The World Parrot Trust always has an annual appeal over December & January in which certain wild parrots in need are highlighted so you can help save them. This year it’s the Amazon Parrots which are being highlighted as they are major targets for wildlife poachers and have suffered greatly from habitat loss.
Although donations are being doubled until the end of January, I do want to point out to Americans that if you donate before 31 Dec, you will get a receipt for your 2016 tax return.
I’m getting a bit ahead of myself as I usually blog a trip in chronological order but this is more important. This happened in Antananarivo, Madagascar. When we were in the taxi going from the hotel to the airport, I noticed a bunch of cages on the street. We were on the opposite side of the road so I didn’t get a good look but having an 18 megapixel camera was enough to get the real scoop.
I can identify Grey-headed Lovebirds and Vasa Parrots in a few of the cages which would clearly be captured from the wild. One green bird I can’t identify appears to be dead (lying on its side on the floor).
THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO STOP!
The World Parrot Trust has the experience to help these birds. Right now they are doing their annual campaign in which everyone’s donations are matched by an anonymous donor. So give $25 and it becomes $50, give $100 and it becomes $200 and so on.
Click for donation page
Mehd & Lena Halouate are friends of mine whom I originally met via Facebook and last year in person. Mehd is the Indonesia Project Manager for the World Parrot Trust and his biography can be found on their website.
.
Conservation efforts in Indonesia are extremely challenging yet incredibly important, as many species there exist nowhere else in the world. Indonesia’s size, tropical climate, and island chain geography support the world’s second highest level of biodiversity, a unique mixture of flora and fauna.
In this podcast, Mehd Halaouate sheds light on the status of conservation efforts in Indonesia – the challenges and their solutions for moving forward to save some of the world’s rarest parrots.
Related reading (excerpts from PsittaScene Magazine, Spring 2014):
– Island Hopping – Search for the Red-and-blue Lory
– Where the Lories Landed
The heartbreaking photos of the captured Lories highlight why conservation projects and ecotourism are so important. I highly recommend joining the World Parrot Trust to get their quarterly magazine and keep up to date with their projects.
Help WPT protect these Lories!
Support the Red-and-blue Lory Project
– Donate to save the Red-and-blue Lories
This is my resurrected weekly series in which I will introduce a professional photographer who specializes in bird/wildlife photography. I hope that you will be inspired by their work! Mehd is not only an extremely talented photographer, he is also a personal friend of mine, I just wish I had half his talent!
Mehd used to work as a manager at Volvo, but now works as the program director for World Parrot Trust in Indonesia. He is also working for Begawan Foundation with breeding Bali Starlings and managing their breeding station in central Bali.
He has been interested in birds since he was a little boy, growing up in Morocco.Equipment:
We work with Canon cameras and Canon or Sigma lenses.Mehd uses:
Camera: Canon 50D.
Lenses: Canon 100-400 IS USM, Sigma 105/2.8 Macro, Canon APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX, Sigma APO Teleconverter 2.0x EX
Flash: Canon Speedlite 540EZ
To protect his copyright, I will highlight some of the galleries on his website, please use the links below.
Arfak Mountains (My trip report)
There are more galleries in the Bird Photos tab.
Mehd also has some amazing photos on the World Parrot Trust – Sweden Facebook page
I think I missed the email that came in when the shore excursions were added as I was overseas at the time. I have my main post about the Parrot Lover’s Cruise which benefits the World Parrot Trust and sails from Galveston this year.
Offered exclusively to travelers onboard the Parrot Lover’s Cruise, these unique excursions will allow you to travel to where few have gone before.
Once you have secured your cruise booking and have your reservation number, all shore excursions can be booked by contacting Carol Cipriano. Important that you MUST use Carol’s agency to book the cruise or you won’t be included in the special seminars and shore excursions!
 . |
November 2: 9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Begin your vacation with an exciting visit to the Galveston Island Moody Gardens. Bus boards at 9:00 a.m. with pickup from the Springhill Suites hotel. Upon reaching Galveston, guests will spend a magical 2 hours at the famous Moody Gardens experiencing the Rainforest, Aquarium and Herb Garden exhibits. Afterwards, guests will be taken directly to the port to meet the cruiseship. Ticket Price: |
|---|---|
 .
|
November 6 – The Belize Bird Rescue is owned by Belizean residents Jerry Larder and Nikki Buxton, who began rescuing birds in April 2004. Parrots are a particular concern for Belize Bird Rescue, as the local pet trade and ever-increasing human encroachment on nesting sites reduces population numbers of several of Belize’s parrot species to potentially unsustainable levels. Belize is one of the last strongholds of the endangered Amazona oratrix: the Yellow-headed Amazon, the bird of choice as a family pet and still regarded by farmers as a major crop pest. Jerry & Nikki work closely with the Government of Belize Forest Department. In doing so, they aim to aid implementation and encourage enforcement of existing legislation, to rehabilitate and release as many captive parrots as possible and to initiate a mandatory banding and licensing programme of all captive indigenous avian species. Read the blog entry on the World Parrot Trust website recounting the visit by the Parrot Lover’s Cruise back in 2011. Ticket Price: $107.00(USD) per person |
 .
|
November 7 – Join us for an exciting adventure at Xcaret, a majestic eco-archaeological theme park by the sea. Cruise guests will be taken on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of their amazing Scarlet Macaw breeding and release facility. Spend some time with the many species of Mexican birds making the Regional Wildlife Breeding Farm their home, as well as interact with some of the mature parrots during their free-flight exercises. Best of all, Best of all, cruise guests will have the exclusive privilege of participating in a liberation flight of a special group of Scarlet Macaws raised onsite, all grown up and ready to experience free-flight in the surrounding rainforest! During your excursion to Xcaret, be sure to stop by the Butterfly Pavilion, where you will marvel at the stunning array of colours in the largest butterfly facility in the world. Another must-see is their Marine Turtles Area, where you can learn about their efforts for sea turtle conservation. Enjoy the Underground Rivers, stroll the Tropical Jungle Trail or observe ancient Mayan vestiges of Xcaret in their more than 500 residential structures and over 60 temples, scattered throughout the surrounding rainforest. Watch this beautiful video collage from the 2012 Parrot Lover’s Cruise to the Western Caribbean to get an idea of what awaits. Spots are limited – book now so you don’t miss out! Ticket Price: $146.00(USD) per person |
– See more at: http://www.parrotloverscruise.com/excursions.html#sthash.HxieH9WG.dpuf
This email came in a couple weeks ago but I was traveling with very limited access to the internet so I am just getting around to blogging about it. I must say, it makes me very happy to see Belize Bird Rescue offering visits to cruise ship passengers! The dedicated volunteers are so caring about birds and deserving of more attention……not to mention funds to carry on their work! This shore excursion provides you with an excellent opportunity to see the rescued wild parrots up close and personal as many of the released parrots hang around the grounds, so you can be assured of great photo ops as well!
I was lucky enough to visit this very worthy conservation-minded organization last year, it was an amazing experience!
I have more details about the Parrot Lover’s Cruise here.
Remember to book your cruise with the official organizer:
CAROL CIPRIANO
Carol’s Travel Time
570.470.0034
Email
Have you booked your ticket yet for the Parrot Lover’s Cruise?
If not, we’ve another exciting shore excursion to tempt you with!
We are excited to announce the opportunity to visit the wondrous Belize Bird Rescue, a non-profit Avian Rehabilitation Centre and Sanctuary owned by Belizean residents Jerry Larder and Nikki Buxton.
While there you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to meet the Yellow-headed Amazon (A.o. belizensis), a subspecies unique to Belize and the focus of conservation at the sanctuary. Parrots are a particular concern for Belize Bird Rescue, as the local pet trade and ever-increasing human encroachment on nesting sites reduces population numbers of several of Belize’s parrot species to potentially unsustainable levels.
Along with a buffet luncheon served on site and time to stroll the amazing grounds of the facility, guests will have the opportunity for some shopping at the Art Box, a venue for local artists to show and sell their works.
A fun-filled day awaits – book your excursion today!
The annual Parrot Lovers Cruise is back with an exciting new itinerary! It will be leaving from Galveston which makes it very easy to get there using miles as Americans will only require a domestic award. Early bird rates are available until 7 Feb so don’t miss out!
Read my series of posts about Belize to get an idea of what you can see on this cruise.
Here is the itinerary which includes several ports where you can see wild parrots:
.
– See more at: http://www.parrotloverscruise.com/cruise_info.html#sthash.8OrHC1qo.dpuf
If you have found my blog helpful at all this year, the best way you can thank me is by helping to save wild birds through this campaign.
“Tragically, parrots of many species are becoming increasingly endangered in the wild.
Their forests are being destroyed, they are being taken from the wild for the pet trade…
but, there is hope!”
Dr. Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE
Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
The World Parrot Trust does an annual fundraiser in which all funds are matched. This means that if you donate $100 it becomes $200 and so on. Every year they focus on different projects and this year they are focusing on the parrots of Africa. I am planning a trip there in 2015, I do make a point of visiting their projects just as I did in Belize and Costa Rica this year so I have seen with my own eyes the good they do.
Watch a special message from Dr. Jane Goodall
Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, has been long dedicated to wildlife conservation, and works to improve the lives of communities living alongside threatened species.
Watch her very special message about Africa’s parrots, and the importance of saving them.
Join us through social media and become an ambassador for parrots. Use your network of friends and family to help expand support for conservation efforts in Africa and get the latest news on related issues and reports.
Become a fan on WPT’s Save Africa’s Parrots Facebook page! It is a great place to socialize and share your passion for parrots.
Follow us on Twitter to stay updated with news from the world of African parrot conservation & welfare.
Many parrot populations in Africa are at risk of disappearing forever.
As you know, the wildlife trade, habitat loss and other threats endanger many of Africa’s parrots: Grey parrot numbers have plummeted. Timneh parrots have disappeared from much of their range. Cape parrots are battling against the loss of habitat and disease, and many more parrots in Africa face similar dangers.
But, there is good news, and reason to hope…
WPT has been working in Africa for many years but recognizes the need for more to be done. Thankfully trade is down, and field research and conservation efforts are growing.
Our experience has led to the development of WPT’s Africa Conservation Programme (WPT-ACP), an innovative effort focusing on:
Our current work is focused on researching Timneh parrots in the Bijagós archipelago of Guinea-Bissau, initiating community education to protect Grey parrots in Uganda, and expanding a population monitoring project for Cape parrots in Limpopo, South Africa. (Read full details »)
With your help we can do much more…
Because of the urgent need for these efforts to continue, WPT-ACP is now dedicated to a multi-year commitment on behalf of these birds to help at-risk parrots throughout Africa.
All of this effort requires time and money. Just one gift from you of $25, $50 or $100 will help us to continue this vital work of research, encouraging wildlife law enforcement, confiscation, rescue, rehabilitation of birds caught in the trade, protecting habitat and public education.
Your gift, doubled!
If you donate before January 2014, your gift will be matched by our generous sponsors
dollar for dollar. That’s twice the impact your gift can make for the parrots!
Will you join our team and help Save Africa’s Parrots today?
Trafficking of wild-caught birds is devastating no matter how you look at it. The birds lose their freedom at best, their lives at worst. The eco-system loses valuable members. Everyone loses the joy of seeing and hearing wild birds flying free in their native homes. Trafficking happens because there are people who need to earn money to feed their families and people who are willing to pay them to capture wild birds. To stop it, we need to offer these people other alternatives for gainful, honest employment so they leave the wild birds alone. This is where eco-tourism can help. When we spend our tourist $$ by supporting local communities, they no longer need to capture these birds. The birds become more valuable left in the wild so they attract eco-tourists.
Let’s have a look at just how damaging the wild-caught bird trade is with this video found on the World Parrot Trust’s Fly Free page.