Czech Ministry of Environment registered increased number of Cuban and Double-yellow headed Amazons kept in the country. In comparison with 2015, 150 more Double-yellow headed Amazons and 161 Cuban Amazons were added to the register. Since 2004, the Czech Ministry of Environment has been keeping the central register and therefore it is possible to see how many birds of each CITES I species are kept in total in this country. The current statistics were provided by ministry representative from department of CITES, Ondrej Kloucek.
Another CITES I species which experienced significant increase in number was Yellow-necked Amazon (Amazona auropalliata). Today, there are 259 birds of this species kept in the country. The same goes for Lilac-crowned Amazon (Amazona finschi) and Green-cheeked Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis). Their number was increased by 24 and 25 birds. Czech parrot breeders and owners were also buying more expensive Amazona species like the Red-spectacled Amazon (Amazona pretrei), Red-browed Amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha) or Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis).
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On the other hand, the numbers of Vinaceous Amazon or Tucumana Amazon stayed at similar number. There was also one Amazona species (Amazona barbadensis), in which 5 individuals died or left the country. Great surprise was to see that the captive population of the rare Pileated Parrot (Pionopsitta pileata) is growing.
From the macaws, the numbers increased more significantly in case of Blue-winged Macaws (Primolius maracana), Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) and also in the largest species of this genera Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus). The numbers of other species were not changed greatly. The whole population of the rare Lear’s Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari) is still being kept at Prague ZOO.
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Any significant changes have been registered in cockatoos. The only exception is Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphuera), in which the population was increased by 17 individuals. Czech breeders have also registered two new Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) and two new Philippine Cockatoos (Cacatua haematuropygia), which belong among the rarest cockatoo species. On the other hand, the captive population of Horned Parrots (Eunymphicus cornutus) has increased in number from 152 to 171 individuals.
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Title photo: (c) Lubomir Tomiska