Current Projects

Update from Simone de Vries, Assistant Project Manager, Limbe

February 14, 2008

An update on the remaining Greys

It is always a pleasure to walk past the parrots’ flight cages because off the content, babbling noise that they make. When the parrots had just arrived at the Limbe Wildlife Centre they were stressed and that sounded a lot different. Ever since they were moved to the flight cages and their life became quiet and predictable they sound like they are pleasantly talking to each other.

All the parrots that are left here cannot fly because of clipped or glued feathers. With the help of two Italian vets, Mario D’Angelo and Gino Conzo, we were able to pluck all the feathers in order to let them regrow faster. Now, three weeks later, the feathers are starting to grow, but it will take time before the parrots can really fly again. As they are a bit clumsy without their feathers and sometimes fall down, we have lowered the perches and put sawdust on the ground.

Every morning the parrots get their mash, made out of cassava, corn, peanuts and vitamin supplements. Mario and Gino helped us with the recipe for this food and they also donated the supplements. We also give doxycycline in the mash, a treatment against Psittacosis, as some of the dead parrots showed signs of this disease. Next week the treatment will be ended. In the afternoon the parrots get fresh fruits. Sometimes, as enrichment, we give them palm nuts. This is a real treat for them, but as palm nuts are very rich in oil we have to be careful not to feed too many.

The routine of cleaning and feeding that we have now will continue for the next months, until the parrots will be ready to be released. Then we will have another busy period of catching birds, driving to the forest and letting them go.

Simone de Vries
Assistant Project Manager
Limbe Wildlife Centre

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