Parrot licencing fuels black market trade

The Punjab Wildlife Department has enforced new licencing and breeding fees for the private keeping and trade of wild and pet animals, immediately affecting the parrot trade.

After the new fee, the licence for keeping parrots has been set at Rs1,000. Following the fee announcement, these parrots have disappeared from markets and been moved into warehouses for black-market sale.

In Rawalpindi the two bird-and-animal markets on Alam Khan Road and Pirwadhai have been instructed to comply and to prominently display licences.

The Wildlife Department in Rawalpindi said fees for big wild cats and other wild animals such as lions, cheetahs, tigers, big cats, jaguars and pumas have been set at Rs50,000, while the pet parrot fee is Rs1,000 and the parrot-breeding and business licence fee is Rs10,000.

According to the department, only four parrot species will be subject to breeding and business licensing fees. Alexandrine parrot, rose-ringed parakeet, silver-headed parrot and plum-headed parrot.

These four are native local breeds and were becoming endangered; the measures are intended to support their propagation.

Pakistan hosts many parrot species, but these four are most prominent, commercially significant and at risk.

The Alexandrine parrot is the largest and most valuable - green-bodied, with a red patch on the shoulder and the male bearing a pink collar; historically ornamental in royal courts, it is still considered precious.

The rose-ringed or "Mithu" is the parrot that mimics speech and is a child's companion; an adult bird may sell for Rs25,000 to Rs50,000. The rose-ringed is the most common breed. The male has a black-and-pink ring on the neck.

Its wild population is rapidly declining. The gray-headed (slaty-headed) parrot is less well known and inhabits northern hilly areas; its gray head distinguishes it.

In winter it descends into valleys and bird enthusiasts prize it. The plum-headed parrot is among the most attractive species - the male with a pink head and the female with a bluish tint; because of its beauty it is sold at a high price to bird lovers, and a pair can fetch Rs15,000 to Rs20,000 in the market.

The greatest threats to these species are illegal hunting and smuggling; deforestation has also contributed to their decline. Now, after payment of the Rs1,000 per-parrot fee, breeders in Punjab will be issued licences.

Although captive breeding is increasing, the four species subject to the fee have disappeared from markets.

The Wildlife Department is conducting raids to locate them, but these parrots have been removed from Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi markets to secret warehouses and are being sold privately to trusted pet owners.

Imported Australian or other foreign parrots are not affected by this new regulation.

The provincial government's rules apply only to local parrot species. Commercial business licence fees for bird and animal shops have been fixed at Rs30,000 and Rs50,000.

The Rs50,000 licence includes birds and wild pet animals. Fayzan Ali, secretary of the Pet Animals & Birds Retailers Shopkeepers Union, said the business was already struggling and these taxes and fees will further depress the trade, driving transactions underground.

He urged the government to collect a general licence fee only and to effectively tax the business rather than pushing it into secrecy.