Overhunting to supply the exotic pet trade has driven some species, such as the green macaw, to extinction in the wild.
Commercial production of endangered parrots must be handled with caution to prevent further collapse of wild populations, a new study has found.
It comes as global trade in captive-bred parrots reaches record levels as major economies such as China are about to relax laws on domestic production. Meanwhile, some countries, including South Africa, are actively engaged in commercial captive breeding of endangered species.
The study, conducted by the World Parrot Trust and World Animal Protection, urges policymakers to carefully consider the regulatory framework for commercial trade in captive-reared parrots to “ensure that unintended consequences are avoided.” I'm asking you to consider it.
The survey results were published in a magazine conservation biologyraised concerns about the effectiveness of commercial captive breeding of parrots as a strategy to reduce pressure on wild populations.
This study identifies a growing parrot market, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, and highlights significant knowledge gaps and potential pitfalls in commercial parrot farming, suggesting that current practices are not a simple conservation solution. They warned that they were unintentionally threatening wild parrot populations.
“Captive breeding of parrots for the exotic pet trade has increased dramatically in recent years,” said lead author Alisa Davis.
“While this practice has been proposed and often assumed to be a viable way to reduce pressure from trapping on wild parrot populations, our study shows that such We uncovered significant knowledge gaps in the real-world impacts of breeding practices.”
Before 1990, most parrots traded internationally were sourced from the wild. Since then, the international trade in captive-bred parrots has expanded significantly, from around 60,000 parrots in 1990 to more than 500,000 in 2020.
“Captivity-bred parrots now dominate international trade. The international trade in parrots is largely dominated by South Africa, where huge facilities have been established for the export market.” The study states.
Multiple factors are driving this, including investment in infrastructure, improvements in technology and aviculture (the practice of raising and trading birds), changing consumer preferences, increasing affluence, and a “generally permissive regulatory environment.” It may be promoting.
Keeping parrots as pets dates back centuries and is popular in many cultures, with parrots prized for their colorful plumage, intelligence, mimicry abilities, and rarity. However, the authors noted that this trade is putting tremendous pressure on wild parrot populations, one of the most endangered bird taxa.
This study investigated how commercial production of some of the world's most endangered parrot species can impact conservation efforts, both positively and negatively. Researchers reviewed primary and gray literature to assess evidence supporting five pre-established criteria.
They focused on a sample of 16 endangered parrot species that are either heavily traded or experiencing population decline due to unsustainable trade, and span a variety of taxa, life histories, and regions of origin. The aim was to thoroughly understand the situation.
The authors found that the potential for captive breeding to reduce demand for wild parrots varies widely depending on species and situation, and that significant knowledge gaps exist in key areas.
Among them is the lack of quantitative data on the productivity of commercial breeding practices, especially in growing markets like Asia, and the lack of appropriate checks and balances in place to prevent laundering. the economic viability of captive breeding for some species. The study also identified multiple pathways by which captive breeding could increase demand for wild parrots.
Overhunting to supply the exotic pet trade has caused some species, such as the great macaw, to become extinct in the wild, and populations of previously widespread and abundant species, such as the gray parrot, have declined significantly.
This trade has also led to the spread of infectious diseases and the introduction of exotic and/or invasive species. Animals in the trade can suffer from poor animal welfare during capture, transport, and arrival at their final destination, as “many parrots have high husbandry demands that are difficult to meet.”
Rowan Martin, senior author of the study and director of the World Parrot Trust's bird trade program, said a key finding was the complexity of interactions in trade between different species. Given existing knowledge gaps and the potential for unintended consequences, it is important to consider the interrelationships between trade in different species to avoid inadvertently facilitating illegal and unsustainable trade. It is essential.”
“We know that increasing the supply of some species can stimulate demand and cause people to 'upgrade' to rarer species, and that large-scale trade increases opportunities for laundering. . We need to get this right because many species are already at risk. The stakes are too high,” Martin said.
This study presents how commercial captive breeding is proposed as a supply-side intervention to prevent overexploitation of species by increasing supply from sustainable sources and reducing pressure on wild populations. I explained why there are many.
“In the case of gray parrots, it is argued that increased regulation of the trade in captive-bred parrots would reduce their supply and create opportunities for illegal trade in wild parrots,” the report said. Ta.
“However, increasing the supply of captive-bred wild animals also increases the demand for wild animals by stimulating latent demand and normalizing consumption that is not met by the production of captive-bred specimens.” The increasing demand for wild-derived specimens for breeding stock creates opportunities for laundering and misdeclaration of wild-derived specimens as captive-bred specimens, which law enforcement agencies can detect. It is difficult to do so.”
More than 200 parrot-producing operations registered with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Saiz) export thousands of parrots each year and make significant profits. is producing.
Despite concerns that the trade directly and indirectly facilitates trade in wild parrots, regulatory mechanisms require the industry to monitor its impacts or demonstrate sustainability. No.
“The costs of monitoring trade impacts are often externalized by industry, with the burden often borne instead by governments and nonprofit organizations, which often have little capacity or resources to do so.” It is stated here.
The number of operations registered to trade Appendix I parrot species increased from five in 2016 to 212 in 2022, an increase of more than 4,000% in five years. Appendix I includes all endangered species that are or may be affected by trade.
As production levels and international and national trade volumes of captive-bred parrots increase, there is a need to 'ensure that policy decisions designed to achieve positive conservation outcomes do not have unintended consequences. ”There is a growing need for a strong evidence base for
Researchers say misdeclaration of species, misuse of source code, and laundering of wild animals through captive breeding facilities are widespread and could reduce or erode the benefits of captive breeding. He said it was causing concern.
South Africa was the main importer of wild parrots and the main exporter of captive-bred parrots until the species was transferred to CITES Appendix I in 2016. The source of wild gray parrots shifted from West Africa to Central Africa as populations declined due to overhunting and the introduction of additional regulations.
“Since 2017, captive breeding operations in South Africa have been unable to legally import wild parrots to supply farms,” the study said.
“Given that gray parrots take several years to reach reproductive maturity, current research suggests that it is unclear how the transition to captive-bred species has affected production costs and resulting prices. Concerns have been raised in the past and recently that South Africa imports wild-harvested and illegally captured parrots.
Neil de Cruz, co-author of the study and head of wildlife research at World Animal Protection, said that putting aside the animal welfare and public health risks associated with breeding parrots in commercial captivity, However, it added that this practice raises serious concerns from a conservation perspective. .
“Our research shows that the rapid expansion of parrot farming in some countries and the potential easing of trade restrictions for some highly threatened species poses a risk of exacerbating conservation challenges. d'Cruze said, “and highlights the critical importance for policymakers to seriously reconsider the viability of this practice as a 'reliable conservation' tool.”