Policy and Regulatory Model for the Conservation of the African Grey Parrot Psittacus Erithacus

Le résumé fourni par la source

The African grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus, is a species native to the equatorial belt in Western, Central and Eastern Africa, but whose numbers in the wild continue to dwindle mainly due to habitat loss and the international pet trade. In Kenya, these birds are naturally found in Kakamega Forest, a rainforest habitat which is currently under immense pressure from fragmentation due to human activities. Here, the numbers of parrots are extremely low, with only few individuals sighted in recent studies. However, within Kenya, hundreds more are kept in homes as pets. This article discusses how wildlife conservation management can be modelled around such situations, the opportunities they present, and how these inherent challenges can be navigated within the regulatory framework. Specifically, the situation in Kenya warrants management actions that include captive breeding that is undertaken from a conservation perspective, rather than for commercial purposes. We also recommend capacity enhancement for those who keep the birds as pets to ensure proper management and reproduction, and public awareness of the plight of parrots and the suffering they experience when they are removed from their natural habitats and denied proper nutrition and welfare standards. Further, we recommend the harmonization and alignment of policies and regulations in the countries in which these species are native. In order to limit dealing and trade, the number of pet/captive African grey parrots permitted per individual or private household could best be capped to a maximum of 10. With only few individuals remaining in the wild, African grey parrots face the real threat of extinction in Kenya in the future.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.