Two critically endangered Western Ground Parrots have died at Perth ZOO

Conservation projects

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It has been sad end of the year for parrot conservation in Australia. After sudden death of 14 Orange-bellied Parrots at the Taroona breeding facility on Tasmania, two critically endangered Western Ground Parrots have died at Perth ZOO.

Anne Bondin, secretary of association Friends of the Western Ground Parrot said exclusively for ParrotsDailyNews that both birds were place to ZOO Perth just recently:

„We were very sad when Perth Zoo announced the death of the two Western Ground Parrots which were recently transferred to Perth Zoo from the wild. The birds arrived on 18 November and were captured before bushfires burnt their habitat at remote Cape Arid National Park on the south coast of Western Australia.“

Before the fires the persisting population at Cape Arid National Park was estimated to count 140 individuals. Conservationists were worried about impact of fires on the wild population and therefore decided to capture a few individuals which would be placed at ZOO.

Unfortunately, a month later both birds were found dead.

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Perth ZOO: remaining five birds are healthy

As Anne Bondin said the cause of dead is still not sure but developing of a respiratory illness is suspected.

„Despite settling into the Zoo exceptionally well, the birds developed a respiratory illness and regardless of the best medical care and treatment, both birds have died. The post mortem results are pending.“

The important news is that the rest of group kept at Perth ZOO is healthy.

“Perth Zoo will continue to care for the remaining five western ground parrots at the Zoo, which are monitored 24 hours a day and are all healthy,” said Perth Zoo acting director of life sciences John Lemon for ABC news.

Despite this significant loss, the association Friends of the Western Ground Parrot believes that the species will not extinct.

„This is a major set-back for the conservation effort but we believe that with hard work and adequate funding and perhaps also a little bit of good luck the species can be brought back from the brink of extinction,“ said Anne Bondin.

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Title photo: Alan Danks (Pezoporus flaviventris)

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