African Grey Parrot: Trade Is Driving Them to Extinction: Bid to Have the Massive International Traffic in Grey Parrots Temporarily Banned

This is a summation of a larger article that you have to register to see. Yet, even these few paragraphs give you an idea of what is occurring to these species, due simply to their ability to imitate the human voice. Many think they magically appear at the pet store. Yet, the actual truth is that they are part of a large international trade network, much of which is illegal.


Article:

Deceased? Not if scheme to halt trade succeeds

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/
article1162851.ece

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor
Published: 06 July 2006

Talent can be fatal. There's hardly any bird that can imitate the human voice like the African grey parrot - Pretty Polly is only the start of it - which as a result is one of the world's favourite pets, and particularly popular in Britain.

But now its very popularity is becoming a mortal danger, as trade in the birds is driving them to extinction in an increasing part of their range. Tomorrow, conservationists will make a bid to have the massive international traffic in grey parrots temporarily banned, or at least slowed down, to give the species a chance to recover from the depredations of collectors, traders and bird fanciers, while conservation measures are put in place.

Article Length: 521 words (approx.)

Talent can be fatal. There's hardly any bird that can imitate the human voice like the African grey parrot - Pretty Polly is only the start of it - which as a result is one of the world's favourite pets, and particularly popular in Britain.

But now its very popularity is becoming a mortal danger, as trade in the birds is driving them to extinction in an increasing part of their range. Tomorrow, conservationists will make a bid to have the massive international traffic in grey parrots temporarily banned, or at least slowed down, to give the species a chance to recover from the depredations of collectors, traders and bird fanciers, while conservation measures are put in place.