stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (05/12/90)
In article <17800014@hpfibsp.HP.COM> bsp@hpfibsp.HP.COM (Bruce Spence) writes: > Hyacinth macaws are a highly endangered species. Responsible aviculturists >will generally say that such species, and this one in particular, should only >be kept as breeding pairs to aid in establishing the species and saving it >from extinction. Single pets, beside being ruinously expensive, deplete the >available pool of individuals available for propogation of this wonderful >species. I would advise your friends to look into this aspect of their choice >before making a purchase. Hopefully, I won't be branded an 'irresponsible aviculturalist' for the following remarks. I believe that you are in essence correct, but there are many much more highly endangered birds than the hyacinthe. The Hyacinthe is highly endangered IN THE WILD, but there have been very good success in breeding them. The going rate to purchase one is starting to drop. I would be far more concerned to see some of the rarer cockatoos and amazons (St. Vincent's) in a pet home. What I would like to see being done is an effort to permit young birds to be available at pets and then brought back at 4 years of age in preparation for breeding. I realize that the value of the birds (in particular the decreasing value) would make such arrangements very difficult, but most breeders do not have facilities to keep a macaw for the 8 years that it may take to reach maturity. Also, it is important to note that $$$ paid by the pet marketplace provides the capital to enable the private breeder to continue their efforts. I believe we both share the same concerns ... that is that the gene pool for Hyacinthes and other endangered parrots should be one that is constantly expanding. I, however, feel that this can be done better by cooperating with the needs of the pet market place, rather than trying to distance ourselves from it. Stewart Winter -- Stewart Winter Cognos Incorporated S-mail: P.O. Box 9707 VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830 FAX: (613) 738-0002 3755 Riverside Drive UUCP: uunet!cognos!stewartw Ottawa, Ontario "The bird for the day is .... alexandrine parakeet." CANADA K1G 3Z4
duane@cbnewsj.att.com (duane.galensky) (06/02/90)
In article <8332@cognos.UUCP> stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) writes: >In article <17800014@hpfibsp.HP.COM> bsp@hpfibsp.HP.COM (Bruce Spence) writes: >> Hyacinth macaws are a highly endangered species. Responsible aviculturists >>will generally say that such species, and this one in particular, should only >>be kept as breeding pairs to aid in establishing the species and saving it >>from extinction. Single pets, beside being ruinously expensive, deplete the >>available pool of individuals available for propogation of this wonderful >>species. I would advise your friends to look into this aspect of their choice >>before making a purchase. > > Hopefully, I won't be branded an 'irresponsible aviculturalist' for >the following remarks. I believe that you are in essence correct, but >there are many much more highly endangered birds than the hyacinthe. >The Hyacinthe is highly endangered IN THE WILD, but there have been >very good success in breeding them. The going rate to purchase one >is starting to drop. I would be far more concerned to see some of the >rarer cockatoos and amazons (St. Vincent's) in a pet home. > > I believe we both share the same concerns ... that is that the >gene pool for Hyacinthes and other endangered parrots should be >one that is constantly expanding. I, however, feel that this can >be done better by cooperating with the needs of the pet market place, >rather than trying to distance ourselves from it. > i too would not care to see leadbeater's etc. as pets, and i would offer that hyacinths are in the same category. i think the suggestion (i deleted it, sorry) that after four years birds are returned for a breeding program might be a good one. but, the reality of today's marketplace is that the demand for these remarkable animals is such that they do command high prices, and so there is a natural economic draw away from the responsible actions necessary. therefore, the onus is on the purchaser to not shirk this responsibility, and make sure that the offspring of these birds are returned to the wild. further, we all (bird owners or not, and me included) need to become more involved in the preservation of their habitat, an economic issue even more vast than the price of the livestock we'd be giving back to the earth. frankly, i don't know many who'd give up the $4000-5000 by setting a baby hyacinth loose. this doesn't make those folks evil, it's just that it's hard to keep things in global perspective when one is dealing on a personal level. the unfortunate truth is that we're lucky that hyacinth's are successful in captive breeding, because that might just be the only place our grandkids can see one. the good news is that twenty years ago, folks wouldn't even be thinking of things in these terms. we're making progress, but definitive action is now necessary to keep hold of what little we've got left. duane