Nine of the ten females were presses the “entry” button which believed to have mated and, of BREEDING SEASON remotely triggers a small detonator these, six actually laid. Of seven When a breeding season starts, on the camera to frighten the rat! fertile eggs, five had hatched, two activity increases dramatically, both When the female is on the nest, the attempts having been made to pull for the birds and the biologists. minders can rest until wakened by The World Parrot Trust does eggs. There were four surviving Kakapo are nocturnal and the not necessarily endorse any the “door-bell” as she leaves again. views or statements made chicks but one had been with a biologists have to become nocturnal The battery powered time-lapse by contributors to PsittaScene. female which was not too. The birds breed on a lekking recorder runs continuously and supplementary fed and she was system: males boom from set tapes are taken back to base for It will of course consider unable to support it. The chick had positions and females move into analysis and detailed record keeping articles or letters from any been pulled at 12 days, hand-reared their areas to be mated. Soon after over breakfast. And this goes on all contributors on their merits. by Daryl to 21 days and fostered this, long periods of immobility on night, every night, through the back to a fed female still sitting an the part of the females indicate entire nesting period. Back at base, infertile clutch. She had seemed to possible nesting, and each nest is the nest controller is in touch with

2 the minders by radio or mobile able to keep the chicks in open giving some indication of the write for the Management Team. phone throughout the night to help buckets in a more stable warm financial input into this programme, My brief from the Kakapo team with problems and decision-making. environment. Kakapo chicks are the team summoned a helicopter to had been to review all the veterinary My first tour of the island was in extremely fat and covered in thick take myself and one of the petrel and husbandry aspects of the the daytime with Graeme Elliot, down, so they can easily overheat. biologists back to Invercargill. The programme. I was able to range as who showed me the layout of the The chicks were reared on Lake’s low level flight over the sea gave a widely as I wished, which led me feeding areas and the lekking diet, which was the only one tremendous view of the thousands even into discussions about what grounds, the so-called “track and available. I had brought some of petrels, albatrosses and kind of general wildlife veterinary bowl systems” where the males Kaytee Exact with me, but the mollyhawks which quarter the service was needed in New Zealand. boom out their invitation during the Department of Agriculture would Southern oceans and follow the Quite a lot of my ideas and months of late winter and early not allow it in without a permit. fishing boats. From Invercargill, I suggestions had already been under spring. Lake’s seemed to do the chicks travelled back to Nelson to meet up consideration locally by others, and Two days later, after my knees had quite well and they grew quite with Graeme Elliot. Graeme and I it was gratifying to see that a recovered, Don took me up for a successfully, reaching weights over then drove down to the coast where considerable number of them were night in the woods. This was a one kilogram whilst I was there. we were met by Gideon Climo, the taken up very quickly. The best one chick-weighing night and so we Kakapo warden on Maud Island. can hope for is to act as a catalyst in were able to go right up to a nest RESPIRATORY PROBLEM Gideon ferried us out through the these situations, particularly by and handle one of the chicks. I We treated Sirocco’s respiratory fiords to the Island where we stayed promoting the cross-fertilisation of never actually saw an adult wild problem empirically with antibiotics overnight and had a chance to see ideas and cementing the technical Kakapo except on a video-screen, and antifungals and he (as he turned Kakapo management on another, and personal ties with other similar but Don has had them walk over his out to be) did well. Gromet became totally different, island. We also projects elsewhere. New Zealand’s feet while sitting in the dark. “Gromette” as it became clear later spent time with “Hoki”, the only DoC works particularly closely with Chicks are weighed and carefully on that she was female. Both chicks surviving female chick since 1981, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation examined every two days and, when were later moved off the island and who was by then 5 years old having and there are New Zealand field they are young, are kept warm on reared elsewhere, but unfortunately been hand-reared at the Auckland workers working on the Echo the nest while the mother is away “Gromette” eventually succumbed Zoo. Hoki lives in her own large parakeet every season. Indeed this using a heated cover on the end of a probably as a result of her difficult enclosure, but was free to come and year three of the people I met on long pole. Some of the nests can be early start. The other two chicks go through a cat flap and consort Codfish are on Mauritius. quite damp and removing the chick went on to fledge with their with the other eight Kakapo on the safely demands some deft work respective mothers but both turned island. Hoki has since been released FIELD MANAGEMENT with poles and bags. Moving in the out to be males, raising the male on Codfish Island. I looked at all aspects of the field goods at night, guided only by head number to 34 in total. Sirocco has After two weeks in New Zealand it management of the Kakapo and the lights, is quite tricky and you never since been released onto the island. was time to leave, but on the way risks connected with different types know what you are going to meet. Another bird needing treatment Graeme and I were able to have a of interference with the birds, at It was astonishing for me to see the was an adult named “Ken”, who had brief discussion with Peter disease threats to the species, Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes been suffering for some long time Stockdale, Dean of the Massey especially from other birds, and the antipodes), the rarest penguin in the with an unhealed wound from a University Veterinary School and a need for a comprehensive health world, walking through the trees transmitter harness. Ken had been in keen supporter of the Kakapo audit of the species. I also reviewed 200 metres from the sea, for all the captivity in an enclosure on Codfish project, and I was able to spend a nutrition and hand rearing, world like Pooh looking for honey. for three months doing well, and I day at the Auckland Zoo. This was particularly considering concerns I simply had not realized that these had previously been consulted about not entirely tourism, as the zoo has which have been expressed from sea birds nested in burrows high up him by Graeme over the phone, the established an outside the programme about the on these small islands. longest distance consultation this Centre where they are doing possible influence of plant The gradual development of practice has ever had. The staff had important work with Kiwi and other hormones on the breeding of the respiratory distress and wheezing, become adept at cleaning his wound New Zealand birds and also birds. More generally, I reviewed only detectable because of the close and changing his bandages, which breeding the North Island Kaka the needs for future research, the surveillance, led to the rescue of a he submitted to with a grace ( meridionalis). possible role of second chick for hand-rearing, unusual in parrots, but there was a The last Kakapo chicks to be and the requirements for future which came to be named “Sirocco”. lot of work still to be done. Now, rescued had been taken to Auckland veterinary support to the field Daryl had to share his rearing almost a year later, he has finally Zoo in 1992 and so the zoo had programme. facilities with the kitchen where the healed and should be ready for some valuable experience and were The more one sees of these bird food was prepared, keeping the release soon. naturally lobbying to take on further projects, the more one realises the chicks in brooders, but eventually When I was due to leave Codfish, responsibilities. Then it was the problems are the same. we commandeered Ros’s bedroom the weather was too bad for even long trip home and a long and Supplementary feeding of birds, for after she went on leave, so as to be Bill Moffat to attempt a landing so, comprehensive veterinary report to example, although crucial to help

Kakapo Management Team (left to right): Graeme Elliott Andrew Heaphy on “nest minder” duty at “Alice” Andrew Greenwood and Co. aboard Trevor Green’s helicopter (Scientist), Don Merton (Senior Technical Officer), Paul Photo: Don Merton taking section of board-walk up to top. Photo: Don Merton Jansen (Manager) and Daryl Eason.

3 some species in marginal standardised record-keeping were represent a disease risk to the birds. appears to have on the intermittent rear their young, causes inevitable also needed. For the future, Codfish Finding ways to boost production fruiting of trees which severely risks, both from the quality and has been selected for the major of the Kakapo is the main concern limits the frequency of breeding quantity of food provided and from Kakapo breeding effort and it is to of the Management Team. At the attempts, would be to try with a the “bird-table” effect, which tends be hoped the facilities can be current rate of progress, we will all very small number of birds in to concentrate other species into the upgraded in parallel. be retired before the bird is saved. captivity, keeping those which feeding area, including in the Inevitably there were questions become captive through rescue. Kakapo’s case other psittacines like DISEASE RISKS about both the success rate under Such birds would also provide the Kakariki (Cyanoramphus The Kakapo has been a “natural” breeding regimes and the opportunity for research on many novaezelandiae) and Kaka, which remarkably disease-free species; in possibilities for manipulation. aspects of the bird’s biology which may present special disease risks. fact there has been no adult Fertility is quite good (for a are not understood. Of all my Selection by the birds from a mixed mortality for four years, and very bird), eggs recommendations, this is the one diet is a problem, just as in little in the last ten years. hatch well but too many chicks have which I am most disappointed has aviculture, and development of a Nevertheless, in order to assess been lost and all the work initiated not been taken up, since all the Kakapo pellet is now under way in disease risks and to have the in this last season should go towards birds, including Hoki, have now New Zealand. The work of the background information against maximising survival in the future. been released onto Codfish. There feeding volunteers was very well which to respond should a problem Some males clearly are not are signs, however, of another done and hygiene standards were arise, I recommended a much more succeeding in producing fertile possible breeding season starting up very high. comprehensive testing programme. eggs, however, and their basic this year, which would be good I could find very little fault with The Kakapo is probably the only fertility needs to be investigated. news indeed. the management of breeding species in the world in which every One male has been known to mate Kakapo, but was able to introduce with a researcher’s sweater, opening FUTURE SUPPORT some techniques we have used in up the possibility of semen Mauritius, including regular collection and evaluation using a Future veterinary support for the changes of nest substrate (Kakapo surrogate or dummy bird. Artificial Kakapo programme is essential, are poor house-keepers) and its insemination has been widely both for monitoring the birds and treatment with safe fungicides and discussed, but I did not feel it was a reviewing the health of the insecticides to reduce the risk of viable option nor a priority at population, and for coping with aspergillosis and parasitism. present. Increasing egg production handreared and rescued birds. My Petrels are also a risk, using and is another approach, but Kakapo recommendation, which backed up sometimes invading Kakapo holes show no inclination to recycle after plans already under consideration, and, like all sea birds, are probably a clutch fails. It may be that work was that there be a wildlife carriers of chlamydia and influenza done on the King penguin pathologist appointed at the virus. (Aptenodytes patagonicus) may Veterinary University to oversee A lot of the past failures in the have some relevance here. The wildlife disease problems in New Kakapo programme, as the team penguin’s long refractory period can Zealand, and also a wildlife would readily admit, were due to an be overcome by using drugs used in clinician who could look after all imposed policy of hands-off human fertility problems. Other DoC’s operations and undertake the management, attempting to increase hormone manipulations might field side of the programme. So I the number of parent-reared chicks induce females to return to the lek was thrilled to hear recently that my without risking that process in any “Hoki” Kakapo using modified cat-door for another mating. old friend Wayne Boardman, a way. Efforts around the world are in pen fence. Photo: Gideon Climo British vet who has worked with beginning to show that this is not CAPTIVE BREEDING Kakapo at the Auckland Zoo and also worked at the Perth Zoo, has necessarily the best way to rapidly single individual is not only known Captive breeding of Kakapo has increase absolute numbers of birds, long been a controversial subject. returned to New Zealand to take up and marked, but also handled a wildlife post. which is the only insurance against annually (for transmitter changes). They have always proven very chance events leading to . This provides a unique opportunity difficult to keep alive in the past, The Kakapo programme is a This season, Don and the team to conduct a complete health audit and a review of the programme in tremendous project and certainly finally had their way and on the species, instead of just 1995 came out strongly against this deserves to succeed. The faith intervention at all stages led, surveying a representative sample. as an option. However, that review which the New Zealand government eventually, to considerable success. The birds are also large and easy to overlooked the inevitable fact that has put in the team (to the tune of Necessarily, birds will come into handle, which allows substantial close attention to the breeding birds one million NZ dollars a year!) is captivity as a result of the rescue blood samples to be taken. My will result in captive birds as a fully justified in my view. The process, and it was important that recommendations were for best result of rescue, and the success in cross-fertilisation of ideas between the facilities for their care were up possible practice and no doubt not keeping Ken and Hoki alive this and other similar programmes is to the best avicultural standards. I all of them can be carried out, but I suggests that this is not impossible. vital; all these efforts to save recommended that Kakapo continue believe this sort of study to be a The natural mating system of the endangered birds run into similar to be reared near their natal home. priority for all endangered species. Kakapo was also felt to mitigate problems and seem to be run by The advantages to this are easy Testing should also be extended to against captive breeding, but there scientists of immense ingenuity. interchange with the wild, the wild species, especially other are a number of lekking species, Indeed it is as a result of this minimizing external disease risks psittacines, to see what risks are most notably the capercaillie (Tetrao collaboration that my veterinary and transport and immediate present in the environment. urogallus), which breed readily review came about. involvement of the rearing team The large number of workers, both without needing to carry out their It only remains for me to thank all with rescue decisions. The professional and volunteer, involved full display.Those of us who work the members of the Kakapo team disadvantage is mainly the lack of with close management of the birds with captive species rapidly become for the unique opportunity to see support facilities and the strain on led to a recommendation for aware that birds and mammals only them, and the Kakapo, at work, and the hand rearer, so I recommended increased human biosecurity. This appear to need certain items in their the Department of Conservation and two people be involved and the simply meant that staff should stay behavioural repertoire to breed their sponsor Comalco for funding facilities improved to provide a away from pet birds and poultry, use successfully, and the rest is really the trip, and to wish the whole separate brooder room. Closer separate protective clothing on the “froth”. My feeling was that the best project the very best of success in disease monitoring through simple islands and the recognition that way to break the cycle of the future. The Kakapo is in microbiology on site and more visiting experts (including vets!) dependency which the Kakapo very good hands indeed.

4 crucial habitat as a nationally protected area, and 2) by funding A visit to Paradise By Dana Ripper and taking part in education 1. EDUCATION OF THE ZOO- increasing loss of habitat may mean programs that teach native people GOING PUBLIC: there will be no place to return birds about the aesthetic and scientific It is estimated that, world-wide, to (see point number 3). value of their indigenous wildlife. approximately 620 million people The large number of parrots The latter endeavour must be visit zoos on a yearly basis already maintained in captivity tempered by the establishment of a (Wheater 1995). This provides an (albeit often at the cost of the wild sustainable use ethic. People in enormous potential student body populations) provides a large developing nations (where a high that may be taught about the need resource on which we may draw percentage of the world’s threatened for conservation. I will maintain that both sheer numbers of individuals birds reside) can not be expected to the education of the public is the and genetic diversity, if captive halt their exploitation of natural largest contribution zoos can make, birds are properly managed. There resources simply because we feel for several reasons. From a practical is an increasing realisation that that it is wrong; financially viable standpoint, residents of developed successful breeding is considerably alternatives must be provided to countries in the United States and enhanced by a positive, such activities as clear-cutting Europe collectively possess the intellectually stimulating forests for agriculture and money necessary to realise the goals environment (Shepherdson, 1994). harvesting parrots for the pet trade. of environmental organisations. In This also makes for happier, In its short existence, the World many cases, they also have the healthier birds! Paradise Park Parrot Trust has made admirable ability to support (or deny support provides its birds with large aviaries contributions to in situ conservation. to) political actions that affect fitted with vegetation and natural The Echo Parakeet project and the Conservation of birds presents wildlife and the environment. To perches of various sizes. Birds are educational buses provided to both problems and benefits unique take a more idealistic perspective, able to interact with conspecifics as several Caribbean islands and to the group. The appeal of birds, education about threats to biological well as members of other species. address both the especially parrots, to humans makes diversity is necessary because only Most impressive are the three large conservation of habitat and the need them excellent for promoting with a change in the way the natural for involvement of local people. flight cages, in which large parrots Further, the field research projects conservation to the general public. world is viewed can long-term of several different species are Further, because birds are highly preservation of this diversity be funded by the WPT and the on- housed. I was told by several staff going Parrot Action Plan will help evolved, specialised organisms, they sustained. members that the Park would like to may be used as indicators of the Paradise Park works to educate its to provide necessary data to fill build more of these larger flights (I gaps in our knowledge of the overall quality of their resident patrons in a number of ways. observed that they definitely have . However, these factors Displays at the exhibit cages biology and ecology of parrots. The the space for them), but funds for need for strong scientific data in the are but the complementary side of indicate the birds’ geographic such a project are simply the infamous double-edged sword. distribution and . field of conservation biology can unavailable at the moment. To date, not be overemphasised: we will not Because we have such an affinity Posters displayed at various points many rare birds have bred at for birds, they are highly at risk for in the Park and literature available be able to save that which we do not Paradise Park, the offspring of some understand. capture for the pet trade; because in the gift shop indicate the of which have been moved to other they are so specialised, habitat problems faced by birds and the Acknowledgements: I must say destruction and human collections for further breeding. In that I was very impressed with the measures being taken to help them. such a way, the Park has added overpopulation often takes a larger As readers of this newsletter are overall organisation of Paradise toll on bird populations than on any considerably to the genetic Park and the World Parrot Trust, as aware, the World Parrot Trust resources of captive birds. other group of . educates its members about all well as the goals upon which each aspects of parrot conservation 3. HABITAT CONSERVATION was constructed. Everyone on the RESEARCH PROJECT around the world, from recent field staff - in fact, everyone in the entire Based on the complexity of this AND EDUCATION OF LOCAL research to avicultural news. I have PEOPLE county of Cornwall - was wonderful situation as well as my own love for found the articles in PsittaScene to to me and made my visit not only birds, I decided to undertake a Fact: The most well-planned ex- informative but also pleasant. I be incredibly informative and, in situ conservation programs, carried research project which led me to most cases, provided information would like to thank the Richter spend two weeks at Paradise Park in unavailable elsewhere. out with the best of intentions, in Fellowship Committee of North December of 1997. The purpose of the finest zoos, can not save the Central College for funding this trip, this project was to analyse the role 2. CAPTIVE BREEDING AND world’s birds unless their wild as well as the Reynolds family and of private bird sanctuaries in the MAINTENANCE OF A POSITIVE homes are also saved. Even if we David Woolcock of Paradise Park overall context of contemporary ENVIRONMENT FOR CAPTIVE could indefinitely maintain every and WPT for providing me with wildlife conservation. As you are BIRDS. species of bird in captivity, I believe their knowledge and a gracious probably aware, over the past 50 In many ways, the modern zoo has we still would have lost not only the welcome. years, zoos and private been forced into becoming a Noah’s battle for true conservation but also References: collections have been undergoing an Ark for species threatened with would have fallen short of our Shepherdson, D. 1994. The role of ‘evolution’of sorts, from simple, extinction. Interactive management ethical potential as human beings. environmental enrichment in the often exploitative exhibition centres, of wild and captive individuals, Conservation of habitat, especially captive breeding and reintroduction to effective components of species such as in the case of the Echo in areas of high biological diversity of endangered species. In Creative and habitat conservation. Such Parakeets reared for release, is such as the tropics, requires not only Conservation (P.J.S. Olney, G.M. establishments are becoming an sometimes necessary to maintain the support of government but also Mace, and A.T.C. Fiestner,Eds.). increasingly important part of the genetically viable populations or to the education of local people. Chapman and Hall, London. effort to halt the global extinction boost the numbers of dangerously Establishments like Paradise Park Wheater, R. 1995. World Zoo crisis for which we are responsible. small ones. On other occasions, and the World Parrot Trust can (and Conservation Strategy: a blueprint Conservation centres such as such as in the case of the Guam often do) contribute to in situ for development. Biodiversity and Paradise Park, in concert with not- Rail, captive populations are conservation in two extremely Conservation 4:544-552. for-profit organisations like the maintained because the species has important ways. 1) By funding field Wiese, R. J. and M. Hutchins, Eds. World Parrot Trust, are in a unique been extirpated in the wild (Wiese research that will result in data to 1994. Species survival position to make significant and Hutchins, 1994). While usually support recommendations to plans: strategies for wildlife contributions to conservation in the the primary objective of such appropriate government bodies, conservation. American Zoo and following ways: programs is reintroduction, which can lead to the designation of Aquarium Association,

5 Action Sampiri - Can we save the Red-and-blue Lory? by Jon Riley The beautiful Red-and-blue Lory more information on the species’ traditional roosting tree. In February on Karakelang. In order to fulfil this (Eos histrio) is rapidly becoming ecology, distribution and population 1997, I counted only 52 birds order, more trappers were trained one of the rarest parrots in size and the bird trade on the roosting at this tree - a decline of and as a direct consequence Indonesia. The lory is endemic to islands, whilst at the same time 80% in just 18 months. Local trapping intensity increased and the small islands of Sangihe and attempting to raise awareness of the people often describe roost sites that over exploitation began. Talaud, scattered to the north of species’ plight, both on Sangihe and must have held hundreds of birds Against this background, Action Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the Talaud and in northern Sulawesi. and in 1889, a British naturalist Sampiri began to tackle the Philippines. Within its extremely Action Sampiri lasted for a total of called Hickson describes watching immediate problem of trapping. Our small world range, the future of this six months. Two months spent on hundreds of birds flying to a roost strategy, developed in consultation charismatic species is threatened by Sangihe, three months on Talaud on two small islands offshore of with experienced professionals, a combination of the accelerating and a month in Manado, the Karakelang. This latter site is now such as BirdLife International, was loss of its forest habitat and over provincial capital of north Sulawesi. deserted and the largest roost we relatively simple. Very few people exploitation for the wild bird trade. It is now clear that the Red-and-blue counted in 1997 held just 130 birds. on Talaud appreciate that the Red- In the last three years the Red-and- Lory is currently experiencing a In southern Karakelang the largest and-blue Lory is special to their blue Lory has been the focus of massive population decline and, that roost we found held just 31 birds. islands; our key message was much international effort to without immediate corrective therefore “If the lory goes extinct on ascertain the threats faced by it and action, there is a strong possibility NOW VERY RARE your islands it is gone forever!”. to begin urgently the required action of the species becoming extinct or, The Red-and-blue Lory is now Another important factor in our needed to prevent the lory from at the very least, extremely rare, in very rare on Salibabu and Kabaruan planning was that, from our drifting towards extinction. the near future. and in southern Karakelang, where experiences in 1995, we knew that Almost nothing was known about On the Sangihe islands no trapping and loss of habitat have people on the islands were the species’ population status, sightings were made of the lory, combined to bring about a dramatic interested in our work, would listen ecology or present distribution to us and make informed when, in 1992, many hundreds of which is represented on these population decline. Lories have Red-and-blue Lories suddenly islands by an endemic , always been popular as cage birds judgements about their began to appear in traders’ markets by our research team in 1996. It is on the islands; they are attractive environment. It was important to us in Singapore, one of the hubs of the not known if this population still birds, inquisitive and charismatic that local people decided what to trade in South-east Asian wildlife. persists. On Sangihe there has been and can be obtained easily. Low do, given full access to accurate Concern was expressed by almost total conversion of natural intensity trapping has probably information; our reasoning being international conservation bodies forests to agricultural plantations always taken place, but organised that the problem faced by the Red- that such large numbers of birds, of and any lory population exploitation did not begin until the and-blue Lory was created by the a species virtually unknown to undoubtedly will be small. The few early 1990’s, coinciding with the islands’ residents and they should be science, should be so vigorously scattered forest remnants on sudden appearance of the species in the ones to solve that problem. traded and, in 1994, as a result of a Sangihe are also small and are Singapore. At this time an order for Action Sampiri identified six suggestion from the Indonesian unlikely to support many parrots. 3,000 Red-and-blue Lories was villages on Karakelang where there government, the Red-and-blue Lory Despite the lack of sightings, local received by the few active trappers was known to be a concentration of was placed on Appendix 1 of people still reported the lories to be CITES, banning all international present, and it is suggested seasonal trade in the species. movements of birds in search of food resources, could explain their ISLAND SURVEY absence from the site lories were In 1995 I led the first observed at in 1995. ornithological expedition to survey The Talaud islands now support comprehensively the Sangihe and the vast majority of the world Talaud islands this century; our population of the Red-and-blue primary target was the Red-and-blue Lory. Even on these isolated and Lory. The key conclusions from this undeveloped islands, the lory is expedition were: first, that the lory, close to extinction on two of the historically known from four islands three islands and is found in large in the Sangihe group, was now numbers only on Karakelang, the restricted to the largest island, largest of all the Talaud islands. Sangihe and very rare, being found Action Sampiri estimates that the at only one site; secondly, that on total world population does not Talaud the species was commoner exceed 4,000 birds, yet on than previously thought, but Karakelang the lory is experiencing suffering from exploitation by bird a rapid population decline due to trappers, and was almost extinct on one key factor, trapping. In 1996 we all islands except Karakelang. It was estimate that 1,600 lories were our opinion that more work was trapped on Karakelang and where- needed urgently on the islands and ever we travelled within Talaud we resolved to organise a follow-up there was evidence of the effect this project in 1996. Action Sampiri was was having on the birds’ wild born. population. In October 1995 at a Taking its name from the local village called Tuabatu in central name for the Red-and-blue Lory, Karakelang, I counted at least 253 Red and Blue Lories at , Tenerife, where this species is reared on a regular Action Sampiri aimed to gather lories flying into roost at a basis. Photo: Rosemary Low

6 villages, one trapper remaining with has recently commenced in northern us for five weeks. Karakelang, which will obviously In only three months it would be have a major negative effect on the impossible to stop trapping, but Red-and-blue Lory. Action Sampiri has made a start. Action Sampiri is already People in Talaud now know there is developing plans to return to Talaud a problem and appear to agree it for a long term project, as soon as needs solving. But will this happen? the required funding has been The majority of the population are secured. We plan to visit every subsistence farmers and all trappers village on the island and continue catch birds to boost a meagre our work programme, using a income. This is important because it similar methodology to that means no-one on Talaud is entirely successfully initiated in 1997 and dependent on bird trapping. developing the themes discussed Profiting from the bird trade has above. Action Sampiri is confident bred some resentment within that, together with the communities communities; trappers are seen to of Sangihe and Talaud, it can make gain financially from exploiting a a real difference to the future of the common resource and residents of Red-and-blue Lory, one of the most Roosting area of Red and Blue Lories on Karakelang. Photo: J. Van Oosten non-trapping villages commonly stunning birds in Indonesia. expressed concern about the “theft” The author would like to thank the trappers. We visited each of these members are fluent in the of their birds. Following this following organisations who villages and at each one followed a Indonesian language - and at every argument and appealing to the provided financial sponsorship for standard programme of action. First village, on every bus journey, at common good will be one approach Action Sampiri: British Petroleum, the team would explain to the each shop, we would talk to people Action Sampiri will utilise during BirdLife International, Flora & village head the purpose of its visit about the lory and the problems it is further work on the islands. Fauna International, Oriental Bird to his village, supported by the facing. The Talaud islands are poor, A second argument is that driving Club, The Parrot Society, Percy correct letters of permission, remote and underdeveloped: there the lory to extinction means a Sladen Memorial Fund, The without exception, people were are few roads, no telephones and permanent loss of income; other University of York, Stiftung willing to listen to our message. one ferry each week to Manado. parrot species are unpopular as cage Avifauna Protecta, Royal Next, the team would address the This has made the islanders fiercely birds in comparison to the lory; if Geographical Society and British village at a general meeting, open to independent and proud, something this resource is exhausted there are Ornithologist’s Union. Research in all residents, to outline some basic we tried to encourage with respect no alternative species to turn to. Indonesia was conducted jointly facts about the project, the to the Red-and-blue Lory. In our Another strategy is to try to reduce with Universitas Sam Ratulangi, importance of Talaud and the Red- meetings we tried to emphasise that the demand for lories in the future; Manado, Sulawesi and under the and-blue Lory, and then why we the lory is now found only on our work in schools, with teachers sponsorship of Pusat Penelitian dan thought trapping should stop. Karakelang and if trapping does not and with village heads on Talaud is Pengembangan Biologi, Bogor and Presentations were followed by a stop it will become extinct. People important, as is work in the Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan question and answer session, did believe us as they have already provincial capital with appearances Indonesia. usually lively, with villagers keen to seen this happening on their island; on local radio, television and in the For further information and a more express an opinion. Then prayers in the past birds would to press. But perhaps the single most detailed report summarising Action and a summary from the village trees around villages, but important act Action Sampiri can Sampiri’s findings can be obtained head brought meetings to a close. no longer, and by seeing Action facilitate is the implementation of from the author: Jon Riley, 1 The We also held smaller meetings Sampiri asking lots of questions, an island law banning all trade and Croft, North Sunderland, Seahouses, attended by all trappers in a camping in the forest, counting trapping of lories. At present there is Northumberland, NE68 7XA. particular village. These followed a roost trees and simply being on the no legal basis in Indonesian law on England. Telephone: ++44 (0) similar theme, but were more like islands, people could trust what we which to prevent the over- 1665-720325. seminars, with trappers asking for were saying. exploitation of lories; on many email: 113077.1066 detailed information on the birds’ But the key question is, did our occasions on Talaud local officials @compuserve.com. decline and news from other approach work? In short, yes. expressed exasperation seeing large villages on the island, whilst Action People believed us when we said numbers of birds being exported Sampiri tried to obtain details of the bird is becoming rare and from the islands, but were powerless local roost sites, population trends already knew this was a direct result to do anything to stop this. Meetings and the mechanics of the bird trade. of trapping, but they didn’t know it were held between Action Sampiri The team also visited the village was their special bird - some and the head of government on school. In the course of the project islanders were amazed to learn there Sangihe and Talaud in 1997 and, we spoke to over 4,000 children, are no lories flying around my after a positive discussion, we are introducing them to the idea of village in northern England! In confident that progress can be made special birds, the threats species some areas an anti-trapping feeling toward protecting the lory in law. face and how they themselves can in the people already exists. In fact, help birds. most people on Talaud want CRITICALLY ENDANGERED trapping to stop; most significantly The Red-and-blue Lory is now EDUCATION EFFORTS for the lory’s long term prospects, critically endangered with We supported our work with a these include all local government extinction and if no efforts are made variety of resources, such as officials the team talked to. The in the immediate future to reduce its stickers, posters, simple bird most eloquent testimony to this exploitation and protect the booklets, bird poster boards and statement was that after Action remaining forests on Talaud, the introductory leaflets and maps, Sampiri had visited Tuabatu, a prospects for the lory are poor. many made cheaply on the islands. major trapping village, two of the Another factor to consider is that, in Young Red and Blue Lory at Beo on However, out greatest resource was trappers joined the team to help 1997, Action Sampiri found Karakaleng in the Talaud Island. conversation - all UK team communicate our message to other evidence that commercial logging Photo: J. Van Oosten

7 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Time to answer untrue allegations against The World Parrot Trust By Michael Reynolds In any field of human endeavour, members, the RSPCA, and others. raised in total, but no information is is so monstrous that I must bore you one of the penalties of successful Such organisations are sometimes provided on how this is spent. If it with some quotes from our official action is that it stimulates various criticised for their bureaucracy, but were a membership organisation, it accounts, which are required forms of reaction. This certainly they achieve a great deal, especially would have been placed under close annually by the UK Charity applies to The World Parrot Trust, in the protection of the habitat they scrutiny long ago.’ Commission. Notes within the now beginning its tenth year of can afford to acquire. They don’t do I wrote to this person quoting his accounts say: work for the conservation and as much as they might for the remarks, and asking him the ‘No renumeration directly or welfare of the parrots. Reactions to parrots, and that is where WPT can following questions: indirectly out of the funds of the our activities range from feverish be seen to be active, very cost What makes you think you know charity was paid or payable for the imitation to complete indifference, effectively, on behalf of our special my views on private aviculture? year to any trustee or to any person and from loyal support to active interest. But I envy those vast In what ways is WPT ‘used to or persons known to be connected opposition. incomes of the big guys, and would promote private interests’? with them.’ And also: ‘The Trust From a small base we have appreciate a crumb from their laden Why do you state that ‘no continued to receive substantial developed an international tables. information is provided on how this uncharged benefits from Paradise membership and raised over $1M to So I can partly understand the is spent’? Park. These included free office help 23 endangered species in 20 envy of others in the parrot world Why do you say ‘If it were a facilities, computers, telephone, countries. We have steadily pursued who may have tried to achieve membership organisation it would electricity and staff time.’ our aims (listed on page 15 of this similar objectives to those of the have been placed under close PsittaScene) and made contributions World Parrot Trust, but have failed scrutiny long ago’? WPT is a FINANCIAL DETAILS of money, time and moral support to to make any impact. For several membership organisation, and is To put more detail on that, my all of them. We have done this as a years we have been aware of one closely scrutinised by the Charity wife Audrey and I gave £13,000 volunteer, unpaid group of parrot person in particular who has made Commission. ($20,000) for start up funds for the enthusiasts, and even today have untrue statements about the WPT. In I concluded by saying: ‘Before I World Parrot Trust, and between only one paid member of staff, our our PsittaScene issue of February take this matter further, I feel it 1989 and 1997 Paradise Park raised UK administrator. We have 1995 we published, with our latest necessary to invite you either to donations from its visitors of consistently stated that ‘... the trust accounts, an articles called ‘Putting substantiate or withdraw your £110,000 ($190,000), given at its seeks to promote the concept of the Record Straight’. We mentioned remarks.’ He did reply, confirmed ‘Eagles of Paradise’ flying ‘responsible aviculture’, where the a ‘globe-trotting member’ who had he had written to Rosemary Low, demonstrations, and passed on this interests of the parrots are given been heard to tell a group of but failed to substantiate or substantial amount, without priority over commercial, political, German aviculturists at a bird withdraw his remarks. deduction, to the World Parrot Trust. career or other human concerns.’ convention that the WPT ‘spent all My solicitors inform me that we I have made further calculations its money on expensive lunches and have a strong case for libel or (not professionally confirmed by MANIFESTO FOR AVICULTURE dinners’. malicious falsehood. Such legal our accountants) that the annual A year ago, we published our actions are time consuming and value of 70% of my time as unpaid ‘Manifesto for Aviculture’ and WITLESS PROPAGANDA costly, and would not be an director of WPT could be put at circulated it to all the 140 CITES This kind of witless propaganda appropriate activity for a charity £14,000 ($22,000); over nine years management authorities around the may seem ridiculous, but when it such as the World Parrot Trust this adds up to £130,000 world, other government bodies, continues over the years, it is bound (although I will not rule out taking ($200,000). Over the same period, and to non-government to be damaging to the trust, its action on a personal basis). I am the time of many other Paradise therefore using our PsittaScene Park staff should be valued at organisations and media we thought reputation, and its ability to achieve magazine to draw attention to this might be interested. Our aim was to its aims. We have decided that we person’s libellous activities and approximately £65,000 ($100,000), do what no other group has ever have no choice but to advise WPT warn our members and other readers and the facilities provided free to done: speak up internationally for members once again about an against the untrue statements he and the Trust by Paradise Park are worth the legitimate interests of individual currently making a few associates have been at least another £65,000 ($100,000). aviculturists, the vast majority of libellous statements about the trust. spreading. In addition, travel costs paid whom are genuine hobbyists, not Unfortunately, for legal reasons we personally by me for parrot related villains of any description whatever. cannot name him. He has, however, PARROT WORLD GOSSIP visits to , Australia, New We were trying to repair the damage made the mistake of putting some Ill-informed gossip is contagious, Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, done by people convicted of defamatory remarks in writing, and as we all know in the ‘parrot world’. USA, Paraguay, Mexico, St Vincent, smuggling endangered parrots, and has confirmed having done so. He I have been made aware that a well- Puerto Rico, Mauritius, Holland, the consequent increase in sent a fax to Rosemary Low in known aviculturist and author, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy unwarranted restrictions on our which he said: ‘By the way, I have attending a meeting in London last etc. must amount to over £27,000 hobby. But even this effort has been decided to resign from WPT since I year, told a US visitor that he had ($40,000). criticised, as you will see. can no longer justify supporting it. heard that money donated to WPT This comes to £410,000 or $650,000 Envy is one of the deadly sins, and The last straw was the manifesto, was spent on Paradise Park, the in cash, staff time and facilities, and we are all subject to it. I personally which I find sickeningly commercial bird park where the is more than the net profits made in envy the multi-million funds hypocritical knowing MR’s views trust is based. As it happens, the that period by Paradise Park. Please received by the mega-charities, such on private aviculture. I also believe exact reverse of this is the truth. The pass on this information (or this as (in the UK) the World Wildlife WPT is more and more blatantly late unlamented Dr. Goebbels entire article) if you hear anyone Fund, the Royal Society for the used to promote private interests. I advocated that if you are going to questioning our integrity or our Protection of Birds with its million understand some $850,000 has been lie, make it a big one. But this one commitment to the parrots.

8 USA STATUS from British Airways Assisting Incidentally, in the United States Conservation (BAAC). This body the World Parrot Trust USA Inc. is was created by Rod Hall, a senior registered with the IRS as a federal engineer with BAand a committed tax-exempt organisation, which conservationist. He does a means (a) that it is subject to strict tremendous amount of work in his regulation, and (b) that US citizens own time and with no reward, save can make a donation to WPT-USA the satisfaction of helping save the and deduct it from their tax bill. planet from its folly. Rod was Similar factors apply with the recently awarded the MBE by the Canadian World Parrot Trust, a fully Queen, for his services to established charity under Canadian conservation. BAAC has now been law. WPT Benelux and WPT absorbed into the British Airways Scandinavia are closely regulated by Environment Branch. the appropriate laws of their Here are some of the WPT countries, and by their vigilant and activities that have been aided by effective committees. WPT Australia BAAC: is also registered as a charity. Rosa Elena Zagara, a Peruvian I am sorry to take up valuable biologist, brought to the UK for 6 The first of four WPT parrot buses, in St. Lucia. space in PsittaScene with this months parrot keeping experience at The Parrot Action Plan meeting, This programme libelled me unfortunate issue, but our trustees Paradise Park. June 1995. This important personally, suggesting that I did not decided it was necessary to stop Andrew Greenwood MA, VetMB, conservation initiative was proposed care about my birds, and was only these lies before they went any FIBiol.MRCVS sent to Mauritius to by Rod Hall, and provided tickets to interested in making money from further. We cannot forever maintain advise on the Echo Parakeet programme, on four occasions. His bring the world’s leading parrots them. My solicitors will shortly a stoic silence despite years of experts to London to revive the issue a writ for libel against the T.V unjustified attacks. One of our most veterinary and avicultural input has made a major contribution to this embattled Parrot Action Plan. company. Writs may also be issued devoted supporters has written to us BAAC tickets were supplied for Joe against any person or organisation from Miami to say that she is most successful recovery programme. Forshaw from Australia, Mike shown to be giving further appalled to hear (apparently Perrin from South Africa, Charlie publication to the libel in any form, reported on the internet) that I use Andrew Greenwood also sent to St Vincent to advise on the Munn, Noel Snyder, Jamie Gilardi and in any country. air tickets donated to WPT for my and Alejandro Grajal from the USA, personal holiday travel. Let me government’s captive breeding WPT MEMBERS CAN HELP programme for the St Vincent Parrot. and Mariano Gimenez-Dixon from dispose of that also. Further funding provided by HM IUCN HQ in Switzerland. This May I ask WPT members to help I have received four tickets in nine Foreign & Commonwealth Office. action plan is coming together with us - and the parrots - by taking years. These allowed me to go to David Woolcock, Nick Reynolds much help from WPT, and will be every opportunity to correct the Washington USA to attend the and Andrew Greenwood sent to published by IUCN this year. It will untrue statement I have described. inaugural meeting of the Paraguay to (a) fit out the ‘parrot stimulate and direct new funding for Or indeed, any new ones these Association for Parrot Conservation, bus’with exhibits made in the UK, the conservation of those parrot people may dream up. The essential to Belo Horizonte in Brazil to attend (b) create a new aviary at Asuncion species that need it most. facts about the World Parrot Trust a conference on the conservation of Zoo for , (c) advise the zoo I could go on, but the above are recorded in the 33 issues of the ‘Blue Macaws’, to Asuncion, on its redevelopment. FCO funding examples should give you the PsittaScene (available from our UK Paraguay to follow up an invitation here also. picture, and an idea of the genuine office at £2.75 ($5) each including from the British Ambassador to Two Paradise Park staff (Kirsty contribution of British Airways to postage), and in our eight sets of supply a ‘parrot bus’ for that country Jenkin, Pete Haverson) sent to wildlife conservation. Needless to annual accounts on file at the (which we did), and to the USA to a Mauritius to spend a total of six say, we have written to the lady in Charity Commission. Our latest meeting of the International months as part of the Echo Parakeet Miami to tell her the true facts, and accounts will be published in the Aviculturists Society. Not much recovery team. Note: Paradise Park will do what we can to correct May 1998 PsittaScene. Any holiday in that bunch of flights. paid their usual salaries, plus the untrue statements on the internet. member who has any questions cost of their temporary For a start, this article will be added about our finances or other matters HELP FROM BAAC replacements. WPT provided each to our World Parrot Trust Web Page, is invited to email me direct on Let me take this opportunity to person with a less than luxurious which can be found simply by using [email protected]. record the invaluable help that the allowance of £50 ($80) per week for your browser to search for ‘World Also, if you are able to identify anyone World Parrot Trust has received their living expenses. Parrot Trust’. passing on incorrect information, please let us have the details, and TV ATTACK ON ZOOS we’ll try to put them right. There is another important matter. As ever, Shakespeare put it neatly, In October 1997, a television in ‘Othello’: programme shown in the UK set out ‘Who steals my purse steals trash; to attack the Federation of Zoos ‘tis something, nothing; regarding the disposal of surplus But he that filches from me my animals. This dealt primarily with good name large mammals such as big cats, but Robs me of that which not Paradise Park, as a member of the enriches him, Federation, was caught up in the And makes me poor indeed.’ process, and was criticised for Be sure that the World Parrot Trust selling an Illigers . (I should will do everything necessary to tell you that this bird was listed in protect its good name. As our official UK and European zoo member in Miami put it: ‘If you surplus lists as being available on can’t trust the World Parrot Trust, free breeding loan, but no zoo asked who can you trust?’ Exactly. for it.) Perhaps we can now return A tape of this programme is now to what really matters: the A pair of Echo Parakeets in the wild. The recovery of this species is a major WPT project. being circulated by our enemies. survival and welfare of the

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10 Wild Bird Trade In Coimbatore, South India by Brij Kishor Gupta and B. Rathinasabapathy ABSTRACT involved in the fish aquarium recent records on bird trade from recorded with traders. During the Six surveys and interviews were business. northern India (Ahmed, et al., survey we saw falcon species for conducted in and around On two occasions it was also 1996), north-eastern India (Menon, sale despite its inclusion in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, southern recorded that birds arrived late in 1995) and also in western India. Schedule 1 of the Wildlife India during December 1995, the night into Coimbatore City from We made six field surveys during Protection Act of India. Its decrease January 1996 and October 1996 to Bangalore and these were brought December 1995 and January 1996 in numbers may not only be because find out species of wild birds in in small cages in the local transport and recently in October 1996. of forest destruction or habitat loss illegal trade. buses along with the luggage. Locations visited were the fish but also because it is in trade. The We found that 25 species of wild- To check this illegal trade, wildlife markets, pet shops, bus stands, rarer they get, the higher the price caught live birds were being sold in authorities have to strengthen law poultry farms, streets and general bird collectors are prepared to pay, and around Coimbatore. It was also enforcement especially in areas like stores in Coimbatore city and and the greater the incentive for the noticed that birds were being kept Pollachi, Kinathukudavu, Siruvani, adjoining areas. A questionnaire was trappers in the forests of India. We mainly as pets. A total of 7 bird Mettupalayam, Bhavani, Gudalur used for obtaining information from also found that trappers are prepared traders were interviewed. Two and Trinurthi where birds are being bird traders and others involved in to deliver a bird of your choice at traders were found having good caught. associated business. A camera was your residence on payment of a knowledge of bird distribution, The illegal trade in birds is global used for documenting the trade. nominal advance money. Therefore, feeding habits and captive in nature and India is not an During our study a total of 25 the traders network seems to be well husbandry as they have been exception. People have been trading species of 16 families of wild knit in Tamil Nadu. engaged for a long time in breeding in live, wild-caught birds for caught birds were recorded in the To cope with these problems the exotic birds. The native species of hundreds of years, but over the past trade. Most of the surveyed wildlife authorities will have to birds included Great pied hornbill, few decades the increase in their locations were crowded and it was strengthen the law enforcement Blue-winged parakeet, Rose-ringed numbers has been overwhelming. difficult to identify wild birds in especially in the areas where birds parakeet, Black-headed munia, Blue Every now and then we encounter steel cages because the cages were are being caught. In the past, rock pigeon, Grey junglefowl, Grey new species being used in such thoroughly packed with exotic wildlife authorities have made some partridge, Common peafowl, Rosy illegal trade. About 200 species of birds. Most native small birds were achievements in controlling wildlife pelican, Shikra and many more. The birds have been documented to be housed together with exotic species trade on rare species but more birds are priced from Rs.10 to involved in trade in India (Menon, and larger birds like partridges were efforts are needed to control trade in Rs.300. An average of 5-8 birds are 1995). The majority of birds are kept with the poultry. Birds like Schedule IV species. Wildlife sold per day. The majority of birds captured in the wild and are parakeets were kept isolated. Dull authorities should set up a separate were sold in local fish markets by condemned to spend the rest of their looking Rose-ringed parakeets in wing for controlling trade. local owners and individuals lives in small cages. There are large numbers were being sold for It is also important to conduct a 50 rupees a pair. Grey partridges long term study on the species were priced 80 rupees per pair. A involved in trade. Both a careful steel cage was full of apparently evaluation of the socio-economic fresh caught black headed munias. factors effecting the trappers, and White-throated munias and spotted also consideration of their financial munias were also recorded. Their needs, are required. Campaigns of condition explained one of the various types which include pathetic aspects of the continuing distribution of materials via the commercial trade in wild-caught news media can play an important birds. We were told that birds in part in raising people’s awareness, a Coimbatore come from Pottachi, programme which will go a long Salem, Erode, Mettupalayam, way in controlling the illegal trade. Siruvani areas. Some of them arrive More than anyone, however, people from Bangalore. During this study who have created a market of these we witnessed birds landing in forest dwelling birds should realise Coimbatore on a private bus from their error and curtail the purchases Bangalore. It was noticed that all of any wild bird for any purpose. birds were starved. Each day a Once there is no demand in the number of birds die probably market, the trade will slowly die because of starvation, suffocation, out. and stress due to overcrowding. Bird trappers and traders in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Coimbatore consider that birds like We thank the Coimbatore mynas, parakeets, partridges, owls, Zoological Park Society in particular munias, pigeons and junglefowls, G Rangaswamy, secretary for the which are on Schedule IV, can be support and facilities. We are exploited on a sustainable basis. grateful to K Maruthachalam, Photo Immediate measures are required to Centre for his assistance. Thanks are correct this thinking. If not, the also due to Dr. Rahul Kaul, Regional situation could get worse in coming Co-ordinator, south-east Asia, World years. Pheasant Association, New Delhi Members of the (there for comments on the manuscript and are about 2 species) are the most P Bharath Kumar and commonly traded birds in Tamil Nagarajah for their help while Above: Juvenile Rose-ringed Parakeet Nadu. Blue-winged parakeets are conducting the survey.

11 NEWS...VIEWS...ACTION LETTERS New Zealand who are so strongly Dear Ms. Low, against captive breeding of the Kaka It was disheartening to read in the so that we could hear their side of November 1997 issue of the story. At present, their stand PsittaScene about the plight of Kaka sounds untenable, but maybe they in New Zealand. If it is true that have some arguments we should “some top people” believe that hear. extinction is better than captivity, Yours truly these people would do well to study Doris Applebaum the recent history of the California Michigan, U.S.A. Condor in the United States. After a Dear Jo, prolonged argument in the 1980s, in Enclosed you will find cheques for which some people held that the value of £155. extinction was better than captivity, On the second of November my the pro-captive-breeding side won dear mother, Dorothy Siddall, died. out. The result was a spectacular She was in her late eighties and had success which has allowed the loved animals and birds her whole Mark Hagen and some of his products. reintroduction of captive-bred life, and was a keen supporter of California Condors not only into various charities dedicated to their When we corresponded with Ms. HAGEN RAISES FUNDS FOR their most recent strong-hold in welfare. She held parrots in Siddall, she wrote in a second letter: WPT IN CANADA California but also into the Grand particular affection, and was very “...Yes, I do indeed think it would The eighth Canadian Parrot Canyon area of Arizona, where they attached to her beloved parrot, Polly be a nice idea for you to mention in Symposium was a huge success had not been seen since early this Jo, who died only two years ago at a a future issue of PsittaScene that in from every angle. Held in Toronto century. grand age. In view of this, it was lieu of flowers, charity donations in November, it attracted more than It seems inconceivable that “top decided that the World Parrot Trust were requested in my mother’s 230 participants. They listened to people” in any country would even should be one of the charities to memory, and that WPT was one of nine speakers over two days on a consider surrendering to extinction a which people might care to donate two charities named, and there was wide range of topics. Overseas magnificent species like the Kaka. in her memory. a positive response. speakers were Jos Hubers from the Perhaps the World Parrot Trust Yours very sincerely, I think that apart from being Netherlands, and Rosemary Low. could invite a reply from those in Hilary Siddall (Ms) personally touched by such a mention, Organised by Jacquie Blackburn she would have like it from the point and Silvio Mattacchione, without INTERNATIONAL of view that it just might encourage the backing of any club, the AVICULTURISTS IAS C ONVE NTION SOCIETY other individuals to make similar organisation was a smooth as usual. MARC H 4 Ð 8, 1998 arrangements. It is, I feel, so important Everyone enjoyed the pleasant OR LANDO for a smaller yet so worthwhile charity atmosphere. like WPT to be included....” From the point of view of fund- *CONVENTION SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED* INTERNATIONAL AVICULTURISTS SOCIETY CONVENTION BOOK REVIEW Orlando North Hilton, 350 South Lake Blvd, Rosemary Low’s PARROT Altamonte Springs, Florida 32715-9004 BREEDING REGISTER Hilton Reservations: 800/445-8667, 407/830-1985 All the records for your birds under one cover! This register A“Meet the Exhibitors and Speakers” function will be held in the hospitality contains 82 pages for record room Wednesday evening following registration. Seminars will start on keeping. The pages are designed Thursday morning. Lectures and question and answer sessions will be for breeders to enter the scheduled T h u r s d a y, Friday and Saturday. Additional meetings and following information in the discussions will take place on Thursday and Friday evenings. Speciality columns provided: Society meetings will follow. Saturday night participants will enjoy the gala Ð Current stock list (species, sex, ring no, hatch date, origin) ‘Vegas Nite’ fund raiser to benefit Avian Research and Conservation. The Ð Records of breeding pairs (date laid, number of eggs, date hatched, IAS annual meeting will be early Sunday followed by an expanded days lay to hatch, ring number, date left nest, etc.) Behaviour Seminar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an Ð Birds bought (date, species, ring number, hatch date, price, bought extensive Q & A. from) IAS Registration: Ð Birds sold (as above, plus sold to) Jackie Sites, PO Box 233524, Anchorage, AK 99523-3524 Ð Veterinary records (date, species, ring number, weight, treatment, result). 907-563-2213 email: [email protected] The register contains a valuable table listing 150 parrot species. For each Exhibitors: one is given the incubation period, clutch size, ring number (British, mm Phyllis Martin, 1314 State Road 60W, Plant City, FL 33567-9282 and American), usual age at ringing, and age at fledging. Common and ph/fax 813-737-2504 email: [email protected] scientific names are listed. There are also notes on ringing chicks. COMPANION PARROT BEHAVIOUR SEMINAR ISBN: 0-9531337-2-9 PAGES, BOOK SIZE: 96 pages, 29cm x 21cm Sponsored by the IAS & the Pet Bird Report PRICE: introductory £7.45 post paid in UK (overseas postage extra). Sunday March 8, 1998 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. £8.75 after March 1st. Contact IAS Registration for details about price. AVAILABLE FROM: Insignis Publications, P.O. Box 100, Mansfield, SPEAKERS: Sally Blanchard ¥ Phoebe Linden ¥ Liz Wilson ¥ Sam Foster Notts. NG20 9NZ Fax: (44) 01623 846430.

12 THE MAURITIUS PROJECT FORESTRY QUARTERS • BLACK RIVER • MAURITIUS

Mauritius Programme Director Mauritius Programme Director Dear Mike I would like to thank you and Audrey Reynolds and everyone at Paradise Park for the support that they have given us this season and over the years, without which we could not have progressed nearly as far as we have with the Echo Parakeet project. This last season has been a watershed with the parakeet work and this was in no small part due to the help we received from Nick, Kirsty J and Pete. They really are a winning combination. Nick is an excellent organiser who kept camp Mike Pearson and his wife manned the Canadian working and organised and greatly reduced the usual entropy present in WPT stand throughout the symposium. running a field camp, he tool a lot of the organisational burden off the raising, the symposium was shoulders of myself and Kirsty S. At the aviaries, Kirsty Jenkin took to excellent, showing how this can be the work like an old hand, got on very well with Aranxia and had a done in an apparently effortless wonderful time. It is due to the excellent work of Aranxia and Kirsty J way. In fact, a lot of thought went that we successfully reared 11 out of 13 young, and several of these into it. On the first evening parrot- related items (such as a $100 gold were rescued birds from failing nests, and not at all easy to rear. Pete coin showing the Bahamas Amazon, fitted into camp life and his no nonsense approach and practical skills stained glass parrots, beautiful rugs were appreciated by all. He organised one of the most successful and enjoyable Christmases I have had here and made by Jacquie Blackburn and a his butchering skills came in very useful while preparing wild pig and venison for Christmas dinner. They are a porcelain cockatoo) were auctioned. winning combination and worth a huge amount to the project, and we would very much like to see them out here The proceeds, $2,645, was donated again as a part of the Echo Parakeet team. This would be a very useful contribution by the World Parrot Trust / to a graduate award in avian studies Paradise Park. at the University of Guelph, Ontario. The last wild Echo fledged a few days ago (27th January) the seventh successfully fledged from seven nests. The Mark Hagen had given some of the best productivity from the wild birds for well over twenty years. You will recall that we attempted a different most sought-after items. His management strategy this year to help the wild birds. In the past we have tried to maximise productivity by company, Rolf. C. Hagen, made a generous gesture in donating the double clutching. This does not always work and if it does it means that the young of the second brood fledge entire proceeds from the sales of very late in the season when there is a very real risk of them dying during cyclonic weather. I was unhappy that as Hagen products at the symposium to a result of these egg manipulations not all pairs in the wild were rearing young themselves. As you will be aware the Canadian World Parrot Trust. In it is very important that pairs rear their own young since it helps maintain a stable pair bond and develop a good this way CWPT’s funds were breeding pair. We have also noted that in the wild, chicks in broods of two or three do not do as well as single swelled by $5,138! CWPT’s stand chicks. So this year we “down brooded” all pairs with young. We let them hatch a brood and then harvested all was manned by Mike Pearson and but one of the young. These harvested young were then either fostered to pairs that had no young (due to them his wife Sharon. They had an failing for one reason or another but still on infertile or dummy eggs) or reared in captivity. attractive display of T-shirts, videos, books and other products and did In captivity we have reared eleven young from both captive birds and harvested/ rescued eggs and young. All of well on sales and membership. these are due for release and the first group of three young were taken up to camp yesterday afternoon and placed Twenty one new members joined, in the release aviary.Within minutes the three Echo’s released last summer flew in and landed on the top of the and thirty five members renewed, contributing towards a total of aviary to meet their new friends, with much calling between them. I have heard this morning that the already $3,164 taken on the booth. released Echo’s are around most of the time taking great interest in the new birds. FIRST CANADIAN WEST We have had ten of the eleven hand-reared young birds sexed and there are eight females. Someone is smiling PARROT SYMPOSIUM upon us. We had originally planned to capture up surplus released male birds, since the wild population is skewed The first Canadian Parrot towards males and we wanted to balance the sexes as best we could. However this is not an immediate problem Symposium (West) in Victoria and we will leave as many of the birds at liberty as possible. The other young will be going up to the forest for (British Columbia) will take place release over the next month or so. We will probably be keeping them in the release cage for a week or ten days from May 15-17. Overseas before release and then monitoring them intensely for a month. The earliest we are going to be finished is going to speakers include Charles Munn and be late April. Kirsty S is returning to the UK at the end of the month since she is totally whacked and needs the Rosemary Low. The venue is rest. I will be staying on until early May to keep everything ticking over. The first release of last summer has been Dunsmuir Lodge, set high on the wooded slopes of Mount Newton, a great success and the three birds are now interacting with sub-adult wild ones and they have been seen going 15 miles of Victoria. It overlooks a around in a group of four or five - the three released birds with one or two wild ones. We have also had a wild panorama of islands, mountains and bird feeding at the supplemental food hopper with the released birds. ocean. The lodge has extensive hiking trails in a natural woodland I will keep you informed as the releases progress. setting. Further information can be obtained from Roz Webb, 502 Best wishes Broadway St., Victoria, BC, Canada V8z 2EB, tel: 250 479 Carl Jones. 1183 or fax: 250 479 8078.

13 Yes,Ple a s e! We want to join the ...

Please mail to: WPT-USA, PO Box 341141,Memphis TN 38184.

NAME: (Parrot) ...... NAME: (Person) ...... and get our ADDRESS ...... Beautiful Colorful Certificate City ...... State ...... Zip ......

DONATION: (Min $15, Max $100) ...... Check MasterCard/Visa Credit Card No ______Expiration Date _ _/ _ _ Signature ...... Date ......

NOTE: This certificate was designed for our WPT-USA members and supporters, but we will gladly send one to anyone in any country for a minimum donation of £12 sent to our UK address. YOU CAN HELP US...

Charles A. Munn III PhD. Andrew Greenwood MRCVS Audrey Reynolds Rosemary Low Wm. Richard Porter MD David Woolcock Michael Reynolds Founder Trustee WPT-USA. Founder Trustee of Director, Paradise Park. Author of ‘Endangered Director of the International Curator, Paradise Park. Founder of The World Senior research biologist. WPT-UK and WPT-USA. Founder Trustee of Parrots’ and 20 more parrot Aviculturists Society. Founder Trustee of The Parrot Trust, Hon. Director Wildlife Conservation Zoo and wildlife veterinary The World Parrot Trust UK. books. Editor of Founder Trustee of WPT- World Parrot Trust UK. of WPT-UK, Trustee of Society. consultant. PsittaScene. USA. WPT-USA. ...SAVE THE PARROTS!

Lear’s Macaw Echo Parakeet Red-tailed Black Cockatoo St. Vincent Parrot Red-vented Cockatoo Red-tailed Amazon Hyacinth Macaw

FEEL FREE to copy this page Join us. and hand it out to potential WPT members. Thanks! Aims of the Trust. Become a member of the World Parrot Trust, receive The survival of parrot species in the wild, and the our PsittaScene newsletter, know that you are actively welfare of captive birds. contributing towards our aims. These aims are pursued by:- Educating the public on the threats to parrots. Help fund our Projects. Opposing trade in wild-caught parrots. We are currently supporting parrot conservation, Preserving and restoring parrot habitat. education and welfare projects in Africa, Australia, Studying the status of parrot populations. , Brazil, the Caribbean, Equador, Mauritius, New Encouraging the production of aviary-bred birds. Zealand, Paraguay, Peru and the Philippines. Your Creating links between aviculture and conservation. generosity towards the parrots could help us expand Promoting high standards in the keeping of parrots. current schemes and start new ones. Supporting research into veterinary care of parrots.

PLEASE SEND COMPLETED FORM TO YES, I WANT TO HELP SAVE THE PARROTS ‘WORLD PARROT TRUST’ AT:- UNITED KINGDOM OF THE WORLD Glanmor House, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HY USA Cynthia Webb, PO Box 341141, Memphis SUBSCRIPTION RATES (please tick) Name ...... TN 38184 Address ...... BENELUX UK and Europe (Single) £15 Romain Bejstrup, Boomgaardstraat ...... 76, B2070, Zwijndrecht, Belgium CANADA UK and Europe (Family) £20 ...... Mike Pearson, PO Box 29, Mount Hope, Ontario LOR 1WO Fellow (Life Member) £250/US$400 ...... Zip/Postcode ...... DENMARK (SCANDINAVIA) Corporate (Annual) M Iversen, Alsikemarken 48, 2860 Soborg. Please charge my Access/Visa Acc./No. FRANCE J & G Prin, 55 Rue de la Fassiere, 45140, Ingre. All Overseas Airmail £17/US$25 GERMANY (or equivalent currency payment by Exp. date ...... Amount £/US$ ...... G & D Harries, Vodestr. 39, 44625 Herne. Access/Visa/Mastercard preferred) ITALY Signature ...... Freddie Virili, via Matarus w.10, 33045 Nimis, Udine. AUSTRALIA Plus donation of £/US$...... OR: I enclose cheque payable to the WPT Peter Sipek, 1 Rossell Pl., Glenfield, NSW 2167. AFRICA V. Dennison, PO Box 1758, Link Hills 3652, South Africa. SWITZERLAND I heard about the World Parrot Trust from ...... Lars Lepperhoff, Sagemattstrasse 31, 3097 Liebefeld. PARROTS IN THE WILD

MAJOR MITCHELL’S COCKATOO Cacatua leadbeateri These breathtaking Major Mitchell cockatoos were photographed from a hide as they came to drink at a water trough, in the Australian outback of New South Wales, past Cobar. The Cockatoos (“cockies” in Aussie lingo) were attracted by putting nearby, piles of wild melon, which they love to open and savor the seeds. An interesting point about these cockatoos is that they seem to fling their crests forward to open them in demonstrative displays, rather than merely raising them (like Umbrella Cockatoos, for example). We are grateful to our US member, Dr. Stewart Metz MD, for this superb shot. More “Parrots in the Wild” shots are still needed. Rosemary Low

16 Printed by Brewers of Helston (01326) 558000