ProFauna Launches Parrot Campaign Program in West Papua

In September 2008, ProFauna launches parrot campaign program in West Papua, Indonesia, starting from Manokwari to other cities. Manokwari is a hub for illegal parrot trade in Papua through its port, where the Indonesian Navy's warships transport the returning army officers to their hometowns, who at the same time bring parrots illegally with them. Apart from this, the area is one of the parrot poaching sites in Papua. ProFauna has many members in Manokwari who support this campaign against such wildlife exploitation.

ProFauna's campaign will include school visits, lobbying with the local authority, raising public awareness. This program is supported by the World Parrot Trust and the Indonesian Parrot Project.

There are about 85 endemic parrot species in Indonesia, 44 of them inhabit the West Papua forests. The already dwindling population of Indonesian parrots due to deforestation is further threatened by poaching. Between 2001 and 2002, ProFauna Indonesia conducted an in-depth investigation into the illegal trade of parrots in Indonesia, including West Papua. The investigation findings which were published in a report called 'Flying Without Wings' revealed that about 100.000 parrots are caught from the wild in Maluku and Papua to supply the domestic and the international illegal wildlife trade.

The result from animal markets monitoring in Java and Bali Islands (2007) demonstrates that illegal parrot trade was rampant. ProFauna has been urging the authority to tackle this issue by enforcing the law. ProFauna also conducts public education and campaign on parrot conservation.