Rare parrots fly free in Cameroon
31 May 2022
RARE PARROTS FLY FREE
It’s World Parrot Day so, join our flight for survival for these remarkable birds and shake a tail feather to stop their exploitation.
You might be surprised but, Born Free is devoted to saving our feathered friends and a rescued flock of endangered African grey parrots is now living wild in Cameroon’s tropical rainforest, thanks to our Limbe Wildlife Centre colleagues. Stolen from the wild, these deeply intelligent birds are popular pets and one of the world’s most trafficked species, despite the United Nations outlawing trade.
With your support, Born Free helps Limbe Wildlife Centre rescue and rehabilitate confiscated African grey parrots at their sanctuary near the coastal city of Doula in southwest Cameroon. Wild-caught to be illegally sold as pets, traumatised parrots often arrive at the centre in terrible condition, stressed and injured, needing a great deal of specialist care.
Flight feathers cut by poachers need to grow back, lonely individuals introduced in a flock – African grey parrots are one of the most social animals on the planet – then each bird must learn to fly again in a spacious Born Free-funded aviary.
Aided by Born Free, our fowl friends recently released their seventh flock of African grey parrots back to the wild, taking their total to 189 parrots successfully released since July 2020. After two weeks in a large ‘soft release’ cage, the hatch was opened, the parrots cautiously spread their wings and emerged to enjoy their new freedom. Within two days all of them had flown away from the release site. The team were able to observe their activities for a few days – watching them fly, feast on the plentiful wild fruit, and sing every morning and evening.
With your support, Born Free’s work continues to combat the exotic pet trade worldwide – like all wild species, African grey parrots don’t make good pets and have evolved to thrive in the wild.