Indonesia has some of the most spectacular birds in the world, including cockatoos, parrots, and Birds of Paradise. However, habitat destruction and illegal trapping for the pet bird trade have decimated their numbers. Many are on the brink of extinction. Local peoples must resort to trapping and selling these birds just to feed their families. Yet during capture and smuggling, many of these bird suffer horrid conditions and many die in transit. Even when they reach their destinations in homes, both these wild-caught birds--and even hand-raised birds derived from wild-bird stock--often are abandoned or abused. That is because they are not domesticated animals like dogs or cats, and many of their needs cannot, or are not, provided for in captivity. Furthermore, these creatures are extremely long-lived, intelligent, and sentient, and have extensive need for social interaction and intellectual/environmental stimulation. Therefore, our Mission is to try to minimize these circumstances through direct Programs of Action, and through provision of up-to-date information and education.

The conservation and improvement of the welfareof endangered and abused parrots has intrinsic humane value. In addition, by teaching youngsters the basic tenets of non-sustainability of parrot trapping; need and approaches for conservation; and pride in their unique endemic avifauna, we hope to induce a paradigm shift in the way that the next generation of Indonesians views depletion of natural resources such as parrots.

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