Has careful thought been given to our sending so many of our parrots overseas?

Fri Nov 15, 2013

Editor: Early in September 2013, September 2nd to be exact, I listened as the Ministry of Agriculture (and in some specific cases, the Forestry Department) was being presented with a number of items by the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP). But as I listened attentively to the sweet sound of promises being made to St Vincent and the Grenadines, I became concerned about a few issues, and by the end of the presentation, I was left with a really bitter taste in my mouth. I saw hypocrisy and an insult to Vincentian intelligence. Mind you, I believe that the average Vincentian listening on that day would have taken what was said at face value, not delved too much into the specific issues, and listened to the sweet melodic voices and humorous anecdotes that were used to convince the public that this was such a great thing for St Vincent and the Grenadines. They may have even chosen to leave it up to the experts in the field, who should know what they are doing, to do their thing.{{more}}

Over the years, I have learned to trust my instincts and to not dismiss those questions that come to mind. Some questions did thump at me over and over again since I heard that presentation. Furthermore, like most Vincentians, I take great pride in my national bird and its contribution to our heritage, so once any matter arises that involves Vincie, my ears become immediately alert. Having been tormented by these recurring questions, I decided to follow up with my own investigations. I wish now to highlight a number of the concerns that I have about this arrangement between the local Authority and the ACTP.

It was stated that the ACTP would be providing funds to assist with rehabilitation work in the banana industry. That was the first red flag for me. Why would an international organization that is so committed to conservation choose to donate monies to the production of bananas in the way that it is done here? Yes, we are aware that bananas was once the mainstay of the local economy, but there is no denying the destruction it has done and continues to do to the environment. Some may wish to argue that the planting of bananas does not directly impact upon the habitat of Vincie. Still one cannot opt to conserve our flagship St Vincent Parrot without regard for the overall environment in which it resides. I would think that an organization committed to conservation would prefer to fund activities and industries that are not contributors to environmental degradation.

Another concern, regarding the request by the government for assistance with the banana industry, what message are we sending to an international body, who claims that its interest is conservation of our parrots, when we start requesting funds for just about anything? Are we not saying that we can be easily bought, and opening up ourselves immediately to be taken advantage of? I am aware of the economic downturn locally, but as a people we have been engendered not to sell our pride.

Some 14 of our birds housed at our Botanic Gardens have already left St Vincent to go to the ACTP in Germany – a fact that many Vincentians may not be aware of. Under his breath, while presenting on the 2nd September, the Minister of Agriculture stated that of course we have to find a place to put the remaining birds while the new facility promised to us by the ACTP is being constructed. Further investigations revealed that the majority of the remaining birds at the Gardens are due to leave the country too – some, it is stated, for medical purposes. Those birds will, however, remain with the ACTP for over two years until the new facility here is completed and then returned to St Vincent. Well, I had to take a deep breath here for so many reasons – some scientific, some common sense.

Concerning parrots leaving St Vincent to be held in a foreign breeding facility during the period that a new one is being constructed in St Vincent, there are several grave issues that concern me. I understand that St Vincent and the Grenadines are indeed small islands, but I do believe, and I can be corrected on this, that we still have adequate space left on island for the construction of an interim holding facility. Once a St Vincent parrot leaves our shores, its probability for exposure to diseases that are not found locally, and to which they may have no resistance, is greatly increased. Returning such birds to St Vincent becomes an immediate threat to the captive and wild population on St Vincent. Added to this, there is scientific evidence that endangered species may have an enhanced susceptibility to disease because of the reduced diversity that can result from small population sizes, such as those of the St Vincent parrot.

Exposure to avian tuberculosis is one of the greatest health concerns for captive St Vincent parrots, and may render a bird unfit to return to St Vincent or to the breeding programme. Once a bird is exposed to such a disease, even if it does not show signs of having contracted the disease, it is still a grave cause for concern. Avian tuberculosis can remain dormant in exposed birds for long periods of time. Birds exposed to the disease have been known to test negative for years after the exposure, only to be diagnosed with the disease some time after. I cannot understand why the ACTP will be aware of these things and still want to risk taking so many birds out of St Vincent. I would hate to know that an additional fourteen of my birds are removed, making it twenty-four of my Vincie and their offspring that are at one facility and cannot return home.

Further, my research revealed that it is known by several experts in the field of sperm evaluation that the majority of captive male St Vincent Amazons around the world have virtually zero sperm viability. This has presented major breeding issues for holders of St. Vincent Amazons globally, and thus a breeding stock, such as that contained at the Botanic Gardens is a rare and attractive find. Worldwide, St Vincent parrot holders are always on a lookout for fertile males and young birds to improve their own captive stock. Does St Vincent want to risk sending so many of its fertile males overseas not knowing if they can or ever will be returned? And mind you, St Vincent and the Grenadines has no capacity to police our birds on the international market.

Taking into account all these factors, why doesn’t the ACTP look into upgrading the local veterinary facilities and sponsor regular avian veterinary visits to St Vincent, until the trained person they promise is on board? They obviously have the funds to do so. And it will address the many concerns.

And what of the local custodians who have teamed with the Forestry Department over the decades to take care of Vincie? Have they been forgotten? Are they not competent enough by now to host the Botanic Gardens birds while the new facilities are being built? Has the Authority looked into the possibility of working along on a breeding programme with these local custodians to address the issue of relatedness at the Botanic Gardens? Some of these custodians will obviously have birds that are unrelated to those at the Botanic Gardens and thus prevent such large-scale outsourcing of our birds.

Finally, how much research has been done on the ACTP itself? What is the organization’s regional and international reputation? Or doesn’t it matter as long as the promise of funds is involved? Well since money is not a driving force in my decision-making, I started my own research on this organization, and I can confidently say that their track record leaves a whole lot to be desired.

Dear Editor, while I am not against efforts to conserve the St Vincent parrot, I am highly against blindly placing so many of our eggs in one basket. A fertile bird or two on breeding loan to a reputable conservation organization – fine. But to invest abroad the majority of our captive stock at the Botanic Gardens, to me that is utter folly. When they are gone, what becomes of our local breeding programme that is intended to be insurance for our wild stock? In this case, it will be more than eggs that we are investing in a basket that contains so many holes. Have the experts really thought through this situation carefully or are they too blinded by the promise of nice things – vehicles, monies, football T-shirts with fancy print? I am not sure if it is the local authority, the ACTP or both, but is someone hoping that Vincentians will be so blinded by all that glitters that they will not come to their senses until the deal is done?

Concerned Vincie