Together We Protect

15th January 2025

On 13th January, Zoomarine Staff had the opportunity to attend a lecture led by Dr. Rowan Martin, Director of Africa Region and Bird Trade Programmes at the World Parrot Trust (WPT). This session, part of our long-standing partnership with this prestigious organisation, highlighted the latest project “Fly-free Africa” implemented in 2019 and the impact the WPT has had on global parrot conservation.

The World Parrot Trust is a leading organisation in the protection and conservation of parrots, mobilising global efforts to preserve these unique and severely threatened species, combating threats such as trafficking, deforestation, and habitat destruction through conservation, education, and political action projects.

The “Fly-free Africa” project is a crucial initiative of the World Parrot Trust aimed at eradicating the illegal trade of African grey parrots, one of the most vulnerable species due to illegal trade. Primarily focused on Central Africa and areas like the Democratic Republic of Congo, the project seeks to protect these iconic birds through a combination of practical measures, such as collaboration with local authorities and security forces to ensure the seizure and rehabilitation of parrots, as well as legislative and educational actions within local communities.
The initiative also seeks to raise awareness among the local population, offering alternatives and highlighting the devastating impacts of trafficking, while working to ensure that the birds can fly freely in their native lands, away from capture and exploitation. In short, “Fly-free Africa” is not only a conservation project but a strategy to restore freedom to a species on the brink of extinction due to trafficking and habitat destruction.

We thank World Parrot Trust and Dr. Rowan Martin for their valuable work in conservation, and for sharing their experiences and results with our team. At Zoomarine, we value the ongoing training of our employees, ensuring that each one is always aligned with our conservation and education goals.

Together, we continue to soar higher for the future of these magnificent birds! 

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