A Proposal to Ban the Importation of Wild-caught Birds into the European Union
A Campaign of the World Parrot Trust
The Problem
There is an on-going and dramatic decline of wild parrots worldwide. The parrot family has more globally threatened species than any other family of birds. The "Red List" contains 94 species of parrots that are currently considered vulnerable, endangered, or critically threatened with extinction, and many more sub-species are equally at risk of disappearing forever.
For most threatened parrots, capture for pets is a primary cause of decline. Recent scientific findings from studies throughout the Neotropics demonstrated that the demand for large expensive parrots is a key driving force for this trade. A clear and positive correlation between the legal and illegal trade further suggests that restricting or eliminating the legal trade will reduce the illegal harvest, rather than driving it underground as is often suggested.
Existing regulations are only partially enforceable and consequently fail to protect the species they target. CITES track record suggests that the regulations are not based on current scientific data, they are easily by-passed, they are only partially enforced, non-compliancy is generally tolerated, and sanctions rarely implemented. It's time to move on to more effective solutions which eliminate the demand for these wild animals.
The existing trade is cruel and inhumane to tens of thousands of highly intelligent and social parrots. Figures on the unacceptably high mortality that occurs during the trapping, shipping, and quarantine of these birds demonstrate that the trade impacts far more wild birds than the numbers which end up for sale in Europe and Asia. Wild-caught birds are generally unsuitable as pets in when they arrive in European homes and thousands of these birds end up unwanted and ill-cared for.
Legislation which eliminated the demand for wild caught parrots has been enormously successful in the USA. Legal and illegal imports have been reduced to a trickle, and captive bred parrots are now more available and less expensive than ever for pet owners, breeders, and collectors. This Wild Bird Conservation Act converted the USA from the largest importer of wild-caught birds to a non-importer of wild-caught parrots. Recent scientific data on poaching levels in the Neotropics found significant declines in poaching since the passage of the Act, indicating that legislation of this kind can be a highly effective solution.
Between 1997 and 2000, the European Union officially imported 469,602 wild caught birds of 111 species.
By importing wild caught parrots, the developed nations of Europe and Asia are in fact exploiting the resources of developing nations by creating a harvest which is neither biologically sustainable, nor economically sustainable. As long-lived, slow-breeding birds, most commercially desirable species are not capable of supporting large scale harvest of adult and chicks. With a relatively constant market demand coupled with the increasing availability of captive-bred birds, the monetary value of these wild-caught birds is consistently in decline. If one includes the costs of monitoring the harvested populations and the responsible oversight of the trade, then the notion that this trade is 'supporting developing countries' is turned on its head. In fact the trade creates a drain on both natural and financial resources of these developing countries and preempts less consumptive solutions such as tourism.
The spectacle of wild parrots is now an enormously popular ecotourism attraction and generates millions of dollars annually for tropical nations. Tourism creates solid employment for indigenous people as guides and lodge operators, and if implemented well, ecotourism facilitates the long term protection of natural areas. In addition the international attention that comes along with the tourism also builds local pride in natural heritage which further facilitates nature conservation. In contrast, harvesting parrots for the pet trade provides small numbers of temporary jobs and the financial benefits fall primarily in the hands of middlemen in large cities rather than indigenous people.
The Solution
It is our position that the only effective and enforceable solution to this problem is to immediately cease the importation of wild caught birds into the European Union. All birds arriving at an EU port of entry would be assumed wild-caught and refused entry unless they arrive with paperwork (including genetic records) and markings (unbreakable bands) which demonstrate clearly that each individual has been bred in captivity by an IUCN approved facility. In addition each individual imported would require the appropriate CITES permits from the country of origin and from the importing country in the EU as well as any health certification required by either country.
Under three very specific conditions, exceptions could be made for:
1. Bona fide scientific purposes for which captive bred birds are demonstrably inappropriate or unavailable and the capture of the birds from the wild will cause no significant impact on the wild population.
2. Conservation breeding of globally threatened species by an IUCN-recognized effort in which the individual birds or their progeny are determined by IUCN-endorsed parrot biologists to have a high probability of being released into the wild and that those releases will make a significant contribution to the recovery of the species.
3. Personal pets that have been in possession of the individual for a minimum of two years in the country of origin, up to a maximum of two birds per person per lifetime (consistent with WBCA and Australia's existing exceptions if appropriate).
What the World Parrot Trust Brings to the Table ...
A TRACK RECORD AND EXPERTISE IN PARROT CONSERVATION. Through the generous contributions of our members and supporters, the Trust has now raised over US$1.5 million to help 37 species of endangered parrot in 22 countries. Between our trustees and staff, we have one of the world's leading avian Veterinarians, experts on bird behaviour and captive breeding, as well as several Ph.D.'s in the biological sciences.
PUBLICATION OF THE PARROT ACTION PLAN. Following a stalled effort in the early '90's, the Trust reinvigorated this project, involved over 150 parrot biologists from around the globe, supported an international meeting in London, and saw the project through to publication last year.
FIELD NETWORK. The Trust has built and maintained strong connections with field personnel worldwide. Through a combination of funding, technology exchange, and through our work with the action plan, we now have positive and productive relationships with field personnel in the majority of parrot range countries.
STRONG CONNECTIONS TO AVICULTURE. With it's roots in aviculture, the World Parrot Trust has maintained its positive relations with this community worldwide and has played a leadership role without alienating this diverse group.
GLOBAL COVERAGE OF BRANCHES. With our thirteen branches around the world, including six in the European Union itself, the Trust is well positioned to collaborate with other organizations on this campaign to encourage the passage of responsible EU legislation.
How You Can Help ...
One of the strongest messages we can send to the European Union is the fact that there are thousands of people from Europe and around the world who feel that it's time to stop capturing birds from the wild. The process is cruel and represents the unacceptable exploitation of the natural resources of developing countries. The EU has now become the largest importer of wild caught birds and the existing legislation in Europe is ineffective at stopping the inhumane and unsustainable harvesting of these wild birds.
Although we plan to take several approaches to see this campaign through to its rightful conclusion, you can help a great deal by simply signing the petition below to add your voice to thousands of others in support of our goal of allowing wild birds to remain where they belong ... in the wild.
Please take a moment to fill out the petition at:
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/trade/tradeform.htm
and make your voice heard.
Thank you very much for your support on this critical issue.
THE FOLLOWING WAS HANDED ON TO 10 DOWNING STREET ON WORLD PARROT DAY 2004
WPT Petition Details 31 May 2004
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/trade/tradeupdate.htm
For more information:
The World Parrot Trust
Glanmor House
Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HB
United Kingdom
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/
A Campaign of the World Parrot Trust
The Problem
There is an on-going and dramatic decline of wild parrots worldwide. The parrot family has more globally threatened species than any other family of birds. The "Red List" contains 94 species of parrots that are currently considered vulnerable, endangered, or critically threatened with extinction, and many more sub-species are equally at risk of disappearing forever.
For most threatened parrots, capture for pets is a primary cause of decline. Recent scientific findings from studies throughout the Neotropics demonstrated that the demand for large expensive parrots is a key driving force for this trade. A clear and positive correlation between the legal and illegal trade further suggests that restricting or eliminating the legal trade will reduce the illegal harvest, rather than driving it underground as is often suggested.
Existing regulations are only partially enforceable and consequently fail to protect the species they target. CITES track record suggests that the regulations are not based on current scientific data, they are easily by-passed, they are only partially enforced, non-compliancy is generally tolerated, and sanctions rarely implemented. It's time to move on to more effective solutions which eliminate the demand for these wild animals.
The existing trade is cruel and inhumane to tens of thousands of highly intelligent and social parrots. Figures on the unacceptably high mortality that occurs during the trapping, shipping, and quarantine of these birds demonstrate that the trade impacts far more wild birds than the numbers which end up for sale in Europe and Asia. Wild-caught birds are generally unsuitable as pets in when they arrive in European homes and thousands of these birds end up unwanted and ill-cared for.
Legislation which eliminated the demand for wild caught parrots has been enormously successful in the USA. Legal and illegal imports have been reduced to a trickle, and captive bred parrots are now more available and less expensive than ever for pet owners, breeders, and collectors. This Wild Bird Conservation Act converted the USA from the largest importer of wild-caught birds to a non-importer of wild-caught parrots. Recent scientific data on poaching levels in the Neotropics found significant declines in poaching since the passage of the Act, indicating that legislation of this kind can be a highly effective solution.
Between 1997 and 2000, the European Union officially imported 469,602 wild caught birds of 111 species.
By importing wild caught parrots, the developed nations of Europe and Asia are in fact exploiting the resources of developing nations by creating a harvest which is neither biologically sustainable, nor economically sustainable. As long-lived, slow-breeding birds, most commercially desirable species are not capable of supporting large scale harvest of adult and chicks. With a relatively constant market demand coupled with the increasing availability of captive-bred birds, the monetary value of these wild-caught birds is consistently in decline. If one includes the costs of monitoring the harvested populations and the responsible oversight of the trade, then the notion that this trade is 'supporting developing countries' is turned on its head. In fact the trade creates a drain on both natural and financial resources of these developing countries and preempts less consumptive solutions such as tourism.
The spectacle of wild parrots is now an enormously popular ecotourism attraction and generates millions of dollars annually for tropical nations. Tourism creates solid employment for indigenous people as guides and lodge operators, and if implemented well, ecotourism facilitates the long term protection of natural areas. In addition the international attention that comes along with the tourism also builds local pride in natural heritage which further facilitates nature conservation. In contrast, harvesting parrots for the pet trade provides small numbers of temporary jobs and the financial benefits fall primarily in the hands of middlemen in large cities rather than indigenous people.
The Solution
It is our position that the only effective and enforceable solution to this problem is to immediately cease the importation of wild caught birds into the European Union. All birds arriving at an EU port of entry would be assumed wild-caught and refused entry unless they arrive with paperwork (including genetic records) and markings (unbreakable bands) which demonstrate clearly that each individual has been bred in captivity by an IUCN approved facility. In addition each individual imported would require the appropriate CITES permits from the country of origin and from the importing country in the EU as well as any health certification required by either country.
Under three very specific conditions, exceptions could be made for:
1. Bona fide scientific purposes for which captive bred birds are demonstrably inappropriate or unavailable and the capture of the birds from the wild will cause no significant impact on the wild population.
2. Conservation breeding of globally threatened species by an IUCN-recognized effort in which the individual birds or their progeny are determined by IUCN-endorsed parrot biologists to have a high probability of being released into the wild and that those releases will make a significant contribution to the recovery of the species.
3. Personal pets that have been in possession of the individual for a minimum of two years in the country of origin, up to a maximum of two birds per person per lifetime (consistent with WBCA and Australia's existing exceptions if appropriate).
What the World Parrot Trust Brings to the Table ...
A TRACK RECORD AND EXPERTISE IN PARROT CONSERVATION. Through the generous contributions of our members and supporters, the Trust has now raised over US$1.5 million to help 37 species of endangered parrot in 22 countries. Between our trustees and staff, we have one of the world's leading avian Veterinarians, experts on bird behaviour and captive breeding, as well as several Ph.D.'s in the biological sciences.
PUBLICATION OF THE PARROT ACTION PLAN. Following a stalled effort in the early '90's, the Trust reinvigorated this project, involved over 150 parrot biologists from around the globe, supported an international meeting in London, and saw the project through to publication last year.
FIELD NETWORK. The Trust has built and maintained strong connections with field personnel worldwide. Through a combination of funding, technology exchange, and through our work with the action plan, we now have positive and productive relationships with field personnel in the majority of parrot range countries.
STRONG CONNECTIONS TO AVICULTURE. With it's roots in aviculture, the World Parrot Trust has maintained its positive relations with this community worldwide and has played a leadership role without alienating this diverse group.
GLOBAL COVERAGE OF BRANCHES. With our thirteen branches around the world, including six in the European Union itself, the Trust is well positioned to collaborate with other organizations on this campaign to encourage the passage of responsible EU legislation.
How You Can Help ...
One of the strongest messages we can send to the European Union is the fact that there are thousands of people from Europe and around the world who feel that it's time to stop capturing birds from the wild. The process is cruel and represents the unacceptable exploitation of the natural resources of developing countries. The EU has now become the largest importer of wild caught birds and the existing legislation in Europe is ineffective at stopping the inhumane and unsustainable harvesting of these wild birds.
Although we plan to take several approaches to see this campaign through to its rightful conclusion, you can help a great deal by simply signing the petition below to add your voice to thousands of others in support of our goal of allowing wild birds to remain where they belong ... in the wild.
Please take a moment to fill out the petition at:
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/trade/tradeform.htm
and make your voice heard.
Thank you very much for your support on this critical issue.
THE FOLLOWING WAS HANDED ON TO 10 DOWNING STREET ON WORLD PARROT DAY 2004
WPT Petition Details 31 May 2004
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/trade/tradeupdate.htm
For more information:
The World Parrot Trust
Glanmor House
Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HB
United Kingdom
http://www.worldparrottrust.org/