Silent Forest Campaign

Info

This campaign aims to save a growing number of songbirds by increasing knowledge, awareness and commitment to action within and beyond the zoo community.

Geschiedenis

Songbirds in Southeast Asia have become the subject of an excessive but culturally deep-rooted consumption for trade, singing competitions, pets, status symbols, export, traditional medicine and food. Demand for songbirds in Southeast Asia is extremely high, affecting hundreds of species and involving millions of individual birds, annually. The trade is often illegal and evidently unsustainable; thus, it has been recognised as a primary threat for many species in Southeast Asia, particularly the Greater Sunda region. Comprising of Brunei, western Indonesia (Bali, Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra), Singapore, Malaysia, southern Myanmar and southern Thailand, the Greater Sundas are an ecologically diverse region, home to more than 850 bird species, and globally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism. Currently, Indonesia has one of the highest number of bird species assessed as threatened with global extinction in the world and the highest one in Asia (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable; IUCN Red List, 2017).
The problem is cultural. In Southeast Asia, caged songbirds have long been favourite family pets. Bird ownership is a celebrated custom and everyone can buy some kind of bird in the market, regardless of their social status. However, it is not simply about pets. Songbird competitions are also culturally important and provide financial motivation for family income. While the tradition may have evolved and altered over time, the culture of keeping songbirds has endured and turned into a sport and a massive industry that includes all sub-suppliers for cages, food, supplements. There is a myriad of bird clubs, while songbird competitions are major “sporting” events, making them a lucrative business. Although there are many legitimate captive breeders in Indonesia, there are still an alarming number of trappers, wholesalers and shops illegally trading in wild-caught birds. This is mainly because people believe that wild birds sing better and are stronger and more potent. Moreover, it is simply often much easier to catch rather than breed a songbird. Unfortunately, huge numbers of wild-caught birds do not live beyond the first few days in their cages.
The degree of pressure on songbirds in Asia is devastating and has long been grossly underestimated. Our understanding of the status of wild populations is not developing as fast as particular bird species are disappearing, and IUCN categories are having to change much faster than usual to reflect the actual situation. Moreover, only a small number of the affected species are currently protected under national (range countries) and international regulations, and enforcement is regrettably deemed insufficient for many of the priority species, despite their being locally protected.
The aims of the campaign are to address and mitigate the ongoing songbird extinction crisis in Asia and increase awareness within and beyond the zoo community. Achieving these aims means ensuring the zoo community has the capability to scramble the resources needed in manpower, know-how and funding to save a growing number of Asian songbird species from imminent extinction.