Illegal Pet Trade

MeganMango · Feb 20, 2013

This is an interesting article, I didnt realize there was a market for trading wild-caught birds.

Limbe Wildlife Centre?s African Grey Parrot Poster | For Parrots: Posters for Parrot Advocates

Birdlover11 · Feb 20, 2013

It's a giant topic in the black market. They would steal form the wild, tame it , then pass it off as a tamed captivity bred animal. A very sad thing to see

that is pretty mush the reason why there are so many endangerd species

MeganMango · Feb 20, 2013

I had no idea! There are so many birds in rescues and lots of people breeding in my area. There are loads of birds available where I live, I didnt think people would be smuggling wild-caught birds. It makes me so sad.

Featheredsamurai · Feb 20, 2013

The illeg parrot trafficking is terrible, only a small percentage of birds even survive. It's very common in Mexico, central, and South America. I posted a interesting article about the South American trade on my parrot blog, it's Rosie The Galah and parrot care - Page 1 of 15

The destruction of forest is also hurting birds. With that and smuggling combined there are only around 100 blue throated macaws in the wild, and a lot more birds are being effected too. In South America to make extra money they will even bleach amazon heads as the yellow headed birds are said to talk better. These poor birds are on a path to death when that happens to them.

Birds are even smuggled into America, were wild caught parrots are illegal and parrots for the pet trade are illegal to import. People sneak them in and sell them cheaply.

MonicaMc · Feb 21, 2013

Even the smuggled parrots, sold "cheaply" is a lot of money to those who either captured them or were the 'middle man'. If the smugglers are caught, the parrots may go to a quarantine station and be in "limbo" until the smugglers trial is over, after all, they are evidence. After that, they might be sold off at auction, where breeders buy the birds. They're not tamed, they're just sold.

If there's any truth to Mira Tweti's book, Of Parrots and People, then it's a real eye opener into the pet trade, and describes how CITES is *NOT* for the protection of flora and fauna. It's about trade of said flora and fauna between countries.

SandyBee · Feb 21, 2013

I've read so many articles on this recently, it's happening in Africa a lot too.
It's devastating, the smugglers can afford for over 50% of the birds to die and still make enough profits. Many birds when and if the smugglers get caught have to be euthanized to disease and injury. The ones that make it to market are often hurt or sick and definately not socialized.

MeganMango · Feb 21, 2013

I cant imagine removing a bird from the wild. I would feel so bad if I found out my bird was wild-caught. At least these guys are going to be rehabilitated and released back where they were found.

SandyBee · Feb 21, 2013

I know, I feel bad for my Bosley. He was wild caught 35 years ago. He has been in captivity too long to ever be released back in the wild and I wanted to provide him with a forever home that would love him for who he is.

MeganMango · Feb 21, 2013

SandyBee said:
I know, I feel bad for my Bosley. He was wild caught 35 years ago. He has been in captivity too long to ever be released back in the wild and I wanted to provide him with a forever home that would love him for who he is.

Its certainly not your fault, but must be difficult for you just the same. At least he is in a safe and loving home with people who understand him.

Birdlover11 · Feb 21, 2013

You just never know, it can be frustrating for a first time breeder. If the 2 birds won't mate , why won't I catch some in my own back yard? After he try's that and figures how easy it is , and how much money he can make , well I think you know what gos down from there.

Sammy01 · Sep 1, 2013

I'm currently in Central America and this appears to be the most common way to get a parrot. The smaller scale (kids that catch and sell them) typically just go for the babies. They don't even try and breed them because it would mean more work and less profit. I'm not defending what these kids do, but I really do understand. A lot of these kids are poor (I'd say all) and are just trying to make money for food. I feel the issue lies with my government, yes, they try to help the birds by making harsh laws but aren't seeing the reason these children do it. I personally believe that it is partially the government's fault because instead of just focusing on making it illegal to poach and arresting people they should try to educate them and feed those that are doing it as a means to feed themselves.

Betrisher · Sep 1, 2013

Hah! Come to sunny Australia to see how the professionals do it! No one starves in this country, yet we have a thriving black-market bird trade. The birds are drugged and shoved into tubes which might be stacked in a box or worn inside the smuggler's coat. Only a percentage survive, but that's OK. The prices they charge make it all worthwhile. There's also a thriving trade in reptiles and small native mammals.

Years ago, there was a very famous natural history figure who spent a great deal of time in the northernmost rainforest in Cape York. He had every permit you could imagine because he was such an eminent public figure. Can you imagine the shock when it was discovered this bloke and an accomplice (equally well-known and well-regarded) had been collecting rare birds' eggs and chicks for thirty years or more and selling them overseas? I remember the day I bought a copy of this bloke's book and thought all my Christmasses had come at once! Hah! Yeah, right!

It's a filthy trade and will keep going for as long as there's a market for it.

MikeyTN · Sep 1, 2013

Unfortunately it's people like them that's causing the endangered population....It's very sad....

Betrisher · Sep 1, 2013

I followed some of the links on the Limbe Wildlife Centre page and found this:

Navaho Prayer adapted and dedicated to those who have saved, and been saved, and loved, and lost. I didn’t think the Navaho Gods would mind if I borrowed their prayer. –Marie Charon Crowley

To you who dwell in houses made of man
To you my greatest love in my darkest hour
You have accepted my sacrifice
I have lived your all
My feet restore to me
My wings restore to me
My body restore to me
My mind restore to me
My voice restore to me
I am released into the bright blue skies.
Today you have released me into the bright blue sky.
May we fly together in the bright blue sky.
May we hear our young in the bright blue sky.
May we sing our song in the bright blue sky.
Happily I recover.
Happily my interior becomes cool.
Happily my eyes regain their power.
Happily my head becomes cool.
Happily my limbs regain their power.
Happily I hear again.
Happily for me the spell is taken Off.
Happily I fly
Impervious to pain, I fly
Feeling light within, I fly
In beauty I fly
With beauty before me, I fly
With beauty behind me, I fly
With beauty below me, I fly
I am released again into the bright blue sky.

MikeyTN · Sep 1, 2013

What a nice poem!!! Thanks for sharing it!!!

Pajarita · Sep 2, 2013

MonicaMc said:
Even the smuggled parrots, sold "cheaply" is a lot of money to those who either captured them or were the 'middle man'. If the smugglers are caught, the parrots may go to a quarantine station and be in "limbo" until the smugglers trial is over, after all, they are evidence. After that, they might be sold off at auction, where breeders buy the birds. They're not tamed, they're just sold.

If there's any truth to Mira Tweti's book, Of Parrots and People, then it's a real eye opener into the pet trade, and describes how CITES is *NOT* for the protection of flora and fauna. It's about trade of said flora and fauna between countries.

I read it and I believe everything she said on it. She names names, gives dates and references which are all very easy to check. What shocked me the most was to read about Mexican vets who drug parrots so you can smuggle them across the border into the US.

MikeyTN · Sep 2, 2013

They do anything to make a buck.....But you would think they would know better since they're vets and have the love for animals. But I guess greed come before them....BUT unless they're being forced to do so like the drug trade....

ShellyBorg · Sep 2, 2013

I was at a powwow this weekend and found out there was a man traveling around the lower south western states selling macaw bodies for $100. I told everyone who would listen this was illegal and that I was sure these where bodies of Macaws who died during the smuggling into the states. So sad...

PetoftheDay · Sep 2, 2013

It is so sad, so tragic. As much as I admire the beautiful birds, we need to protect them in the wild as much as we can!

MonicaMc · Sep 3, 2013

What saddened me is the fact that the pet store in Nevada that they were talking about is actually within my area... and I may know someone who bought a snake from that pet store... and when the snake grew to be larger than it was supposed to be, they gave the snake to a zoo. I think the snake went to a zoo in California, but I can't confirm this as I am no longer in contact with the person who bought the snake.

It just really makes me wonder.

Illegal Pet Trade

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