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Defenders in Action: U.S. Pet Trade Endangers Mexican Parrots
illegally capture tens of thousands of parrots, such
as this lilac-crowned parrot, each year for the pet
trade. About 75 percent of the birds die during
capture and transport.
American consumers fueling the demand for imperiled Mexican parrots could ultimately cause their extinction, according to a new report from Defenders of Wildlife.
The Illegal Parrot Trade in Mexico: A Comprehensive Assessment, released in February, found that of the top 10 Mexican parrot species smuggled into the United States, five are endangered, two are threatened and one is under special protection in Mexico.
"Clearly, this is not a sustainable market. Smuggling is increasing and birds are being taken from the wild, sometimes plucked right out of the nest, and dying at alarming rates for sale in the pet trade," says Juan Carlos Cantu Guzman, lead author of the report and manager of Defenders' Mexico program. "Next to habitat loss, parrot trapping poses the greatest threat to the birds’ survival in Mexico."
The Defenders report estimates that Mexican parrot trappers illegally capture about 65,000 to 78,500 parrots a year. About 75 percent of the birds die from stress, disease, rough handling, crushing, asphyxiation or dehydration during capture and transport. “In many instances, 50 parrots are stuffed into a shipping container barely larger than a shoe box for days,” says Cantu. As many as 9,400 parrots from Mexico are smuggled into the United States each year—and none of these birds has the required health examination and quarantine to identify potential disease risks.
In the report, Defenders urges American consumers not to purchase parrots that lack proper documentation. A captive-born parrot will have a closed band around its legs that identifies the breeding facility.
