Sammendrag
Key words: Psittaciformes, CITES, Appendix I parrots, Status and trade assessment,
Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment, Norwegian Environment Agency,
VKM
Background:
Parrots are one of the most species-rich groups of birds of which the majority inhabits
tropical and subtropical forests. Nearly one-third of parrots are threatened with extinction
(IUCN categories CR, EN or VU) and more than half of the world’s parrot species are
assumed to be decreasing in numbers. Parrots are popular pets on all continents, mainly due
to their colourful feathers, their capacity to mimic the human voice, and their tolerance to
life in captivity. More than 250 species have been traded internationally. Since the inception
of CITES in 1975, trade of about 12 million live wild-sourced parrots has been registered.
Currently, 55 parrot species are listed on CITES Appendix I (Norwegian CITES regulation list
A) that includes the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. In compliance
with CITES, Norway only permits import for commercial purposes of Appendix I listed parrots
bred in captivity in operations included in the Secretariat's Register (Resolution Conf. 12.10
(Rev. CoP15). Presently, 9 of the Appendix I parrot species are bred in such facilities. Import
of Appendix I species to Norway requires permits both from the exporter’s CITES authority
and the Norwegian Environment Agency (Norwegian CITES Management Authority).
All legal transactions of CITES Appendix I listed species should be recorded in the UNEP
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Trade Database. However,
discrepancies are common, demonstrating that the trade monitoring is not accurate.
Moreover, several studies suggest that regardless of efforts to regulate trade, the global
conservation situation for parrots may be worse than estimated by the IUCN species
statuses. Even though habitat loss is the main threat to most parrot species, it has been
suggested that priority should be given to conservation actions aimed at reducing the illegal
capture of wild parrots for the pet trade.
As Norway’s CITES Scientific Authority, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and
Environment (VKM) was assigned by the Norwegian Environment Agency to assess the
status of populations and trade for Appendix I parrot species.
Methods: As different trade patterns are typical for different geographic regions, the
species were initially divided into three groups: Africa, Australasia and Central and South
America.
For species with commercial trade registered in the UNEP-WCMC trade database after year
2010 a full assessment was made. In addition, two species for which negative impact from
illegal trade is suspected were also fully assessed. The assessments are based on the Norwegian Cites Regulation and Article III of the Convention and Resolution
16.7(Rev.CoP17).
Information on the parrot species assessed in this report were gathered from the text
accounts published by BirdLife International and Birds of the World as well as literature cited
in the text.
Results: VKM undertook full assessments of the population status and trade for 26 of the 55
CITES Appendix I species. The species assessments are presented as fact sheets. They each
contain a brief summary of the species’ biology (name, taxonomy, distribution, life history,
habitat and role in ecosystem), populations and trends, threats and conservation status,
population surveillance and regulations, evaluation of legal/illegal trapping and trade, overall
assessment of data quality and references.
We found that the quantity, as well as quality, of the information available for the Appendix I
parrot species varied much. This was the case for data on general biology, population size
and trends and levels of illegal trade.
For all of the 23 of species for which commercial trade was registered since 2010 in the
UNEP-WCMC trade database discrepancies ........
Vis fullstendig beskrivelse