About Us

History of the World Parrot Trust

The World Parrot Trust - founded in 1989 - is a dynamic international charity that moves quickly to aid urgent initiatives and support long-term projects to save parrots in the wild and help parrots in captivity. In nearly 20 years of effort the Trust has led conservation and welfare projects in 22 countries for more than 40 species of parrots.
Echo Parakeet

Our latest work
Recent efforts include successes in conservation, legislation and welfare work. In 2007 we witnessed the remarkable recovery of the Echo Parakeet, a species whose numbers had dwindled to only 12 individuals. WPT provided essential and long-term funding that resulted in Echo numbers climbing to over 300!

Also in 2007 we celebrated the culmination of 7 years of sustained effort that brought about the wild bird trade ban in the European Union – a legislative victory saving the lives of millions of individual birds each year. Most recently the Trust provided urgent funding and coordinated veterinary assistance for over 1000 confiscated African Grey Parrots in Cameroon; helping to ensure their safe return to the wild.

An effective and efficient approach
Despite this wide-ranging activity, the Trust is run efficiently, relying on many volunteers and five paid staff. The Trust's Director, Dr. James Gilardi, is based in the USA, along with PsittaScene editor Joanna Eckles, and US administrator Glenn Reynolds. Steve Milpacher, who hails from Canada, coordinates the business development, website and marketing efforts and Karen Whitley is our full-time administrator based in the U.K. This exceptionally cost-effective approach is made possible by substantial financial and logistical support donated by Paradise Park, the UK home base where the Trust was originally founded by its creator, Mike Reynolds.

WPT today
The World Parrot Trust has grown to become one of the world’s largest member-based parrot conservation and welfare organizations with national branches in many countries. Its educational print and web-based resources are utilized by tens of thousands of caring parrot owners and its uniquely effective approach to conservation and welfare delivers substantial and long-lasting results.

This work is made possible by the generous efforts of members and donors like you. Your support is vital for our work for the parrots to continue.


"If man can save the parrots, he may yet save himself"
Mike Reynolds, World Parrot Trust Founder