Wild populations of popular cage bird face catastrophic declines
New research suggests that wild populations of Grey Parrots—one of the world's most popular cage birds—have been virtually wiped out by poaching and habitat loss.
Working in Ghana, scientists estimate that 90% to 99% of the species' population has been lost since 1992, and the same pattern is likely to hold true across the rest of the species' range.
"These are extremely serious losses in this iconic species. If we are not very careful, then wild Grey Parrots will be lost both from the landscapes of West Africa and from people's memories," said Prof. Stuart Marsden, author of the Ibis study.
More information: Nathaniel N. D. Annorbah et al. Trade and habitat change virtually eliminate the Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus from Ghana, Ibis (2015). DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12332
Provided by Wiley