Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!cognos!stewartw From: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Lorikeets, Senegal parrots Message-ID: <9323@cognos.UUCP> Date: 12 Feb 91 22:21:05 GMT References: <21499@netcom.UUCP> Reply-To: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada Lines: 38 In article wvenable@spam.ua.oz.au (Bill Venables) writes: >To be more serious for a moment, I really do hope you `INDOOR' folks are >careful to detect not to accept illegally exported birds. It is a very >serious problem for Australian conservationists, since several species are >on the endangered list simply because of the actions of illegal trappers. >Chances are that after the rough time they go through the birds will make >lousy pets, anyway. Most wild parrots live in large flocks. As with most things, there is the honest majority and the dishonest minorty. And, as with most things, the majority of those honest folks are prime candidates to be fleeced by the dishonest ones. Good breeders DO check where the bird originated, and knowledgable pet owners too. If there was an easy way to educate the public, it would happen, but when issues of smuggling arise, animal rights radicals seize the opportunity and tend to drag the discussion into a "make bird ownership illegal". Others will further de-focus the discussion by bringing up the home country's treatment of its wildlife. The result is that the important issue you present is seldom given the focussed discussion it deserves. As a point of information most of these birds are not only illegally exported, but generally illegally imported into the receiving country. While there really isn't much other countries can do about the former, we certainly can address the latter. In Canada several parrot smuggling rings have been broken up by the RCMP. Bird buyers can do a lot to help, but in the end you usually have to rely on the fact that someone you have never met REALLY is an HONEST breeder. There are so many weasels in the parrot trade that the AVERAGE buyer probably can't manage that task. Stewart -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca Ottawa, Ontario The bird of the day is .... Illiger's Macaw CANADA K1G 3Z4