PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A Plettenberg Bay-based bird sanctuary has come up with a solution to deal with the growing demand for care of unwanted pet African Grey parrots in the form of large free-flight aviaries. 

Lara Mostert, the spokesperson for South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA), which includes Birds of Eden, says they currently have 61 of these birds and receive requests every week to take in more.

She explains that there are many reasons why African Grey parrots are discarded, but the most common is that these birds often outlive their owners as they can live between 40 and 60 years in captivity. 

"Many of these parrots eventually end up as unwanted pets due to elderly people who took on a parrot in their younger years find themselves moving into smaller homes or retirement villages where these parrots are no longer welcome, or even elderly people passing away leaving parrots behind, people emigrating from South Africa not able to take these birds with them and then the people who come to realise how unfair it is to confine a single parrot to a cage," Mostert says.

Funds

She says the best and most immediate solution is to build a very large, landscaped enclosure dedicated specifically to African Grey parrots, outside of the Birds of Eden Birds Sanctuary, where these ex-pets can enjoy the company of others of their kind and fly in a safe, protected environment.

According to Mostert it will cost some R600 000 to build a new enclosure of approximately 30m x 30m x 4,4m high. 

"Once the funding is procured, we will start a campaign to lobby, influence legislation and educate the public about the exploitation of the African Grey parrot, she says. "This is where Birds of Eden requires assistance from everyone with a heart and feeling for victims of the pet parrot industry."

Enough funds have been raised to build the first aviary, however, additional funds is needed as each aviary can only accommodate 80 parrots.

"The current African Grey aviary free-flight enclosure is constructed with a multi-span metal structure (similar to a hothouse shape with domes) to withstand chewing by the parrots and a concrete perimeter foundation to secure metal upright posts and stop burrowing predators, and in order to secure welded mesh fencing and covered sheltered areas. The aviary also includes an introduction or adjustment cage for new arrivals," she says.

The trade

The birds will be under the care of Birds of Eden / SAASA for the remainder of their lives. "This is not intended as a breeding project and the birds will never be traded again." According to Mostert, African Grey parrots are among the world's most popular avian pets and also the world's most traded parrot. 

"Trapping for the pet trade together with habitat destruction has had extremely severe consequences for the wild African Grey populations - to such extent that these parrots have virtually been eliminated from the wild." 

She further explains that while these birds have disappeared from their natural range, South Africa has developed the largest grey parrot breeding industry in the world. 

"Today, eight out of 10 captive-bred African Grey parrots sold globally come from South Africa, with a demand for export, according to the parrot breeders, as high as 100 000 birds each year. Now just imagine how many Grey parrots are caught up in the pet trade on home soil in this same country that breeds and exports a hundred thousand Grey parrots a year."

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