Why can’t we keep our endangered Red-tails?
Photo: David AdamCurrent regulations require a specialist permit to keep Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos. This is because of the five sub-species of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo that occur across Australia, two of these, including our very own South-eastern sub-species, are nationally threatened.
The South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team is often asked by native and exotic bird keepers why South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos (SERTBC) cannot be held, bred or traded in captivity.
Reasons or arguments for the need to retain a specialist permit for the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo include:
- It can be difficult to distinguish between the sub-species; requiring specialist permits makes it more difficult to own/keep/sell sub-species that are threatened.
- A specialist permit enables governance around keeping/trading of RTBCs.
- Specialist permits create a tighter market as birds are less accessible.
- Specialist permits mean that total numbers and trade in SERTBC can be monitored. Limiting the number of specialist permits held for SERTBC reduces/minimises the risk of hybridisation in captivity and the risk of spreading disease from captive to wild populations, through birds escaping (or being released) from aviaries.
- The risk of black market trade in this endangered sub-species may be limited if specialist permits continue to restrict keeping and trade to those with the demonstrated passion and responsibility for maintaining appropriate facilities, husbandry and record-keeping – ie. to those who satisfy conditions for obtaining a specialist permit endorsed for one, or more, of the RTBC sub-species.
For more information please contact the Project Coordinator on 1800 262 026 or via email redtail@birdlife.org.au