Cyanopsitta Magazine.. - Loro Parque Fundación

Cyanopsitta
June 2001
No. 61
FUNDACI ÓN
Cyanopsitta
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
Cyanopsitta - Latin for blue parrot. The only
member of this genus is Cyanopsitta spixii, the
Spix’s Macaw. It is a highly endangered species,
symbol of Loro Parque Fundación, and of the
need to conserve our planet.
Message from the Founder
2
Conservation and Marketing
3
New ecological seal «Animal embassy»
3
A comment on parrot nutrition
4
Training of CITES staff in Loro Parque
7
Meeting Point
8
Loro Parque Hotline
9
New Honorary Member of LPF
9
Foundation News
10
Report from the Red-tailed Amazon
project in Superagüi (Brazil)
12
The Yellow-eared Parrot: good news and an
unexpected danger
18
End of the first phase of the Tanimbar
project (Indonesia)
20
Front Cover: Poster of the V International
Parrot Congress
Editorial Office:
Loro Parque S.A.
38400 Puerto de la Cruz
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Spain
Tel.: + 34 922 374081
Fax: + 34 922 375021
E-mail: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
Editorial Committee:
Wolfgang Kiessling, Inge Feier, Yves de Soye,
Dr. Javier Almunia, Corinna Brauer.
Visit our websites:
Visit the website of Loro Parque Fundación,
which provides you with detailed information
on our programmes at: <http://www.loroparquefundacion.org>. For the website of Loro Parque,
please check out <www.loroparque.com>.
Membership:
Become a member of Loro Parque Fundación to
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The current annual membership fees are:
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Please send us your membership subscription by
mail, fax or e-mail, or call us, and we will sign
you up immediately.
No. 61 - June 2001
Message from the F
ounder
Founder
It is always a pleasure to welcome summer time in Tenerife, especially
when at the same time we have the possibility to cool down while admiring the
dark and freezing winter in our penguinarium. Unfortunately, our most emblematic
project, the Spix’s Macaw Conservation Programme, has likewise entered a
gloomy period during the last few months.
Since the latest disappointing meeting of the Committee for the
Recovery of the Spix´s Macaw in Brasilia, we have been awaiting news from
IBAMA regarding the new direction that the recovery project is going to take.
Unfortunately, we have only received a discouraging silence, which has merely
been interrupted by some funding requests. We have not even been sent a
summary of the meeting that took place in Brasilia, nor the management plan for
the captive population that Natasha Schischakin was supposed to prepare. The
only news we have received about this matter is that a meeting was celebrated in
Switzerland attended by some of the owners, Natasha Schischakin and Richard
Porter (who was not even a member of the dissolved Committee for the Recovery
of the Spix’s Macaw), with the objective of establishing a group of independent
breeders. This does not seem to be the most reasonable attitude a the moment,
when all the interested parties should be trying to join efforts, and not creating
differences and confrontations. I wish that all the parties involved that could
favour the conservation of the Spix’s Macaw collaborate in an honest and
generous way, forgetting the selfish human necessity of protagonism.
We at Loro Parque Fundación continue our daily work to make more
efficient our efforts to protect nature. In this sense, it is a pleasure for me to
inform you that Dr. Jørgen B. Thomsen, senior vice-president of the prestigious
organisation Conservation International, has joined our scientific advisory board.
Previously, Dr. Thomsen has been related to many other international
organisations dedicated to the conservation of nature and has an extraordinary
experience with parrots. Without any doubt, Dr. Thomsen will enrich our labour,
our knowledge and experience, and together with the rest of the highly estimated
members of our advisory board he will help us to improve our efforts.
I would also like to call your attention on the celebration of the III
Regional Conference on Marketing in Zoos in the Hotel Botánico organised by
EAZA. On this occasion, we met some old and new friends and were able to
establish a great number of contacts, apart from getting to know a great deal of
ideas to connect the marketing world with conservation. In the next issue of
Cyanopsitta we will report in detail on some of the contents of the conference.
At the same time, another event took place that will entail many
discussions in the future, i.e. the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement
between Loro Parque and the Institute of Responsible Tourism, an organisation
linked with UNESCO. The goal of this pact is to develop a quality seal for
“ecological” zoos, regarding aspects such as energetic efficiency, waste removal,
animal management, conservation efforts and so on. We think it is our
responsibility to collaborate, and, at the same time, assure you that we will do
our best so that Loro Parque is one of the first zoos to obtain this seal.
Bank Account:
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)
Puerto de la Cruz
0182 5310 61 001635615-8
Wolfgang Kiessling
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No. 61 - June 2001
EAZA organises a congress on marketing in zoos in Loro Parque
Conservation and Marketing
The European Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (EAZA) accepted Loro Parque’s invitation
to celebrate, for the very first time in Spain, its III Regional
Conference that took place on 1 st and 2 nd June in the
Hotel Botánico. The conference was attended by over
one hundred representatives of European zoos as well
as the president of the World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (WAZA), Willie Labuschagne, the president
of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(EAZA), Miklós Persányi and the president of the Iberian
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AIZA), Esteve
Tomás.
Inaugurational remarks were given by Willie
Labuschagne, as well as by Professor Gordon McGregor
Reid, Director of Chester Zoo, Wolfgang Kiessling,
Director of Loro Parque, Milagros Brito, Regional Vicecouncillor of Environment, Pilar Parejo, local Councillor
of Tourism, and Luis Ramallo, President of the Spanish
Commission of UNESCO.
Yves de Soye, Director of Loro Parque Fundacion, spoke about
the organisation’s conservation work; right: Prof. Günther
Nogge, Chairman of EAZA’s Research Committee.
The topics discussed and the follow-up
discussions were so interesting and productive that we
have decided to offer you more detailed information on
some of the lectures in the next issue of Cyanopsitta.
During the two sessions, zoo directors,
advertising experts and educators discussed the way in
which the marketing of zoos could be used in favour of
nature conservation. Themes discussed were, among
others, “Visitor attraction or conservation
organisation?”, “Conservation through commerce”,
“Changing public expectations”, “Marketing the
conservation message” or “Internet evolution: Hitting
the web”.
After the two sessions, the participants had a
day off to either go on a boat trip to observe the pilot
whales in the south of Tenerife, visit the Mount Teide
National Park or, spend a great time in Loro Parque.
New ecological seal «Animal Embassy»
Loro Parque has committed itself to collaborate in
the design of a specific seal of ecological quality for zoos,
which will be denominated “Animal Embassy”
“Animal Embassy” tries to fit in the system of
Responsible Tourism developed by ITR by means of
efficiency, technological innovation considering
sustainability, and assimilating ecological criteria already
developed for the “Biosphere Hotels” seal, complementing
them with other specific criteria created for zoos; these will
especially be related to the quality of animal management,
education, research and conservation efforts.
After the inauguration of the Regional Conference
on marketing in zoos, a Memorandum of Agreement between
Loro Parque and the Institute for Responsible Tourism (ITR)
was signed. The institution, closely related to UNESCO, is
developing a series of ecological seals for tourist resorts, so
the holidaymakers know which are most respectful with
nature.
The signing of the memorandum was attended by
Dr. Tomás de Azcárate y Bang, president of ITR, Wolfgang
Kiessling, representing Loro Parque, as well as the president
of the Spanish Commission of UNESCO, D. Luis Ramallo,
the local Counselor of Tourism, Pilar Parejo, the president of
WAZA, Willie Labuschagne, and finally the president of
EAZA, Miklós Pérsanyi.
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No. 61 - June 2001
A comment on parrot nutrition
Petra Wolf and J. Kamphues
‘Institut für Tierernährung der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover’,
Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
The market offers a huge variety of different
components and products for parrot nutrition, such as
seeds, day to day food products or special mineral and
vitamin components. However, the most important basis
for parrot nutrition are general seed mixtures that are
often enriched with additional components such as peanuts
and sunflower seeds - depending on the ideas and
experience of the parrot holder. Additionally, parrots are
often fed on fruit and vegetables as well as products that
are actually developed for other animals (e.g. cereal flakes
for dogs etc.); but also the food industry supplies special
food items to “complement” or “upgrade” the so-called
basic diet of parrots.
of fatty components (sunflower seeds, peanuts etc.),
parrots usually prefer those to others that mainly contain
carbohydrate seeds. This feeding behaviour is not a result
of the varying energetic contents (mixtures based on seeds
rich in fat even offer higher energetic values - reason
why one would expect a lesser consumption), but rather
of the differing acceptance by the parrots of each and
every component.
Considering the variety of products that leave
much to desire as far as the declaration of their chemical
composition is concerned, as well as the lack of information
in literature on the best possible species-orientated diets,
parrot owners find themselves confronted with
uncertainties when it comes to establish the daily diet for
their parrots.
Due to the feeding behaviour of parrots, which
is, apart from selection, characterized by the way the
different components are handled (the kernels of the seeds
being ingested, while the hulls and shells are part of the
daily left-overs), it would be interesting to know the
quantities of food that would have to be offered to the
parrots to avoid excessive waste of food on the one hand,
but assure a sufficient supply of nutrients on the other.
As a result, to assure this supply, a parrot must be offered
between 65-85% more of what it actually ingested (in
the case of a common seed mixture composed by
sunflower (striped and white ones) and oat seeds,
safflower, hemp, corn and teasel).
Moreover, it has to be taken into consideration
that the ingested food amount not only depends on the
type of food, but also on the different parrot species (see
table 1).
Except for the growth period, which is relatively
short in parrots, and the breeding season, the parrots’
normal metabolism provides that the ingested food and
water maintain all the necessary body functions
(especially body temperature and mass) under normal
conditions. When offering common seed mixtures, the
first problem consists of misjudging the food portion,
regarding the selective food behaviour of parrots. This
simply means that the parrots don’t eat everything they’re
offered, thus existing a clear difference between the
intended and the actual food ingestion.
Very often the information given regarding the
chemical composition of parrot food only refers to the
entire seeds without taking into consideration that the
parrots peel the hulls off before ingesting them, as
mentioned before. To estimate the absorption of nutrients,
merely the contents of the parts of seeds that have been
ingested are important.
When offered seed mixtures consisting mainly
in g dry matter/animal/day
in % of body mass
Lovebirds
4.5
7.20
Cacatúas
13.0
4.70
Amazons
15.0
3.60
African greys
13.0
3.10
Table 1 : Average food consumption of parrots using common seed mixtures (values in g dry matter (DM)/animal/day)
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Cyanopsitta
sunflower seeds
safflower
hemp
pumpkin seeds
peanuts
millet seeds
oat seeds
corn
No. 61 - June 2001
XP (1)
261
285
337
402
335
142
156
95,6
XFi (1)
594
587
522
459
574
54,6
82,0
44,4
XF (1)
38,8
20,7
35,0
35,2
38,5
23,7
17,1
18,5
XX (1)
61,7
67,0
55,5
32,0
30,3
757
723
825
Energy (2)
25,1
26,5
24,3
22,3
25,5
16,7
16,8
15,6
Ca (3)
1,68
2,31
0,59
1,83
0,37
0,32
0,41
0,21
P (3)
8,87
8,95
14,3
11,3
5,83
4,06
4,54
4,52
Table 2: Chemical composition of some common seed mixtures. XP=protein, XFi=fat, XF=fibre, XX=carbohydrates, Ca=calcium,
P=phosphorus. (1) g/kg dry matter (DM), (2) MJ MEkg, (3) g/kg DM.
to be needed.
It is proven that the difference in nutrients after
the peeling of the seeds is considerable. Usually, the
removal of the spelts leads to a reduced absorption of
fibres, while the components that are rich in energy (e.g.
fat) as well as the actual energy content of the ingested
food increase. At the same time, a slight increase of the
protein concentrations compared to the complete seeds
is noted (see table 2).
On the other hand, the already low calcium
content decreases even more through the dehusking of
the seeds, while the phosphor concentration increases,
thus leading to a further deterioration of the calcium/
phosphor relation to 0.08 : 1. The recommended relation
would be around 1.5 : 1. The natrium concentrations are
also lower than expected from the analyses of the
unpeeled seeds; therefore, it is adviseable to add
corresponding supplements.
As already mentioned, when dehusking the seeds
- especially those with high fat concentrations - the birds
consume a higher amount of protein ingesting the kernels
of the seeds in comparison to the protein content of the
whole seeds. To this regard - and based on the information
obtained from budgerigars (DREPPER et al. 1988) - the
common seed mixtures supposedly provide the necessary
quantity of proteins to the animals (see table 3).
Furthermore, not only the composition of seed
mixtures and the sufficient amount of food offered to
cover the nutritious needs of parrots should be looked
after, but also the provision of water, since there are notable
discrepancies between the different species (see table
4).
Deficiencies might occur in parrots mainly fed
on corn. Moreover, attention must be drawn to the low
methionine and cystine concentrations in relation to the
energy content in the case of high amounts of oat seeds.
When feeding mixtures containing a high amount of fat
rich seeds (sunflower, safflower, hemp) no additional
feeding on protein or aminoacid supplements is supposed
seeds
oat seeds
corn
sunflower
safflower
hemp
MQFB
With reference to the dry matter, cockatoos
absorb only 1 ml water per g DM ingested - probably
resulting from their evolution on the Australian continent,
where the ability of storing water is essential for survival
due to the dry climate. Amazons, too, show a low water
in the food intake
crude protein
g crude protein
g/kg DM
por MJ ME
142
7.43
98
5.80
277
11.1
283
12.1
352
14.3
110
7.70
in relation to energy (g / 1 MJ ME)
Lysine
Methionine
Arginine
+ Cystine
0.30
0.18
0.40
0.18
0.23
0.29
0.27
0.33
0.67
0.31
0.44
1.04
0.36
0.35
1.32
0.17
0.27
0.27
Table 3: Contents of proteins and aminoacids of different parrot seed mixtures (compared to the minimum quantities for budgerigars
(MQFB), Drepper et al. 1988).
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No. 61 - June 2001
ml/individual/day
ml/g DM
Lovebirds
5.20 - 14.1
2.0 - 2.17
Cockatoos
9.43 - 19.6
1.00 - 1.11
Amazons
17.5 - 34.9
1.58 - 1.67
African greys
19.0 - 35.9
2.00 - 2.13
Table 4: Daily ingestion of water by parrots that are offered common seed mixtures
·
Minerals/vitamins
In view of the insufficient mineralization of many
common food mixtures, the use of additional mineral
products is recommended, especially providing the
necessary calcium (egg shells, sepia, CaCO3-stones
etc.). The additional feeding of fruit in the first place
supplies an increase of vitamins and liquids rather than
minerals, (the supply of the latter being of no greater
importance).
consumption at 1.5 to 1.7 ml per g DM, while lovebirds
and African parrots consume notably more, i.e. 2 to 2.2
ml per g DM.
Conclusion
·
Food quantities
In general, a consumption of 7% (lovebirds) and
3-5% (cockatoos, amazons, African parrots) of the body
mass has to be expected in the case of common seed
mixtures. The total amounts of food ingested by lovebirds
varied up to 4.5 grs, those ingested by cockatoos, amazons
and African parrots between 10 and 20 g.
Having discussed the effects of the dehusking
of seeds, the daily offered seed mixture under normal
conditions should be of 8 - 12 g per animal in the case of
lovebirds and an average of 30 g in the case of cockatoos,
amazons and African parrots. If the amount of food
offered to the parrots exceeds their actual needs, there is
a risk that the parrots select specific seeds, leading to the
consumption of a virtual “monodiet”, apart from the
resulting waste of food and unnecessary high food costs.
The food quantities ingested by parrots not only depend
on the food itself, but on other factors as well such as
cage occupation or size (with a varying mobility).
When calculating the nutritious supply of parrots,
it has to be taken into consideration that the seeds are
peeled before they’re ingested; therefore, the nutrients
contained in the “interior” of the seed are crucial for the
daily supply (not those contained in the entire seeds).
·
Water
The total average amount of water ingested from
the drinking dishes by parrots fed on seed mixtures was
of 10 ml (lovebirds), 15 ml (cockatoos) and between 17
and 35 ml (amazons and African parrots). Through the
additional feeding on fruit (apples, oranges), the total water
consumption increased up to 40 ml/animal per day, while
the amount of water ingested from the drinking dishes
reduced considerably.
Literature
Coenen, M. and J. Kamphues (1995): Ernährungsbedingte
Gesundheitsstörungen bei Zoo- und Wildtieren Spezifische Risiken und klinisch manifeste Erkrankungen.
Verh.ber. Erkrg. Zootiere, 37, 251-258
Kamphues, J. (1993): Ernährungsbedingte Störungen in
der Ziervogelhaltung - Ursachen, Einflüsse und Aufgaben.
Monatshefte Veterinärmedizin 48, 85-90
Kamphues, J. (1994): Die art- und bedarfsgerechte
Ernährung von Ziervögeln - neue Aufgaben für die
Tierernährung an der TiHo. „Forschung fürs Leben“,
Hrsg.: Rektor der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover,
Schlütersche Verlagsanstalt, Hannover, 13-19
Kamphues, J.. P. Wolf, G. Bayer und M. Wentker (1993):
Zusammensetzung, Akzeptanz und Verdaulichkeit
wichtiger Einzelfuttermittel bei Ziervögeln (Kanarien,
Agaporniden und Graupapageien). In: XVIII. World
Congress of the World Small Animal Association
(WSAVA), Berlin 1993. Proc. 128-135
Kamphues, J., J. Leibetseder und D. Schneider (1999):
Supplemente zu Vorlesungen und Übungen in der
Tierernährung. Schaper, Hannover
Souci, S.W., W. Fachmann und H. Kraut (1986): Die
·
Proteins
Theoretically, the protein needs of parrots are
guaranteed when offering common seed mixtures under
normal conditions; thus the feeding of additional animal
products (high in proteins!) usually leads to an excessive
ingestion of proteins, entailing health risks. Under special
conditions (growth, moulting), supplements are necessary,
especially a sufficient supply of sulphurated aminoacids.
Feeding parrots on so-called „Complete diet
mixtures“ does not always cover the daily needs of
nutrients, and complementary products have to be added
to the food (minerals and/or vitamins).
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No. 61 - June 2001
Verhaltensstörungen beim Vogel, 39-42
Wolf, P. und J. Kamphues (1994): Die Futter- und
Wasseraufnahme bei Agaporniden (Unzertrennliche) Grunddaten und Einflußfaktoren. Die Voliere 17, 324-334
Wolf, P., N. Kummerfeld und J. Kamphues (2001):
Skeletterkrankungen bei jungen Graupapageien (Psittacus
erithacus) infolge Fehl- bzw. Mangelernährung (in
Vorbereitung)
Wolf, P., N. Rabehl und J. Kamphues (1995):
Untersuchungen zur Körperzusammensetzung (Feder-/
Skelettanteile sowie Nährstoffgehalte) adulter Ziervögel
verschiedener Spezies (Kanarien, Wellensittiche,
Agaporniden, Amazonen, Graupapageien). Proc. Soc.
Nutr. Physiol. 4, 57.
Zusammensetzung der Lebensmittel, Nährwert-Tabellen
1986/87. Wiss. Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart 1986
Wendler, C. (1995): Untersuchungen zu Möglichkeiten
der Mineralstoffversorgung von Kanarien (Serinus
canaria) über Handelsfuttermittel. Med. vet. Diss.
Hannover
Wentker, M. (1995): Die Fütterung von Papageien
(Feldstudie) sowie Futteraufnahme und Verdaulichkeit
wichtiger Einzelfuttermittel bei Graupapageien. Diss.,
Med. vet.
Wolf, P. und J. Kamphues (1994): Konsequenzen aus
dem arttypischen Futteraufnahmeverhalten verschiedener
Ziervögel. Tagungsbereicht der IX. DVG-Tagung über
Vogelkrankheiten, Tauben, Verhalten und
Training of CITES staff in Loro Parque
Representatives from South Africa and Slowakia
were practicing plant and animal protection in Loro Parque
in Tenerife. The reason: Problems with the fulfilment of the
directives set by CITES, The Convention on International
Trade on Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora. CITES is
demanding that trade with endangered species is forbidden,
or to permit it only with the legal authorization for importation
and exportation. Depending on the status of protection,
species on the way to extinction are listed in Appendix I (an
almost complete trade ban) or in Appendix II (controlled
trade on presentation of legal documentation). But the laws
established cannot always fulfil what they establish.
Since it includes more than 8.000 species of animals
and 40.000 species of plants, the convention has become so
complex, that the 160 member states have encountered
difficulties in its implementation. Their biggest problem is to
identify the species. Consequently, the black market is
flourishing, especially with rare - and expensive - animals,
plants and products won from them. South Africa has became
a strategic point for international contraband, including those
species which are not found in Africa.
Birgith Sloth (top left) and Petra Deimer (bottom right) together
with some of the participants (some of the faces have been hidden
deliberately to prevent that they’re recognized by the trafickers.
This pilot project to carry out CITES practice was
initiated by the Association of Protection of Sea Mammals
(GSM), with financial help from the International Fund for
Animal Welfare (IFAW), in order to facilitate the identification
of species to the authorities. The Danish expert Birgith Sloth
trained the selected candidates during a three week course,
and during one week the group was invited to Loro Parque
in Tenerife. The Loro Parque Fundación owns the largest
parrot collection in the world, and also actively participates
in the protection of these endangered birds in the wild. The
group mostly studied parrots, but also other exotic animals
and plants. When the participants of the course return to
their own countries, they will be able to educate their own
colleagues.
(founded in 1973 with its headquarters in Switzerland) to
help the responsible authorities, they clearly demonstrated
that nothing could substitute for seeing the real thing. “To
see an amazon or a macaw in real life is completely different
to seeing them in a photograph”, said Lydia Osongo from
South Africa, “and the image will stay much longer in your
memory when you have observed the animal in real life.
From now on, I will always be able to recognise it.”
The group gratefully thanked Wolfgang and Brigitte
Kiessling, the team from Loro Parque and the Hotel Botanico
for all their help.
In spite of the excellent manuals for recognition
and computer programmes which were edited by CITES
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No. 61 - June 2001
ENCUENTROS - ENCUENTROS - ENCUENTROS - ENCUENTROS
Carnival Associations from Düsseldorf and Duisburg during
their traditional visit to Loro Parque, giving a special note to
our dolphinarium.
In April and May, several meetings with Primary School
Directors were organised in Loro Parque, to show them the
didactic material of our educational department.
The ‘Asociación Deportiva Bicistar Loro Parque’ presented
their project for the next season in our facilities.
Two members of the CITES Secretariat in Switzerland, Malan
Lindeque (left) and Jim Armstrong (centre), met Wolfgang
Kiessling and the BNA administrator Lorenz Haut (right) to
discuss the Spix’s Macaw project and other projects of Loro
Parque Fundación.
José Alberto Delgado
(left), in charge of the
technical staff of the
Wildlife department of
the Cabildo de Tenerife,
during his visit with his
family and friends.
Loro Parque’s candidate was
named carnival queen of
Puerto de la Cruz 2001. The
beautiful and charming
young lady shared a day
with us in Loro Parque.
300 members of the Rotary
Club International that were
participating in the XIX
District Conference enjoyed
a day in Loro Parque. Part of
the group poses in front of
the main entrance of Loro
Parque.
José Darias Jerez, a Spanish scientist who has been working
almost 20 years in Antarctica, looking for marine substances
with pharmacological applications, used Planet Penguin as
background for a Spanish television news program, and was
impressed by the extraordinary quality of the installations
and the natural behaviour displayed by the penguins.
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No. 61 - June 2001
LORO PARQUE HOTLINE - LORO PARQUE HOTLINE
Loro Parque has been awarded the most
prestigious prize of the British tour operator Thomson
the Gold Medal of Excellence in Tourism for the
period 2000. This award is of great importance to us,
since the nominees are selected according to the
comments collected from the tour operator’s guests
and staff. Once again, this award proves the efforts
that Loro Parque is making throughout the year to
satisfy the visitors, trying to accomplish maximum
quality standards in the sector of tourism.
compared to the Asian landscape this marvellous animal
is used to in the wild.
Loro Parque’s Parrot Workshop has
accomplished its fifth edition, which took place from
May 3rd to 10th. We can say that this encounter, which
gathers parrot lovers and breeders, is totally
consolidated, and each new edition receives a good
response. The program included the traditional experts’
presentations: (Miguel Bueno, Marcellus Bürkle,
Matthias Reinschmidt and Yves de Soye), a guest
speech from Doris Dühr and a slide presentation by
Heinz Lambert; during their visit behind the scenes,
the participants could experience “in situ” the
exceptional management conditions of the animal
collection of Loro Parque and the Fundación.
Readers interested in attending the VI Parrot
th
rd
Workshop that will take place from 16 to 23
November 2001, can get further information from the
publisher of PAPAGEIEN magazine. Meanwhile, the
staff of Loro Parque Fundación will focus on the
preparations of the V International Parrot
Congress, which will be celebrated in September
2002.
As you all know, Loro Parque undergoes a
continuous process of modernisation in order to improve
our animal management standards and the well-being
of our visitors. This time, the tiger island has been
improved, and its new aspect leaves little to be desired
Alfonso de Borbón y Dampierre, honorary member of
Loro Parque Fundación
His Royal Highness Don Luis Alfonso de
Borbón y Dampierre has had the kindness to
accept becoming honorary member of Loro
Parque Fundación. Don Luis Alfonso is a nephew
of His Majesty Don Juan Carlos de Borbón y
Borbón, King of Spain.
At the end of March, he visited Loro
Parque to inspect our facilities and to receive the
honorary member diploma. His Royal Highness
was impressed by the quality of our installations
and the high standard of animal management in
Loro Parque.
During his visit, he could not resist to pose
with the animals in some of the exhibits, and he
showed strong interest in the foundation’s
conservation work, especially in the field projects
that are implemented in many countries of the
world.
Inge Feier handing over the diploma to Don Alfonso de Borbón
y Dampierre
9
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS
In one of the Parrot workshops that was
celebrated last year, Heide Naumann, who leads
the Amata Bird Sanctuary (a fauna recovery
centre) in Thailand, proposed that a vet from
Thailand spent a period in Loro Parque to obtain
training in avian veterinary medicine. The
contacts were established and Loro Parque
Fundación accepted to invite a vet for a period
of two months. After analysing several
candidates, the decision fell on Dr. Wichit
Kongkham from Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo. Dr.
Kongkham arrived here on the 19 th of March, and
spent six weeks improving his veterinary
knowledge about birds in the clinic of Loro
Parque, together with Dr. Lorenzo Crosta and
Marcellus Bürkle. At the beginning of May, he
returned to Thailand, where he could teach his
colleagues about the experiences gained in Loro
Parque, thus improving the possibilities of
survival of the rescued birds in the local recovery
centres such as the Amata Bird Sanctuary.
In the past months, a new member has
been incorporated at Loro Parque Fundación.
Matthias Reinschmidt, formerly editor of the
magazine “Papageien”, has a large experience
in parrot breeding and is well known among
G e r m a n p a r r o t l o v e r s a n d b r e e d e r s . M r.
Reinschmidt will collaborate in the management
of our parrot collection.
Another change has taken place in the
Advisory Board of Loro Parque Fundación: the
incorporation of Dr Jorgen Thomsen, Senior
Vice-President of Conservation International and
Executive Director of the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund. The latter is currently one of
the world’s most important conservation funds
and has its headquarters in Washington, DC. Dr
Thomsen was Director of Traffic International
for many years in the 1990’s, participated in the
former IUCN Parrot Specialist Group, and has
also been involved with the Spix’s Macaw
Recovery Programme in Brazil.
In issue 59 of Cyanopsitta, we reported
on the new efforts that the foundation is directing
towards the c o n s e r v a t i o n o f t h e e n d e m i c
parrots of Dominica. As you will remember, the
Sisserou (Amazona imperialis) and the Jaco
( A m a z o n a a r a u s i a c a) a r e b e i n g u s e d a s
conservation flagship species to save the
ecosystem of the Dominican rainforest.
The field work in D o m i n i c a i s o n
schedule, and the field team is progressing on the
project objectives: determine the distribution and
size of the parrots populations, establish a video
monitoring system in order to document the
reproduction and the parental care of the
Sisserou, and equip a research laboratory in the
Parrot Conservation and Research Centre
(PCRC) in the botanical gardens of Roseau.
The data collected in March was very
informative, a great recruitment of chicks born
in the breeding season 2000 could be observed,
and everything hinted at a good breeding season
in 2001. Simultaneously, the video equipment and
the lab material arrived and was tested and
installed.
Then, also in March, an incident
happened; a farmer was arrested for shooting
p a r r o t s . L u c k i l y, t h e g o v e r n m e n t r e a c t e d
immediately and the Minister of Agriculture
together with the Director of the Forestry
Department, held a press conference condemning
the deed and announcing that rigorous actions will
be taken against lawbreakers.
Unfortunately, news in May were not so
optimistic. When the field team was looking for
10
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS - FOUNDATION NEWS
active nests to install the video surveillance
system, they found that the extreme drought had
affected the parrot populations. There was no
sign of Sisserou nesting anywhere, even Jacos
were not breeding as expected. Moreover, apart
from the bad meteorological conditions, the Forest
and Wildlife Department of Dominca sent part
of the staff stationed at Morne Diablotin National
Park (MDNP) to the Central Forest Reserve due
to the increasing number of ecological delicts that
occurred in that area. Nevertheless, Paul Reillo
confirmed that this would not affect the MDNP
security, because the only access to the park is
always controlled by the staff of the
Interpretation Centre.
In view of the project, Loro Parque
Fundación offered the Dominican Government
to return the Amazona arausiaca housed in the
breeding centre of La Vera (a breeding loan from
Bird Park Walsrode which endorsed the transfer).
The bird came to Loro Parque some years ago,
seriously damaged by the aggressive male she
was paired with. However, the Dominican
government rejected the offer because the bird’s
health might be affected during the long trip back
to the island.
The support for the Philippine Cockatoo
( C a c a t u a h a e m a t u r o p y g i a) C o n s e r v a t i o n
Programme, which was financed by Loro Parque
Fundación with 25.000 US$ from 1999 to 2000,
has been renewed with 62.646 US$, for the
period until December 2002. This conservation
programme has been active since 1992. In the
last two years the project was focusing on the
Rasa island population, and the last reports from
Peter Widmann showed an expansion of the
cockatoo’s population in the region. Cockatoos
were observed breeding in suboptimal mangrove
and riverine forests, which seems to indicate that
the maximum population the natural habitat can
support has been reached.
This situation has brought about a
dilemma; the next step for the conservation of
the Philippine cockatoo should either be a
reintroduction of individuals on other islands
formerly inhabited by this species or, on the
contrary, favour the expansive process registered
in Rasa without artificial relocation of cockatoos.
Re-introduction has the advantage of being able
to select the new sites to be colonised by the
birds, and consequently to successfully protect
them, just as happened to the Rasa population.
Natural expansion does not count with the
problems related to the translocation of
individuals but, on the other hand, may have other
consequences, e.g. that the new colonised areas
which can’t be protected that easily become a
population sink for the Rasa population.
In order to take the right decision on this
problem it is necessary to obtain all possible
information on the actual status of the cockatoo
population in Rasa with its surrounding areas, and
on the conservation status of potential reintroduction sites. This will be one of the
fundamental targets of the second phase of the
project, which, during the next years, will extend
its range, while continuing its activities in Rasa.
The project will improve education activities to
reduce poaching and illegal traffic to get support
from the local communities, and small projects
to offer alternatives of sustainable development
will be initiated.
Loro Parque Fundación will be
represented at several exhibitions within the
next few months: 24 th - 26 th August in Iserlohn
( G e r m a n y ) , 5 th - 7 th O c t o b e r i n O l t e n
(Switzerland), 26 th - 28 th October in Leipzig
(Germany) and 24 th - 25 th November in Kassel
(Germany).
The Advisory Board of L
oro P
arque F
undacion
Loro
Parque
Fundacion
Povl Jorgensen
Aviculturist
Haslev, Denmark
Susan L. Clubb
Avian Veterinarian
Florida, USA
Tomás de Azcárate y Bang
Ministry of the Environment
of the Canary Islands
Tenerife, Spain
Nigel J. Collar
Birdlife International
Leventis Fellow in Conservation Biology
Cambridge University, England
Ian R. Swingland
Founder
Durrell Institute of
Conservation and Ecology
Kent, England
Jørgen B. Thomsen
Senior Vice-President
Conservation International
Washington DC, USA
David R. Waugh
Director
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland
11
Wolfgang Grummt
Animal Park Friedrichsfelde
Berlin, Germany
Roland Wirth
President
Zoological Society for the Protection
of Species and Populations
Munich, Germany
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
The flight towards conservation through community e
Saving the Red-Tailed
the Atlantic rainforest
Text
Suzana M. Padua, Sandra Navas, Karina Oliveira, M
Andrea Caro Carrillo
IPE - Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas
Brazil
Photographs
IPE, Luiz Claudio Marigo, Loro Parque Fundación
The Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis) is one of the
most beautiful parrots of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a factor that
only increases the conservation challenges it now faces. Its
already threatened habitat has been the stage of serious
pressures, including the poaching and smuggling of this and
other species for illegal trade. Unfortunately, funds to enforce
conservation laws in Brazil are slim, so appropriate measures
that could prevent such losses and provide guards,
equipments and promote awareness are not prioritised
among decision makers. Therefore,
initiatives have greatly relied on the
interests and inputs of individuals
and local authorities that are
personally involved in conservation
matters, on groups that plan
specific programmes to revert
damaging situations and on
institutions like the Loro Parque
Fundación that believe and
support conservation in all
regions of the world in need of
protection.
12
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
education in Superagüi Village, Paraná
amazon, flagship of
in Brazil
Maria das Graças de Souza, Fabiana Prado and
13
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
Boat trip to Superagüi
Through environmental education,
communities inhabiting the surroundings of
natural areas can be given means to help face
these challenges. The Island of Superagüi, which
is part of the Superagüi National Park, represents
a unique biological heritage that deserves all
protection efforts. Reasons to focus on this site
are plenty. Its unique beauty would already be a
powerful reason, but it is today the last significant
remnant of Atlantic Forest in the State of Paraná,
B razil. A s a c o n s e q u e n c e , ma n y r a r e a n d
e n d a n g e r e d s p e c i e s d e p e n d o n t h e P a r k ’s
protection for survival, including the Red-tailed
Amazon, endemic to this region.
The environmental education programme
designed to involve local people has been
conceptualised with a broad and inclusive
approach. The objective is to give individuals
opportunities to gain knowledge and shift values
that include conservation of species so the entire
natural area can be protected. It also aims at
giving local people alternatives to improve their
quality of life so they can stay in the region, value
local nature and help protect it as a common
wealth and a reason of pride. The goal is thus to
empower and encourage local people to get
involved in the protection of the Red-tailed parrot
that will ultimately help protect all of its habitat.
Poor people with low literacy level surround
the Superagüi National Park. So the education
programme, in addition to contributing to cognitive
and affective gains, also deals with giving
different groups new skills to implement
sustainable alternatives, which range from
artefacts and cooking innovations for women, to
ecotourism practices for youngsters. Students
learn through a variety of ways that include
lectures, games and field trips. Adults participate
in workshops on different themes, during which
information is transmitted in an informal way.
The education program has been utilizing
an approach that has shown success elsewhere,
which comprehends turning local charismatic
species into conservation symbols. The Redtailed Amazon has all the appropriate
characteristics to become a reason of pride. It is
beautiful, rare and unique to the region. These
factors can increase the chances of producing
means to engage local communities in
conservation matters and eventually get them to
become active participants in issues that can
positively impact their environment.
The importance of the Atlantic Forest
and the status of the species …
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest has been
largely destroyed and today it is among the most
endangered ecosystems in the world. The forests
that have survived are estimated to comprise
14
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
approximately 5% of its original cover and in
many regions the loss has been even greater. The
consequences are dramatic and have direct
impacts on the outstanding biodiversity and the
many endemic species that inhabit these forests.
The Red-tailed Amazon is one of these
endemic species, originally found along the
coastal areas of São Paulo, Paraná and Santa
Catarina States. The species was placed in
national and international endangered species lists
and the estimates for the known population lie
between 2000 and 4000 parrots. The main factors
affecting its survival are: habitat destruction;
illegal trade; selective logging in their area of
occurrence (mainly for building canoes); and even
killing for food by local people. The need to
reverse this destructive trend is imminent and that
is why all efforts to achieve positive results need
to be encouraged. The survival of the Red-tailed
Amazon strongly depends on finding new and
creative ways to face such challenges. For us,
environmental education is among possible
solutions and that is why we are testing and
implementing different strategies to involve local
communities and gain their support for
conservation in a broad sense.
fective gains, and have indicated the value of the
experience.
Together with another conservation institution, Sociedade de Proteção da Vida Silvestre
e Educação Ambiental – SPVS, IPÊ’s education
team was able to design modules on three different themes: the Red-tailed Amazon, the Atlantic
forest and mangroves. More than 500 students
of five surrounding villages participated in the activities. Education materials on these themes are
now available to be continuously utilized. This initiative generated so much interest that teachers
developed a number of additional activities.
Map making is another method we are utilizing to better understand young people’s perceptions of local environmental problems and
potentials, making it possible for teamwork to
solve or minimize each aspect identified. A “diagnosis” map was already produced and the
young participants will work on a second one in
a few months so information can be compared.
The idea is to encourage action and the implementation of solutions by the different groups,
having them reflect, observe, identify and list
What is being done …
As the education programme’s aim is to turn
the Red-tailed Amazon into a regional symbol
of pride, the methods used have included
strategies for different audiences, all providing
opportunities to increase ecological knowledge
and shift values so conservation can be
effectively incorporated. We have been working
with students and teenagers, as well as
housewives. Fishermen are also targeted but in
a more gradual pace as they demand specific
attention.
Among students and teenagers …
For students and teenagers, activities include lectures, “hands-on” experiences and educational games. Field trips to natural habitats are
the highlight of the programme, as local children
do not commonly have opportunities to explore
their natural surroundings. The idea is to trigger
interest and sensitise youngsters through direct
contact with nature. Among these trips is a boat
ride to the parrots roosting site, for which a specific programme has been designed. Pre and post
evaluations have helped assess cognitive and af-
15
Draft of a poster for the environmental education programme
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
also being introduced during cooking workshops.
Women now have more options to offer tourists
during the summer season, which is a way to
improve their family revenue.
The workshops occur during programmed
afternoons and besides being learning
opportunities serve as important social events.
Prior to the education programme, women almost
only left their homes to attend religious services.
Therefore, the workshops are now anticipated
events and are one of the most effective ways
for the education team to become regionally
accepted and supported.
Besides fishing, fishermen …
Fishing is almost the only local profession
for Superagüi men. We have designed activities
for fishermen such as craft exhibits and video
presentations. Opportunities to disclose new
talents are always welcome and exhibitors can
become proud of becoming popular locally and
among tourists. Some of these events end up
attracting the entire families, as fishermen are
frequently community leaders.
Children are one of the main targets in the environmental
education programme
For all …
what is wrong and what they can do themselves
to help solve each problem. As they register their
impressions on a map, they are learning to reflect, state their opinion and to evaluate their performance as solution agents after some time.
Students also participate in producing art
with environmental themes, exhibits and plays.
In addition, they may in the future be skilled to
become young rangers and tour guides during the
summer season when visitation is plentiful. All
education activities they are experiencing will
serve as content base for more profound development.
Housewives participate in …
The great successes among local women
are the thematic workshops we have designed.
Embroidery, tapestry, puppet making and a variety
of artefacts are turning the Red-tailed Amazon
and other regional species into focuses of
attention. As these handicrafts are being sold to
tourists who visit the Island, the parrot and other
natural elements are being valued among local
people and also popularised to broader audiences.
New fish, shrimp and dessert recipes are
For the public in general, we are making
the Red-tailed Amazon more popular through a
series of publications A newsletter posted in
commercial establishments tells details about the
parrot and other local values. A poster is turning
the parrot even more visible, as it shows its
beauty and also common problems it faces. A
folder about the programme helps people better
understand and appreciate the natural wonders
of Superagüi. Spots for local radios disseminates
information to the general public and especially
for tourists the education team is giving talks and
showing videos at the different lodges about the
parrots.
Strong partnerships emerged from the
education programme. IBAMA, the federal
environmental institution has supported the
education team in ways that are unprecedented.
All education activities occur at IBAMA’s
headquarters in the Island. A formal partnership
is now about to be signed so the programme’s
continuity is not threatened.
Another important partnership is with
SPVS, an institution that has been working in
regional conservation for almost two decades.
The education teams of both IPÊ and SPVS have
16
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
(Left) Paintings, one of the earliest human ways of expression, are a good resource to involve the children with conservation goals. (Right) Redtailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis).
been working together to spread the successful
experiences to other villages. In that way we hope
to reach a far greater number of people,
especially the ones living in communities near the
parrots’ roosting sites.
Conclusions
The impact of the education programme is
unquestionable, as local people now know more
about and recognize the importance of having the
parrot in their backyard. Their interest in
conservation matters has clearly increased,
making it smooth and easy to work with individuals
and groups. During this past year, in several
occasions local people denounced illegal trade
vestiges like flashlights at the parrots’ nesting
sites and twice they handed over to IPÊ’s team
parrots they apprehended so appropriate
measures could be sought. This indicates people’s
concern and interest in conservation matters and
also confidence in the education team.
As education is a process, time and
continuous inputs are crucial to increase local
people’s awareness about conservation and to
17
motivate them to participate and become active
protectors of nature. Information transfer and
value shifts are essential to raise people’s sense
of pride and self-esteem. The identification and
the valuing of cultural traditions and natural
environments can trigger more in-depth
empowerment processes that will hopefully result
in behaviours that are in balance with a
sustainable livelihood.
We have to thank many individuals and
institutions: the programme has received support
from Guadalupe Vivekananda (Director of the
Superagüi National Park - IBAMA), Dr Pedro
Scherer Neto (researcher), Roland Wirth, the
SPVS team, the Dresden Zoo and the American
Bird Conservancy/Disney Wildlife Conservation
Fund. We would especially like to thank the Loro
Parque Fundación, that in addition to being one
of the two principal funding agents has supported
our ideas and regularly contributed to the design
and implementation of the programme.
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
The Yellow-eared Parrot: good
news and an unexpected danger
By P
aul Salaman
Paul
The plot is all too familiar: a specialist species slips unnoticed to the brink of
extinction; a last ditch effort is made to save it from joining the sad plight of the
Spix’s macaw. Like a good movie, there are some unexpected twists to the old plot: a
revolutionary guerrilla movement lends a helping hand, whilst Catholic traditions
pose an unwitting danger to the survival of the Yellow-eared Parrot.
The Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis,
once abundant across the high Andes of Colombia and
Ecuador, silently slipped towards the precipice of
extinction before our attention was attracted to its
frightening fate in the mid 1990s. In 1996, Niels Krabbe,
the leading Andean ornithologist, together with Loro
Parque Foundation, alerted the world to the parrot’s
critical situation. This year, despite their best efforts,
Niels sadly declared this enigmatic parrot extinct in
Ecuador after three years of unsuccessful searches.
The unthinkable had happened in Ecuador, and
efforts to locate a possible surviving population in the
Colombian Andes by “Proyecto Ognorhynchus” looked
increasingly bleak. That was until April 1999, when a
population of 81 birds was located in remote valleys in
the Central Andes of Colombia (see Cyanopsitta 1999
53/54). All our hopes were pinned on this population
and immediately an intensive research and conservation
programme commenced.
Proyecto Ognorhynchus initiated three principal
activities for saving the Yellow-eared Parrot: research to understand the reasons for the species fragility;
protection – to secure the safety of surviving individuals;
and community liaison – to ensure a long-term
harmonious relationship between local people and the
conservation of the parrot. Conservation activities have
included, for example, fencing large enclosures of the
remaining forest to protect palm seedlings from cattle
browsing, installing artificial nest boxes, and promoting
wall murals of the parrot in towns and schools. In March
2001, we managed to salvage a dead palm that was being
cut down for fence posts. The palm had a nesting pair
of parrots and a rather perturbed chick. We were able
to film the chick inside the palm hollow and thankfully
the chick successfully fledged in April.
The protection afforded by the project and
involvement of the community have had immediate
effects, with a steady increase in the number of pairs
breeding and successfully raising broods. This year we
had a further significant increase in the breeding
population; since 26 pairs nested and at least 13 pairs
successfully raised an average two chicks per nest,
which fledged in April. From 81 birds the population has
increased to 110 birds in September 2000 and
approximately 130 individuals presently.
The project field team has been instrumental in
spreading news of the Yellow-eared Parrot’s plight
throughout Colombia, with various newspaper articles,
posters disseminated, and public talks. Just after one
such seminar in late 2000, a member of the audience Juan Lazaro Toro- heard descriptions from local people
in western Colombia of a parrot not dissimilar to the
Yellow-eared Parrot. Following-up these reports on
January 2nd 2001, Juan Lazaro with project coordinator
Alex Cortés located two flocks of Yellow-eared Parrots
totalling 63 individuals. This major breakthrough was
Wax palms grow at an exceedingly slow rate. The one in the
photo is 40 years old (Paul Salaman/Proyecto Ognorhynchus).
18
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
especially important for the species as the site represents
a considerable extension of the previously known range
in the Western Andes. The project again immediately
implemented a research and conservation team, funded
by Loro Parque Foundation and working with
CorAntioquia (regional environmental agency).
Currently, we are searching for the roost site and other
potential nesting areas, which to date remain a mystery.
By March progress was fully underway in the
second area, with a field team monitoring the population
and undertaking a conservation assessment for the
species. Rapidly it became apparent that this population
was critically threatened, and as had happened in Ecuador,
the wax palms –upon which the parrot relies- were being
felled at a phenomenal rate. The scarcity of the wax
palm in this study area was already of great concern.
Prompt action from CorAntioquia secured a large forested
highland area of 2,000 hectares as a watershed protected
reserve for four local authorities, as it also provides
drinking water for thousands of local inhabitants. This
was partly fenced in March when two active parrot nests
were found.
Then our worst nightmares were realised on a
sunny Palm Sunday morning in the local town. Wax
palms (Ceroxylon) -Colombia’s national tree and a critical
endangered species- grow at an exceedingly slow rate.
For example the first appearance of the trunk takes 50
years. Mature wax palms are the tallest palms in the
world, towering over 60 metres in height, with today’s
giant specimens being seedlings when Christopher
Columbus first walked the shores of the Americas.
Mature wax palms are essential as roosting, feeding and
nesting sites for the Yellow-eared Parrot. In effect, the
future of the wax palms is inextricably linked with that
of the parrot.
Across the world, Palm Sunday is popularly
celebrated with palm frond-waving parades.
Unfortunately, the wax palm is the favoured palm frond
for this procession in most towns in the Colombian
Andes. In anticipation of the ceremony, CorAntioquia
approached the local priest to explain that the law protects
the wax palm, and that he should encourage his
congregations to use alternatives such as the very
common Wettinia palm. Worryingly, the day before Palm
Sunday we found an ancient wax palm cut down near
the nest site and within the newly fenced-off reserve.
The destruction of this great tree would yield just four
or five tender emerging fronds for the dreaded parade.
Palm Sunday came and our hearts cried as an
endless sea of waving palm fronds rounded the corner
on the approach to the church. We estimated that half
of the 800-strong crowd, dressed in their Sunday best,
was proudly waving wax palm fronds. That means that
around 100 wax palms had been massacred for the
procession before ending up in the gutter. The longevity
of the few hundred surviving wax palms scattered on
the mountains towering around the town now seems
startlingly short. Although the police had been advised
of the legally protected status of the palm, they too were
carrying fronds!
Antioquia’s Palm Sunday parade, with people carrying wax palm
fronds (Paul Salaman/Proyecto Ognorhynchus).
Ironically, Palm Sunday parades in the area of
the first discovered population in the Central Andes do
not use the wax palm fronds as the guerrilla group FARC,
active in the area, forbids the felling of live palms. In
this second site Proyecto Ognorhynchus is now
intensifying environmental awareness and conservation
activities with local communities to avoid a repeat of the
unnecessary destruction of wax palms for Palm Sunday.
It is earnestly hoped that the Catholic Church can be
instrumental in reconciling the conservation of
Colombia’s national tree with the upholding of its Catholic
traditions.
The past two years of intensive research and
conservation efforts by the project, with the support of
Loro Parque Foundation and the American Bird
Conservancy, have greatly already reversed the fortunes
of the species, but great uncertainties still lie ahead for
the Yellow-eared Parrot. 2001 has already yielded a mixed
bag of hope and fear for the future survival of parrot.
Clearly much more work is desperately needed to ensure
the future survival of both the Yellow-eared Parrot and
the majestic wax palm.
19
Request for help
we are making a request for the donation of used
binoculars, which are needed for ecological groups
of young people in the study areas and for a
community parrot observation scheme. For further
information email: [email protected]
Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
Last chance for an integral
protected area on Tanimbar
(Indonesia)
The Goffin Cockatoo and
Blue-streaked Lory still safe
A typical local fishers’ village in Tanimbar islands
In Cyanopsitta 58 we informed you about a new project of Loro Parque Fundación:
“Conservation of endemic parrots in the Tanimbar islands”. Now, one year later, the
first phase of the project has concluded. The focus of the activities was to determine
the status, habitat use and traffic in the Goffin cockatoo (Cacatua goffini) and the Bluestreaked lory (Eos reticulata), especially on Yamdena, the main island, but also the
other islands of the archipelago of Tanimbar.
The census had as objective an update of the
data available from the year 1994 and was organized
in two separate visits to the island: May - July and
October - November 2000. The opportunity was used
to obtain data on vegetation and land use, logging
concessions, traffic in birds, and other questions
evolving around the use of natural resources in the
area. The Goffin cockatoo was registered on all of the
seven islands of the archipelago: Yamdena, which is
the largest (and holds the largest part of the population),
Larat, Sera, Wuliara, Selu, Wotar y Selaru. Both species
were found in all the four sites which were sampled
systematically in Yamdena. The Goffin cockatoo and
the Blue-streaked lory were found to be relatively
frequent in primary forest, but somewhat less frequent
in forest degraded due to selective logging. The traffic
in both species has dramatically diminished in the last
two years due to social unrest in 1999, although traffic
continues to a small degree; there is no local market
for these birds, however, they are sold to tourists or
are being exported.
The major threats that both parrot species face
at present are the systematic destruction of their habitat
through illegal logging and unsustainable issuance of
logging concessions, as well as the need to feed the
illegal traffic of parrots. Although the western part of
Mangroves are the common ecosystem along the coast
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Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
Indonesia contains a large number of protected areas,
very few protected areas exist on the Moluccan islands
and in particular in the Tanimbar islands. The study
conducted over the last year aims to establish in the
long term protected areas in the Tanimbar archipelago,
as this is the most effective measure to prevent illegal
logging and the capture of birds for trade.
The results of the project implemented by
BirdLife International Indonesia Programme show that
the populations of both species are stable. It appears
that both the Goffin cockatoo and the Blue- streaked
lory can compensate the loss of numbers both from
natural mortality and from illegal traffic. However, this
surprisingly positive outcome must not result in
complacency. The recent autonomy of the archipelago,
the deficient economy of the region and the limited
technical qualification of the personnel working in the
management of natural resources bring about the fear
that a series of bad decisions in the future may lead to
deficient land use planning and consecutive degradation
of natural resources. Consequently, the authors of the
final project report, Yan E. Persulessy and David
Purmiasa, provide a number of recommendations
which should be taken into consideration in the efforts
to protect both the endemic parrots and the general
biodiversity of the region:
To develop activities such that the communities
are made aware of the value and the importance of
the natural resources on Tanimbar, from the
environmental point of view and the economic. At the
same time, that they’re able to recognize the threats
Poaching continues to represent a problem for the Goffin cockatoo
that these natural resources face, and enable them to
act in a consistent manner to protect their natural
environment.
Special activities to raise awareness about the
populations of Goffin cockatoo and Blue-streaked lory.
Current parrot field conservation projects
of Loro Parque Fundación:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Brazil: Spix’s Macaw Cyanopsitta spixii Recovery Programme
Brazil: Environmental Education Programme for the Red-tailed Amazon Amazona brasiliensis in Superagüi National
Park, Paraná
Bolivia: Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis Conservation
Ecuador: Conservation of the Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis I
Colombia: Conservation of the Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis II
Dominica: Conservation of the endemic Red-necked and Imperial amazons
Belize: Scarlet Macaw Outreach Program
Zambia: Status, Ecology and Conservation Biology of the Black-cheeked Lovebird Agapornis nigrigenis
Zambia/Zimbabwe: Conservation Status and Biology of the Greyheaded Parrot Poicephalus fuscicollis suahelicus
Thailand: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary
Philippines: Red-vented Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia Conservation Programme
Philippines: Construction of parrot aviaries in two wildlife rescue centres in West Visayas
Indonesia: Action Sampiri - Conservation of Endangered Parrot Species on the Sangihe & Talaud Islands
Indonesia: Conservation of Endemic Parrots on the Tanimbar Islands
Mauritius: Echo parakeet conservation programme
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Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
It appears necessary to disseminate information about
the CITES regulations among the local communities
such that they understand the importance to avoid
activities in support of illegal trade and at the same
time strengthen activities directed towards enforcement
of existing laws.
The collaboration between the provincial
government and the Forestry Department must be
improved so that a strict supervision of logging activities
and the issuing of logging concessions and the attempt
to eliminate such sort of activities.
Special attention must be given to efforts to
establish a large protected area on Yamdena to protect
in an effective manner the archipelago’s biodiversity.
A multidisciplinary programme must be designed to
determine the boundaries of this protected area; it
should take into consideration ecological requirements,
the actual land use of local communities and the plans
of government authorities in the field of development.
It is essential that all these aspects are looked after,
such that eventual boundaries are a result of a general
consensus between all involved parties with the aim
that they receive general support and that the longterm conservation of the protected area is made
possible.
Lastly, special efforts must be directed to align
the new protected area with the development plan of
the Kabupaten Maluku Tenggara Barat district, that is
still being developed by the respective authorities.
It is certainly revealing that the last
recommendation submitted by BirdLife International
Indonesia Programme emphasises the need for the
establishment of a protected area that encompasses a
representative portion of the region’s biodiversity. It
reflects the fact that few such areas exist at present,
Exploitation of forest resources is the principal threat to biodiversity in
the archipelago
that they cover only a small area and were mainly
established to ensure the conservation of the Larat
orquid, the latter leading to a poor representation of
the island’s ecosystems. In addition, the current
protected areas are not managed effectively and face
serious exploitative pressures from outside.
The current conservation measures are not
directed to protect the forest and marine ecosystems
which are those which face the largest conservation
problems.
In sum, although the conservation status of the
endemic parrots of the Tanimbar islands does not give
reason for concern, the general situation and the current
environmental policies imply that in a few years the
biodiversity of the region may be endangered. This is
a last and unique opportunity to define a protected area
that allows to conserve and manage the natural wealth
of the archipelago. Without a doubt, the research
supported by LPF will be a very useful tool when it
comes to define the limits and characteristics it should
have.
Members of the field team on Tanimbar
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Cyanopsitta
No. 61 - June 2001
Sponsors and Donors
ofS L
oro P
arque F
undación
Loro
Parque
Fundación
Therefore, the financial support provided by our sponsors, members
and donors can be dedicated entirely to our conservation projects.
Loro Parque is the Foundation’s
principal sponsor and covers its
most important expenditures such as
salaries and administration costs.
Over 30.000 Euros
Over 5.000 Euros
Up to 5.000 Euros
EMCADISA, PANALU, REDISA, Vogelfreunde Achern, Verein der Vogelfreunde Iserlohn,
HARIBO, Emerencio e Hijos, La Oficina, Georg Fischer, CITA, BETACAR, Malinda
Chouinard, Grupo CODORNIU, GRUMBACH, Agencia Guimerá, ROHERSA, Rotary
Club Distrito 2200, MRW, Artecolor, Cash and Carry, Manuel Fraga Alba, Verein für
Vogelliebhaber Kevelaer, MATUTANO, Viajes Santa Lucía, Kanarien- u. Exotenzuchtverein
Forchheim 1963, Carolyn Debuse & Kim Fondrk, CAVAS CATALANAS, CELGAN,
Bernd Wolber, Gisele Tiemann.
Donations since January 2000
We want to thank all
our sponsors and donors
23