Conservationists raise red flag over commercial breeding of parrots

Animal conservationists have raised red flags over dangers of commercial captive- breeding of parrots, warning that it could harm wild populations, reduce tourism revenue and undermine conservation efforts.

David Musingo, the chief warden for all zoos across the country, decried several people keeping African Grey Parrots captive illegally.

“People are keeping them as pets. You are supposed to get a license,” Musingo highlighted during a public lecture organized by Nature Uganda and World Animal Protection in Kampala on November 29.

Adding: “The parrots come to the Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Centre (UWECC) speaking English, Runyankore, and Luganda. People want to teach them how to talk, but we want them to live their natural lives.

In the last 15 years, Ugandan authorities have rescued more than 800 parrots being trafficked out of the country through various porous border points.

According to Musingo, many of these birds were rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

“In 2011, we rescued 200 parrots from illegal trade at the border of the DR Congo. In 2013, we rescued 33 parrots intended for Europe that ended up in Bulugira. That same year, we received 130 parrots from Mpondwe in Kasese and 140 parrots along Entebbe Road. Some of them had broken wings; we rehabilitated and released them in Kibale National Park,” he elaborated.

 “In 2022, we received 119 parrots from Kisoro, and the case is still in court. We also rescued 57 parrots from Kibale National Park. Most of the parrots we release are tagged. For African Grey Parrots, we are starting a monitoring system using trackers attached to their feathers.”

Speaking at the same event, Edith Kabesiime, the Wildlife Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection, warned that commercial parrot breeding could exacerbate conservation challenges and increase the risk of diseases such as COVID-19.

“We know the virus moved from wild animals to humans and caused immense suffering globally. From a conservation perspective, for every parrot kept in captivity, another dies during capture or transportation. Increasing demand for these parrots impacts wild populations negatively,” Kabesiime observed.

She added: “Globally, there is no evidence that breeding animals in captivity offsets the demand for wild species. We don’t encourage practices that normalize keeping animals in captivity. Encouraging large-scale farming of African Grey Parrots undermines wildlife conservation.”

Likewise, Dr Martin Rowan, the director of Programs Bird Trade at World Parrot Trust said that while captive breeding might theoretically reduce the demand for wild-caught parrots, it often increases interest in rare species and fosters opportunities for illegal trade.