don@utzoo.uucp (Don Jackson) (10/21/88)
>It is an unfortunate fact that the hookbills that are endangered are >almost exclusively endangered because of loss of habitat rather than >the predations of those who trap birds for "the trade." Do not >construe this to be an endorsement of the current world system in bird >trading, which does need to be improved through international efforts >at control. >What can you do? Buy a captive-born bird. This supports breeders, who >have already saved some species from extinction. (Also, the bird will >be much tamer/happier than the typical wild-caught bird.) Do NOT >criticize those who keep imported birds. Most of the imported birds >(especially those imported legally) are not endangered, but their >habitat is diminishing in the wilds, and their removal does not in itself adversely impact wild populations. You said one of the magic words, i.e. *most* of the imported birds. What about the species which are endangered? Also there is a high mortality associated with collecting of all species. Does that mean you're willing to sacrifice 1 bird for every one collected? How about 10 birds? It sort of defeats part of the reasoning, specifically to save the birds from extinction. The fact is that loss of habitat is the largest problem for all species, not simply a few species of birds. Given the fact that many bird keepers state that a major purpose in keeping birds is to perpetuate the species, wouldn't it make more sense to increase efforts to save the habitat essential for thousands (perhaps millions) of species rather than on a few selected for their plumage? Recently some conservation organizations have been buying up the debts of countries with rain forests in exchange for preserving habitats. Certainly the $10,000 per bird which people spend for some species (e.g. African Grey?) would be better directed to saving the habitat. Addtionally, purchasing a few birds from a few breeding pairs may preserve the species but does little for maintaining genetic diversity of that or any other species. Maybe it's time for people to re-assess their goals and methods of obtaining those goals (i.e. saving species)....or at least come up with more realistic reasons for spending big bucks on a single bird. Don Jackson || UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,utai}!utzoo!don