The Endangered Parrots of Indonesia by Rosemary Low, Mansfield, England
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The Endangered Parrots of Indonesia by Rosemary Low, Mansfield, England. ndonesia is the world's largest arch Trapping continued at an alarming ipelago. It is said to consist ofmore Reasons For Decline and unsustainable rate until the mid I than 13,000 islands but it is domi It is very clear that deforestation and 1980s. Then it was discovered that nated by just five of these-Sumatra, trapping are the factors which have trappers of some species were unable Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), Java, done most damage to parrot popula to catch so many birds because flock Sulawesi and Irian Jaya (the tions in Indonesia in that order, sizes had declined. In some areas Indonesian part of New Guinea). It is chronologically. Most of the parrots some species were being trapped home to 75 species ofparrots, which is mentioned above were unknown in almost to extinction. The first scientific more than any other country; Brazil aviculture until the early 1970s when study of the effects of trade soon fol has 71 species and Australia has 52. logging opened up the previously lowed. Funded by The World Wide Indonesia has a fascinating range of inaccessible areas they inhabited. The Fund for Nature and IUCN, it investi parrots: lories, cockatoos, pygmy par logging companies built roads where gated the trade in parrots on two rots, fig parrots, the Blue-romped there had been none. This resulted in Moluccan islands during 1985. An esti Parrot (Psittinus cyanurns), tiger par people settling in formerly uninhabit mated 180,000 to 200,000 Moluccan rots (Psittacella), Geoffroyus Parrots, ed areas. The birdlife was abundant parrots were reported traded during racket-tailed parrots (Prioniturus), and the people soon realized that 1981 to 1984-yet only nine species Tanygnathusparrots such as the Great there was money to be made from were involved in this trade. That bill (T.megalorhynchus), Eclectus, trapping birds. This is why the early means that an average of 5,000 birds Amboina King Parrot (Alisterns 1970s saw the greatest influx of "new" per year of each species were report amboinensis), Timor Crimson-winged species that aviculture has ever ed in trade. Probably as many more, Parakeet (Aprosmictus jonquillaceus) known. however, were illegally exported or and hanging parrots. The western extremity ofIndonesia can include such Table 1 Asian species as Moustache and Long tailed Parakeets. Its parrots are more Species Status Reason varied than those of any other region in the world. Red and Blue Lory (£os histrio) Endangered Trade, habitat loss This is mainly because of its great Black-winged Lory (£os cyanogenia) Vulnerable Trade, habitat loss diversity of habitats, which include Mitchell's Lorikeet (Th.mitchelliD Endangered Trade, habitat loss many different types of forest. Iris Lorikeet (Trichoqlossus iris) Vulnerable Unknown Although Indonesia covers only 1% of Chattering Lory (Lorius garrulus) Vulnerable Trade, habitat loss the world's land surface, 17% of the Purple-capped Lory (Lorius domicellus) Vulnerable Trade and? world's birds are found there and 10% Blue-fronted Lorikeet (Charmosyna toxopet) Vulnerable Unknown of the world's plant species. It has a Lesser Sulphur- crested Cockatoo very high percentage of endemism (Cacatua s. sulphurea) Endangered Trade, habitat loss among its birdlife--that is, species Citron-erested Cockatoo (C.s.citrinocriststa) Endangered Trade,habitat loss which are not found anywhere else Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) Vulnerable Trade outside of their island or group of Umbrella Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) Vulnerable . Trade, habitat loss islands. Blue-naped Parrot Unfortunately, the most important (Tanygnathus lucionensis) Endangered Trade, habitat loss statistic about Indonesia from our Black-lored Parrot point ofview is that is has more threat (Tanygnathus gramineus) Vulnerable Unknown ened bird species than any other coun Pesquet's Parrot (Psittrichasjulgidus) Vulnerable Hunting, habitat loss try on earth. The total is 104. Brazil is Sangihe Hanging Parrot a close second with 103 species. The (Loriculus catamene) Endangered Habitat loss total number of threatened birds Wallace's Hanging Parrot worldwide is 1,111 (Collar, et ai, 1994), (Loriculusjlosculus) Vulnerable Habitat loss therefore Indonesia has 9.4%. Salvadori's Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris salvadorit) Vulnerable Habitat loss,trade Endangered Parrots So far I seem to have bombarded Definition ofStatus the reader with figures, so now let us Endangered: faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future. look at the parrot species which are Vulnerable: faces a high risk ofextinction in the wild in the medium-term future. endangered-and why. afa WATCHBIRD 55 died before they could enter trade. The species. It was especially sad in the expedition hopes to address this prob parrots involved were Chattering (and case of the Red and Blue Lory which lem, via radio, television and press. Yellow-backed) Lories, Violet-necked, had never been seen in aviculture in Red and Blue-streaked Lories (Eos) Europe or the USA. Breeders there Sangihe Hanging Pan-ot species), Green-naped Lorikeets, would have cherished these beautiful (Loriculus catamene) Umbrella, Moluccan and Goffin's lories and would soon have estab This little parrot was feared extinct Cockatoos and Amboina King Parrots. lished them. But they were not because its original habitat has been The most endangered by trapping allowed to be imported. Most of those almost completely replaced by was the Moluccan Cockatoo which that survived must have ended up as coconut and nutmeg plantations. some believed (e.g., Wirth, 1990) was pets in countries where there is no avi Fortunately, the University of York critically endangered by the time it was cultural expertise. Fortunately, two expedition found that this fear was placed on Appendix 1 of CITES in consignments went to South Africa unjustified; this Hanging Parrot was 1989. In 1992, the Goffin's Cockatoo before their importation there was also seen in plantations and in natural for was also placed on Appendix 1 of banned. It is ironic that the more est and appears to have adapted to the CITES. Despite the fact that two of the responsible countries, those with a habitat changes. Indeed, it seemed most threatened species were then high level of avicultural skills, did not more common in agricultural areas prohibited from commercial trade, ille permit the importation of these lories, than in forest remnants. Nevertheless, gal trapping continued. Indonesia did most of which would not have sur it is an endangered species, with a pre little to protect the other parrots vived long in the countries which did carious foothold. It is not captured for trapped in large numbers. However, in allow their entry. However, a few birds trade. 1988 the countries in the European did reach the Netherlands; they have Community prohibited the most threat been bred there, in South Africa and in Mitchell's Lorikeet ened species, such as Blue-streaked Singapore. They will be established in (Trichoglossus haematodus mitchellii) and Purple-capped Lories, from enter aviculture but with a small gene pool, This lorikeet is one of the red ing its member countries and soon which may prove problematical in the breasted sub-species of the Green after, of course, the importation of all long term. naped Lorikeet. It occurred only on the wildcaught birds into the USA was cur There are three sub-species of the two small islands of Bali and Lambok tailed. Red and Blue Lory. In 1995 a com to the east ofJava in the Lesser Sunda Unfortunately, this did not stop the bined expedition from York university Islands. On Bali, where hardly any for export of Indonesian parrots; it merely in the UK and from an Indonesian uni est has survived, it is believed to be diverted them to countries without versity went to Sangihe where the extinct. On Lombok it probably sur morals where threatened parrots were nominate race is found. Until then the vives high in the mountains, having concerned, such as some European Red and Blue Lory was believed been trapped to extinction at lower countries and Japan. extinct there, but the expedition mem altitudes. The tragedy of this species is I will now provide information on bers found some small groups of two that at one time, during the late 1960s each of the threatened parrots of to six birds. The status of the sub and early 1970s, it was imported into Indonesia, species challengeri from the Miangas Europe fairly frequently. However, and Nenusa Islands is unknown as no there were few lory breeders then and Red and Blue Lory ornithologist has been able to visit no idea of its endangered status. (Eos histrio) these remote islands. It is feared Extreme problems are now being This lory is an almost unique case of extinct because islanders questioned experienced in trying to breed from how a parrot can be endangered by recently had no knowledge of it. Only the few birds in captivity, probably trade without specific demand. It was the sub-species talautensis survives in because ofthe small gene pool. (Other literally unknown in aviculture until any numbers. There are believed to be subspecies of the Green-naped only five years ago. There was always about 2,000 birds on the island of Lorikeet are very easy to breed.) a local trade, within the Sangihe and Karakelong. However, these are threat Unfortunately, there is a strong like Talaud islands, the only places where ened by trade, even though the Red lihood that Mitchell's Lorikeet will it occurs. These islands form a chain and Blue Lory was placed on become extinct in captivity and in the from northern Sulawesi to Mindanao AppendiX 1 ofCITES in 1994. Trapping wild. in the Philippines. Then suddenly, continues and the main trapping sea hundreds of birds were captured and son coincides with the breeding sea Iris Lorikeet exported.