Working to end the wild bird trade
and return parrots to the wild

Emergency Funds Sent To Aid Confiscated Congo Parrots (PDF Release)
International groups rally to aid 500 African Grey parrots seized by government officials in first crackdown of illegal parrot trade.

Parrot Charity Rushes to Send Emergency Aid for Largest Group of Confiscated Parrots (PDF Release)
The World Parrot Trust (WPT) has sent emergency funds to aid in the treatment and housing of the largest group of illegally trapped Grey Parrots ever seized in the country of Cameroon.

Global Coalition Formed to Fight Wild Caught Parrot Trade (PDF Release)
The World Parrot Trust (WPT) announced today the launch of the FlyFree Campaign, an international alliance of animal welfare and conservation groups working together to halt the unsustainable trade in wild caught parrots - a first in the global effort to save parrots, one of the most endangered groups of birds on the planet.

One Million Parrots Flying Free (PDF Release)
Conservation and animal welfare groups support the European Commission's decision to extend the ban on commercial wild bird imports until 31 May 2006.

Flu in Parrot Imported to the UK Causes Experts to Call for Action to Protect Public and Birds (PDF Release)
A group of leading bird experts and animal welfare organizations urged the EU to take immediate action to reduce the risk of further avian flu outbreaks in Europe.

Recent Updates
News stories regarding the wild bird trade from 2006-2011.

Tanzania bans wildlife exports after animals stolen (Tanzania)
(BBC) -- Tanzania has banned wildlife exports after about 130 animals and birds - including giraffes and vultures - were smuggled out of the country.

132 Grey Parrots Confiscated in Uganda (Uganda)
(CNN) -- Over 130 rare African parrots were seized near midnight Monday from a woman officials say was smuggling the valuable birds from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda, a frequent jumping-off point for lucrative European and Asian markets.

Scarlet Macaw threatened with extinction in Belize
Group claims that the native beauty is being poached to extinction by Guatemalans.

Bird Smuggling Bid Foiled at Bangladesh Airport
Customs officials seize over 1,000 birds, mostly protected species, including 600 Plum-headed Parakeets and 400 Hill Mynahs.

Customs Officers Seize 18 Rare Parrots
Czech customs officers seize 18 very rare parrots, including 3 Lear's Macaws and 5 Palm Cockatoos.

Illegal Trade Threatens Grey Parrots in Cameroon
Wildlife conservationists say trafficking of Greys in Cameroon has grown into an organized crime involving powerful politicians.

Illegal Trade Threatens Wild Bird Species
Two of Nepal's Tarai birds -- yellow-breasted Bunting and Hill Myna -- are said to be facing a threat of total extinction.

Jamaican Parrots Threatened by Poaching
Yellow-billed parrot and Black-billed parrots in danger of extinction.

Wildlife Traffickers Discovered in Guatemala City
(PDF document)
ARCAS staff take part in confiscation of 81 wild animals from private home in Guatemala City.

The Last Great Ape Organization - LAGA: January 2010 Report
(PDF document)
Report on recent activity by law enforcement NGO and its efforts to halt illegal trafficking of parrots and wildlife.

Over 700 parrots seized in Ghaziabad, India
Police in Ghaziabad rescued over 700 species of parrots from a smuggler, who was taking them to Delhi to sell.

Several parrots seized at Douala Airport in Cameroon
Three hundred parrots bound for the Bahamas were seized at the Douala International Airport after a routine check of officers of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) while customs procedures were virtually completed.

Parrot Poacher Caught
The war on poachers continues near Cameroon where a repeat offender is caught trapping African grey parrots. (Warning: page includes images that may be upsetting.)

EU Permanently Bans Imports of Wild Birds (PDF Document)
Conservation Groups Hail Ban that Will Save Millions of Birds a Year

Permanent Ban of Wild Bird Importation in EU Announced
New rules for captive bird imports to protect animal health in the EU and improve the welfare of imported birds.

EU Extends Temporary Ban on Wild Bird Trade (PDF Document)
Conservation and animal welfare groups support the European Commission's decision to extend the ban on commercial wild bird imports.

EU COMMISSION DECISION of 27 October 2005 (PDF Document)
Concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain third countries and the movement from third countries of birds accompanying their owners.

Photographic Examples: The Wild-caught Bird Trade of Parrots
Photographs depict the legal capture and trade of parrots.

Signatories to the EU Wild Bird Declaration
A large and growing coalition of organizations from around the world have endorsed the EU Wild Bird Declaration.

Save the Greys Fund
A special appeal launched by the World Parrot Trust to save African Grey Parrots, a heavily traded species.

EU Trade Ban Success
A detailed account of the World Parrot Trust's successful campaign to end the wild bird importation into the European Union.

CITES Export Quotas
Database of export quotas set by individual countries and reported by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

CITES Trade Database
This database, managed by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of the CITES Secretariat, holds 7 million records of trade in wildlife and 50,000 scientific names of taxa listed by CITES. Currently, more than 500,000 records of trade in CITES-listed species of wildlife are reported annually.

International Trade in Wild Birds (and other relevant movements) in Latin America and the Caribbean (PDF Report)
Report commissioned by the Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO) to track the trade in wild birds in this region.

Nest Poaching in Neotropical Parrots (PDF Report)
This research measures the mortality due to nest poaching in 23 studies of Neotropical parrots representing 4,024 nesting attempts in 21 species and 14 countries. Also examines the geographic variation, presence of active protection programs and the passage of the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act. (For personal use only)