Neighbours denounce killing and trading Parakeets
June 03, 2007 — Filed in: Conservation
People from 130 Viviendas (Province of Neuquén, Argentina) are angry because of the cruelty with which local children enjoy a bloody spectacle. One of the neighbours said that the ones that fall but do not die, are sold.
“This has been turned into a butchery”, commented a 130 Viviendas local angrily, bewilderedly reporting about the indiscriminate killing of parakeets in the neighbourhood.
The perpetrators, confirmed Claudia, are three children, in the age 10 to 12 years old, which are encouraged by their parents. They kill the green-feathered animals with slingshots. She was told that if the Parakeets fell down alive they would be sold for 10 Pesos each. The ones that did die were thrown to the dogs. “It is distressing to see children enjoying a bloody spectacle like killing parrots”.
Claudia realized that the kids sold the Parakeets, when a neighbour approached the kids and demanded his money back. One of the birds they sold had died.
The people from the neighbourhood were disgusted and because the parents encouraged this behaviour turned to the towns” council. Where they did not get the best of answers. “They told us, that there is no legislation in regard to this issue and that we simply should let the kids enjoy themselves”, said Claudia.
They however found a partial solution, when they contacted the University of Comahue. Investigators, that happened to work on the subject of Parakeets in the city, came to the rescue. This resulted in a reduction of the killings”, commented Claudia.
That was last Thursday and they now hope for better conduct on the part of the children next time the parakeets are in town.
Furthermore, the neighbourhood took time to work on an awareness campaign. “I made informative posters, saying, that it is illegal to hunt Parakeets, and they are successful. Many people told me, that they did not know it is illegal to hunt parakeets”.
The Austral Parakeet
The Parakeet of the report from 130 Viviendas is the Austral Parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) which inhabits the Cordillera zone of Patagonia, from the Province of Neuquén to Tierra de Fuego (Argentina). As a result it has the privilege of being the most southerly distributed parrot in the world.
The colouring of the Austral Parakeet is green. The feathers of the crown and back have black edges. Their wings have blue metallic tones. The tail is dark reddish, as is a spot on the stomach. The beak is curved, wide and short.
The Austral Parakeet nests in the holes of Southern Beeches (Nothofagus pumilio), the population is declining, probably due to human predation.
