The bird conservation group BirdsCaribbean released a statement questioning the export of rare parrots from Dominica to Germany.
BirdsCaribbean also joined over a dozen international groups asking the United Nations to investigate the export and help return the parrots to their native island.
In March of this year, twelve wild parrots of two rare species were exported to Germany. They were taken from an aviary where they were recovering after Hurricane Maria hit Dominica in September 2017. Both species, the Sisserou and the Jaco, are found only in Dominica. The Sisserou is Dominica’s national bird and it appears on Dominica’s flag.
The exports shocked bird experts on Dominica and around the world.
“We are alarmed by this and we hope to bring these birds back to Dominica,” said BirdsCaribbean Executive Director Lisa Sorenson. “We also want to prevent the future trafficking of rare birds under the pretense of conservation.”
The group that took the parrots, Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots, claimed it was an emergency measure to start a captive breeding program in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Bird experts questioned this reason and the legal basis for the export.
On their website, BirdsCaribbean describes the many problems with the export. Captive breeding programs can help some rare species, but it seems unlikely in this case. Post-Maria, both kinds of parrots are recovering in the wild on Dominica. The aviary birds taken were healthy and expected to be ready for release back into the wild soon.
The number of parrots taken, including just 2 Sisserou parrots, is too few to start a breeding program. This raises questions about the scientific merit of the actions and if there are plans for capturing and exporting more birds in the future.
The parrots had the care they needed in local facilities on Dominica. It is better to help parrots in their home country with help from outside as needed. Local authorities and the people of Dominica are the ultimate stewards of these species and should be empowered as such.
BirdsCaribbean and others have questions about the legality of the export. Usually, many experts take part in the decision to start a captive breeding program and there are strict rules for the trade of endangered species. This export was a surprise to all. It is also unclear if proper permits were obtained to export the parrots.
Again with the birds!!! I thought this was done
Maybe the government is so naïve, that anyone who suggest something to them that they are in total agreement without having questions. There are people outside of Dominica who are very crooked and have wicked imaginations and do many things illegal, so maybe they see Dominica as a place they can take advantage of.
This should be a question to the government and any other to have your thinking caps on (red flag) when approached by people from the outside, no matter how sincere they may seem.
Who benefited from this export of our parrots. I can not believe Skerrit allowed that witout someone getting a benefit, he is not that stupid.
Seem like skerrit dem selling everything in D/ca, leave couple manicou for me
Leave it to DUMBnicans to go and “export aka sellout” some of the rarest birds on the planet, them germans well happy, their country doing good is not MONEY that on their MINDS, is breed they going and breed them. I would never give them parrots back because Dumbnicans too DUMB and don’t deserve them. Time to change the Flag to skerrit face because we doh have parrot again.
What do you mean by- ‘we doh have parrot again?’.. Are you considering yourself one of those Dumbnicans that is so DUMB that your don’t even understand what you are writing?
Oh boy! DNO, DNO, DNO again with that Bird issue ! Well, Well, Well!
Until the birds are safely returned to their native country the battle will continue. No letting up. So KID, join the campaign to get our National Birds Back. DNO, please keep the fire burning on this patriotic issue. Don’t let up ever as we are the caretakers and protectors of our national treasures. Huge Respect to DNO.
Oh boy! LBORITES, LABORATS, LABORATS again with trivial topics ! well, well, well!
Ha, you all thought the wickedness if this government was one dimensional? Well think again. We live in a 3d world they’re the real 3 dimensiondimensional deal.
1 They are thieves, they do what they want with the passport money.
2 They are murderers, they don’t fix our roads witch makes driving very unsafe. No guard rails.
3 now they are showing us their gangster side, they are thugs. They oppress the little man on the street for selling drugs but here they are smuggling our birds
Best I become a parrot man, that must be the 6th bird group that come forward and talk about birds. So much injustice happening with our people and nobody talks.
However , I do thing the way those birds were moved was rather suspect
Best you become a bird, very few parrots exist probably like 100 and 7,000,000,000 PEOPLE EXIST, Dominica population is only 50,000 so try and wrap your tiny brain around that. I know allu bad at math but watch de zeros
You said it, you are an idiot.
DNO your political bias is so glaring. Why on Earth are you publishing this birds Caribbean story again. Slow news day much?? How about doing an article showcasing the strides made in the country so far post Maria. Why not provide oppinion prices on how we can rebuild efficiently? See you may be oblivious to this but persons are busy trying to get their houses and lives fixed before the new hurricane season which is fast approaching. This is the bread and butter issues which confront us here. Not any rediculous recycled story about Parrots. Newsflash the Govt took a decision to send the birds to Germany. And UWP, Birds Caribbean et al can jump up and down till they blue in the face. That’s that. We have serious issues dealing with. Grow up
Hi, while I respect your point. The government of Dominica, nor UWP owns the birds, they belong to the country. Not because you are a supporter of the government means you have to let them do whatever they want.
I agree positive things are done by the government but when something isn’t right and is suspicious one must say it as it is. We live in a democratic state, the citizens are not supposed to be “strong armed” by the wants of a few. You my friend is the one that needs to grow up. You telling people who care about an issue to move on because it doesn’t affect you, how would you feel if the government build a road on your land and move you out, would you like someone to tell you “you can jump up and down till your face turn blue and the government make a decision and “That’s that””. “That’s that only apply to your children in your house, not a country of people. Grow up
Bring back the birds! The reasons given for the export of the birds are specious at best. The PM is usually loquacious even on issues he knows little about. On the issues with the purported sale of the parrots and the scandal with the Dominican diplomatic passport issued to Denzil Douglas, he is bafflingly unforthcoming. This clearly shows a deep seated lack of respect for the citizens. The government is hoping that the furor about the mistreatment of these native birds would dissipate but the pressure should continue unceasingly until all twelve birds are repatriated to their domicile of origin.
Specious, a very app word, but you are too kind. I rate the reasons spurious, plain and simple.
When we see the international outrage and disappointment expressed at the transfer of our national exotic birds,I think that Skerritt, the PS of Agriculture, the Labour party boom boom flies still think that nothing wrong was done here or they will tell these international bodies to go mind their business.Let’s face it that wrong is wrong, and the way this thing was done is just wrong.If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it is a duck.ACTP should be black listed as an honest organization, no matter how much good work they may have done in the past. ……………………………………………………. Bring back our parrots.Damn it !!
What if St. John had( as a once upon a time Agriculturist) had tried importing the birds to the Misty woods of PA where there is much land space ,trees , etc Assuming he had an aviary temp controlled) St.John would be selling baby birds of Philly. The ideas strapped Neo DLP thought of yet another dumbs …way to raise money. If UWP was in power still say from 1995-2000 stint where would we be St. John? Don’t you remember Al Marsari who EDDO wanted t give a contract to mine? can you imagine what would have come of the Nature Island? Haven’t read seen documentaries of the results of mining in Africa & elsewhere. I understand and am more distressed by this phenomenon however I am certain you guys would do just as bad as those political clown currently in office. All of you are just one big comes. Come home man and stop chatting Phat like ur extended peeps say in ah JA. If U still eating Akee & Saltfish. Who knows maybe U changed to Philly steak. SMH & LOL
Skerrit is selling Dominica bits by bits soon he will sell the citizens,Skerrit is a scam and his day will come,all bull about conserving,our parrots were just fine.
Ya right! He bought all the Professionals, Apparent or real. They have sold their souls for Duty free concessions. So having purchase em all now he can sell them hahahahhahahahah like merchandise.
Latest ej Joseph Issac. The one who always sells self as a professional with expertise smh. That’s what you get when you studiate not educate pedigreeless peeps from the hood
Are we as a nation doomed? Like the saying first they came the professionals I did not worry as I was not a professional, then they came for my neighbors I didn’t bla bla then they came for me.First, they sold land from a good deal received from Money God. Next they sold bins, followed by fertilizer then they built villas, then they seen attending dealers 50th birthday party or some say dealer said his 1st Million, then they built an initial 450K EC house which turned out to be more like 4 million Matt in the Morning told us and then settled the case .( we may never know what transpired.), next they began selling passports ordinary like wise diplomatic now it The Sisserou & Jaco . then they purchased Issac & his advisor( amount yet to be disclosed) Issac is like Stormy Daniels can we call him Stormy Issac when we see him? Just as the Cabal advised to call folks where& whenever we see them call em traitor. to quote our so called P.M “DA is not a real country.”
One cannot make up these crazy events. Not even Hollywood screen writers can. The neo -DLP the opposition parties & citizens who ought to know and act different/better who are bought and sold over and over. Alwin Bully , Hyacinth even Bruno & the one in Maimi- Paben are disappointments not to capitalize, these event could be a blockbuster show in the Arawak House of Culture. Ruler in Hyroona was great in the 70’s but today there is better and more readily available material coming from our very own parlimentarians and population.
It is about time , all these International Countries, Groups, save Dominica from its present day tyrant. Their should be less talk and more actions.
“We are alarmed by this and we hope to bring these birds back to Dominica,” said BirdsCaribbean Executive Director Lisa Sorenson. “We also want to prevent the future trafficking of rare birds under the pretense of conservation.”
WHAT A SHAME! While Birds Caribbean is alarmed by our birds that are corruptly disappeared, the government of Dominica is celebrating the stolen votes of the Roseau Central constituency and even created new ministry, UNDER false PRETENSE. Here is another interesting paragraph:
“BirdsCaribbean also joined over a dozen international groups asking the United Nations to investigate the export and help return the parrots to their native island.”
Boy we need Robert Mueller to investigate this one so he could enter into a plea deal with somebody and then start to walk his way into the many corrupt clouds that are hanging over Dominica. I know if Mr. Mueller gets one he will get all of them because they are all sheltering under the same shady umbrella of…
Cheated on citizenship, cheated on votes, cheated garbage bin, cheating on our passports, ………………. cheated parlrep, cheating birds just cheating, cheating cheating
Lol DNO you are a tuff umpire you know. You calling no ball when it’s not a no ball. Why did you delete part of my comment? DNO Jesus told the woman at the well that the man she now has is not her husband. If it’s not hers it’s clear that she stole him from somebody. These days man stealing people’s wife and woman stealing man’s husband even if the are married. So if I marry someone that was married and that spouse is still alive, Jesus says it’s not yours and it’s clear I stole it. So what’s wrong with that?
ADMIN: Good one. We’ve noticed that you are a prolific commenter and we’ve had a laugh over your string of comments. However, humourous or not, the comment policy still applies: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/policies/#comment-policy
What can I say bro. some fellows have a trophy wife., know what I mean.
What a shame! Even birds that government cheating with? If you cannot be trusted with birds tell me what you all can be trusted with? This government is a total disgrace to Dominica and the Caribbean!