Indonesian Parrot Project 15 Year Anniversary 2001 to 2016 Photographs courtesy of Dr. Charles Bergman,Mandy Andrea, Kevin Sharp, Stewart Metz, Dudi Nandika, Dwi Agustina, and Bonnie Zimmermann 2016, Indonesian Parrot Project, Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia
This Anniversary Issue features the following stories: Message from the Director Page 3 Message from the Associate Director Page 4 What Happened After the Water Bottle Cockatoo Incident? Page 5 Wild Parrot Release in Indonesia: IPP & PPS Seram Return Over 1200 Birds Back Into Their Forest Homes Page 9 Ecotourism Protects Parrots and People Page 12 The Continuing Story of Anak Berani the Orphan Abbotti Cockatoo Page 13 Abbotti Cockatoo Update A Little-known and Highly Endangered Race of Indonesian Cockatoo Page 17 A Parrot s Bill of Rights Page 22
Message from the Director Dear Friends, As we head into 2016, we wish to express our gratitude for your continued support, friendship and love in helping us protect and conserve the parrots and cockatoos of Indonesia. You are truly the wind beneath their wings and ours. In celebrating our 15th Anniversary, we will be sharing stories of what we have learned over 15 years and how we can take that knowledge and continue to grow in the future. We are continuing our work with the Abbotti cockatoos, have resumed our relationship with PPS Seram (formerly Kembali Bebas the avian rescue and release center which IPP founded in 2004), have brought back our ecotourism program, are learning new ways of working with the local communities in both Masalembu and Maluku, and were pleased to watch nine Seram cockatoos released back into the wild on October 25, 2015. IPP also wishes to welcome members of our new advisory committee, Lara Joseph, Janet Holt, Lisa Lawrence and Connie English. Together they bring IPP a wealth of experience in all things avian. A new website will launch in early February which will coincide with a crowd-funding campaign to raise money for all of our projects. We also will share a follow up on what happened after the horror of the water bottle cockatoos and think you will be quite surprised to hear what happened and our involvement into 2016 and possibly beyond. On a personal note, I wish to thank Stewart Metz, our Associate Director for his continued insight and great knowledge of Indonesian parrots and cockatoos, his strong background in science, and his obvious love and concern for cockatoos that he has shown again and again since I met him in 2003. His work and drive inspired me to believe that with enough passion anything is possible. I will never forget in 2003 when he said Why don t you come with us to Indonesia? I did and my life changed completely. As we head into 2016 our original slogan is still relevant and newly energized, together we can make a difference. Bonnie Zimmermann, Director
Message from the Associate Director RECOGNITION OF TWO WONDERFUL COLLEAGUES I wanted to write a comment about two special people. Our long-time collaborators, Dudi Nandika and Dwi Agustina, leaders of Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia ( Conservation of Cockatoos in Indonesia ). Dudi and Dwi have provided major contributions to projects, too many to mention here. However, what we wish to convey here is that they have worked tirelessly with IPP (as well as independently) often without thanks or recognition since 2006. In 2007, with the encouragement and support of IPP, Dudi made the first trip to Masakambing by himself, thereby initiating our long-term work with the highly endangered Abbotti cockatoos. At times, their work has been recognized only by citation as third or fourth co-authors on some of our printed work. We want to be sure that they receive appropriate credit where due. You soon will be hearing of new approaches and additional progress to help the cockatoos, some of which could not be achieved without their selfless collaboration. We are also very proud to know them for ten years as our special friends, and those of the cockatoos. Stewart Metz, Associate Director Left: Dwi Agustina with cockatoo lover, Right: Dudi Nandika at Pramandan with Dr.Charles Bergman
What Happened after the Water Bottle Cockatoo Incident? In May 2015, the Ministry of Forestry in Java and a lead reporter at Detik.com (a major online news source in Indonesia) published the photos of twenty-four Yellow-crested cockatoos that were placed into water bottles and packed into a suitcase by a smuggler. These photos went viral and spread internationally and virtually every major news outlet covered the story. Trapping and smuggling of endangered species of parrots and cockatoos has always been a major problem in Indonesia. The people of Indonesia were moved to write over 250,000 letters to the government and elicited a call-toaction on social media. Then, something totally unexpected happened. Ex-President, Abdurrahwan Nahid surrendered his pet cockatoo to the Ministry for release back into the wild and the press again carried the story. Subsequently, over 160 people including many from the military followed suit and turned in their pets as well.
Out of the 164 birds surrendered, 110 included Yellow-crested cockatoos, Moluccan cockatoos and Palm cockatoos, all critically endangered species. The surrendered birds were temporarily housed at the Ragunan Zoo and two theme parks, Taman Mini Indonesia and Taman Safari. The biggest challenge is that these cockatoos have varied backgrounds which will make the task of wild release difficult. Many were long term pets (over 40 years), hand-fed chicks, wild caught, with no ability to eat wild food or fly. Many had been chained to perches for years. The Ministry formed a coalition of scientists, biologists, and conservation organizations, under the umbrella of the Indonesian Institute of Science to consult on how best to work with these surrendered birds. The Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) and our counterpart NGO in Jakarta, Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI) were invited to be part of this coalition. On November 1, 2015 IPP made a formal presentation at the Indonesian Institute of Science to the coalition with addressing topics which included: How to identify proper candidates for release Disease risks Rehabilitation and socialization Correct way to release the cockatoos to minimize loss of life Importance of introducing birds into their native endemic forests
We recognize that many of the initial steps taken in dealing with these 164 birds were not necessarily those that we at IPP would have chosen, nor were all of our recommendations to the Minister followed. However, it is important to keep in mind that a very large number of parrots, most of them large pet cockatoos, required placement by the Ministry in a timely manner. The important thing is that an action plan was created and implemented. In addition, we feel that the citizens and the government of Indonesia have, for the first time, been awakened to the importance, need, and methods to care for cockatoos (and later, parrots in general). We are also pleased that the Ministry has invited our participation in this process, an unusual thing to happen. If this inclusion continues, we might have an entryway of sorts into further changes in the treatment of parrots in Indonesia. We will keep you informed of additional progress, including upcoming releases back to the wild. Ten days after our November meeting, the Ministry of Forestry announced their action plan. 39 cockatoos including Yellowcrested and Palms were identified as wild, and candidates for release. 19 Yellow-crested and 2 Palm cockatoos were released in West Papua on December 17, 2015 with an additional 20 scheduled for rehabilitation and release in early 2016. 32 birds have been slated for a breeding program overseen by the Indonesian Institute of Science. Those include birds that were disabled, hybrids, sick or not candidates for rehabilitation. Due to the Indonesian Parrot Project s past successes at PPS Seram (Kembali Bebas) an avian rescue and rehabilitation center we founded on Seram Island in 2004, we were approached to deal with the last group. Tame, talking, former pets bonded to humans that could take years to assimilate into the forest if ever.
39 cockatoos will be transported to PPS Seram in the near future and we have been challenged not only to oversee this project, but also to raise the funds needed to manage it as well. In our experience, rehabilitating and releasing birds that were trapped in the wild and confiscated quickly have a high chance of successful return. These birds already can fly, eat forest food, recognize their predators and can socialize together. The pet birds bring many more challenges. A comprehensive program to rehabilitate them will include quarantine, socialization, learning to eat wild food, learning to fly and exhibiting wild behavior and fear of humans. Successful candidates will be released back into the wild on their endemic native islands. For those birds that cannot be released a sanctuary situation will need to be built so at least the birds can live together in large cages back in the forest. This will be a long, difficult, and expensive undertaking. Before the new birds come from Jakarta to the center, we will need to upgrade and expand, build new quarantine and socialization cages, repair older cages and train and hire additional staff. The expansion could cost as much as $20,000. As for the care and possible rehabilitation and socialization of the tame and pet cockatoos, sponsorship for each cockatoo will run approximately $400 per year to cover food, medical care, and manpower. The on-going rescue and release of trapped birds is a key element of IPP s mission as well as the conservation and protection of Indonesia s most critically endangered species of cockatoos. GOAL: $35,600 Facility Upgrade - $20,000 Food, Care and Manpower for 39 Pet and Tame Cockatoos - $15,600 Sponsor a Cockatoo
Wild Parrot Release in Indonesia Over the last 12 years Indonesian Parrot Project & PPS Seram Releases Over 1200 Birds Back to their Forest Homes On October 25, 2015 nine Seram cockatoos were released back into the wild. These birds were confiscated from the hold of a Lion Air plane that was designated to leave the country. The birds were very wild, moved to PPS Seram and were ready to go home. During our October ecotour our guests were very excited to be able to witness this monumental event for the cockatoos. And best of all we have resumed our collaboration with the rescue center. The release cage was deep within the confines of the National Park and we huddled together in blinds waiting to see what would happen. One by one the birds left the cage and flew away. Joining us on the tour was photo journalist, writer and adventurer Charles Bergman who captured some stunning photographs of the release.
But, it gets better. After the birds left and flew away, we realized they were in a nearby tree but we couldn t see them. They started singing and making sounds that we have never heard wild cockatoos make. It was a complete celebration of joy. It was simply stunning. We did record it and in the future will make it available to all. Prior to release all candidates receive medical testing, are micro-chipped and can only be released when they are exhibiting completely wild behavior. Here s the latest statistics: Time Frame Common Name Latin Name Island of Origin # Birds 2008 Purple Naped Lory Lorius domicella Seram 12 2007-2015 Moluccan Red Lory Eos bornea Seram 350 2005-2015 Rainbow Lorikeets Trichoglossus haematodus Seram 700 2006-2015 Moluccan Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis Seram 149 Moluccan Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis Seram 9 2010 Black-capped Lories Lorius Lory Papua 18 2013/2014 Blue-eared lories Eos semilarvata Seram 5 2012-2015 Great Billed Parrots Tanygnathus megalorhynchos Seram 13 2012 Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus Seram 8 2012 King Parrot Alisterus amboinensis Seram 3 2015 Umbrella Cockatoo Cacatua Alba Ternate 4* 2015 Chattering Lories Lorius garrulus Ternate 17* Total Released 1288 * Birds scheduled for release Spring 2016 if funding is available. A long time and many parrots and cockatoos ago, we dreamed a dream. In 2003 we had a crazy idea to put in some small cages in the village of Sawai to house and care for parrots or cockatoos that were confiscated from the illegal trade. In 2004 that dream became a reality when a smuggler got caught in Seram and the birds were turned over to us for care. Seram cockatoos, eclectus parrots, red cheeked parrots and two cassowaries arrived in Sawai only 24 hours after that first successful collaboration with the National Park of Manusela, and cages were built overnight. That dream became one of the biggest projects we ever attempted the Kembali Bebas Avian Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release Center. Thanks to private donors and grant money, and continued funds from IPP when needed, the facility blossomed into over 60 cages with a small avian medical clinic on site. To see a video from the center in 2008 click here. As planned, IPP turned the project over the local community in 2008, but recently on our last visit to Seram this year reconnected with the stakeholders and will be back as partners with the rescue center and improving the facility and the lives of the birds that reside there.
But back to the present. Now that we are working again as a team with PPS Seram we have many needs to improve the facility. Most importantly we need to provide better food, water and vitamin supplements to the residents. The facility receives limited funding from the Indonesian government and so it is up to us to step up for the cause. PPS Seram is already full, with many birds waiting for release on other islands outside of Seram. We are looking for sponsors to help us financially to send these birds back to their forest homes. And it also frees up space for new arrivals. Habituation cages will be prepared on each island and the birds will be soft-released back to their homes. The dollar goes very far in Indonesia and all it takes is one bird club or a group of friends to make a difference. Fifteen Chattering lories and Three Umbrella cockatoos to Ternate - $800 Thirty-five Black-capped lories to Aru - $1000 Thirty Yellow-crested cockatoos to Papua - $1500 Four Goffins cockatoos to Tanimbar - $500 Let s keep the birds flying free. GOAL: $7,800.00 $3,800 to release birds on their own island $4,000 for additional food, vitamins and supplies for the birds for one year Click the link below, which will take you to the IPP home page. The Donate button is at the top of the page. Thank you! Please Help Us!
Ecotourism Protects Parrots and People Responsible travel to natural areas conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the local people. Ecotour guest Lisa Lawrence with orphaned Abbotti cockatoo and local children Ecotourism provides effective economic incentives for conserving and enhancing bio-cultural diversity and helps protect the natural and cultural heritage of our beautiful planet. Through local capacity building and employment opportunities, ecotourism is an effective vehicle for empowering local communities in Indonesia to fight against poverty and achieve sustainable development. Ecotourism also provides guests and hosts a rich personal experience, and a greater understanding for nature, local society and culture. Starting in 2004, the Indonesian Parrot Project spearheaded an ecotourism program and over the years has led eco-expeditions exploring Seram Island in Maluku, the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua, and the Masalembu Archipelago. These trips offer travelers the opportunity to see parrots and cockatoos in the wild, learn from indigenous cultures about their lives, and bring income to the local communities. Ecotourism is a win-win situation for both the visitor and the local community member. This past October was our first trip to Masalembu where guests stayed with the local community in their homes, and had the chance to see the Abbotti cockatoos in the wild. Group sizes are limited and tours can be customized. Price is based on length of trip and locations visited. If you want to see parrots and cockatoos in the wild, are adventurous and want to help conserve the birds and help the community please join us! We are currently planning our schedule for 2016 and 2017. For more information please contact Bonnie Zimmermann at (707) 965-2538 or via email at info@indonesian-parrot-project.org.
The Continuing Story of Anak Berani, the Orphan Abbotti Cockatoo In February of 2013, a fledgling chick fell from a nest tree when he was trying to fly. A kind man in the village brought the chick to the King who asked that he put the bird back up into the nest. For his kindness to the bird, the King gave the man a million rupiah (about $100). In early October of the same year, Anak was hatched in a nest located in a large dead tree located deep in a mangrove swamp. There was a bad storm, the tree fell down and although the parents looked for their chick they, could not locate him. The chick did not have feathers and was not old enough to fly. Anak Berani (Indonesian for brave young child) is one the rarest cockatoos in the world and has had quite an amazing life so far. We ll recap briefly what happened in 2013 and then update you with the newest info about him from our recent visit to Masalembu. The weather on Masakambing Island is very severe with high winds and heavy seas. In the past, several birds and their nest sites have been lost to falling trees. Thanks to a long term multifaced program that KKI and IPP instituted on the island starting in 2008, the local community feels strongly about protecting the birds. Their local nickname for the cockatoos is Beka. The next morning, a man named Samsu was walking through the swamp, saw that the chick was still alive, but he walked past the bird. He decided to drive to the village on his motorcycle and see if he would get a reward if he found a chick. The King said yes. Samsu went back, put the chick in a box and brought him to the King who gave him a million rupiah and asked him to care for the bird.
KKI contacted the IPP to find out what things they needed to care for the neonate. Dudi Nandika and Dwi Agustina visited the island in December with food, built a small cage and instructed Samsu on how to care for the chick. But, it turned out that Samsu only cared about the money. He put the bird in a small cage and fed it bananas, sweet tea and occasionally rice. In April, 2014, IPP traveled to Masakambing to help with the project. Since there had been several incidents of chicks falling from trees, injuries, and occasions where birds needed immediate care, we brought vitamins, formula, books and materials to share with the local villagers about nutrition, avian anatomy and hand-feeding. We also taught them how handle and restrain birds safely. Back at the house, we immediately gave him water and some food. He was so weak he could eat no more than a teaspoon of food at a time. That afternoon, we assembled all the women of the household and local teachers and held a class in avian care, anatomy, hand-feeding, and food preparation. Even though Anak was eight months old he would have to be fed every two hours just like a newborn. He weighed a little over 100 grams. After his second feeding we went to the village for a brief visit. If you would like to see a 4 minute video about Anak from 2014 click Anak's Story We were anxious to visit the chick and traveled by motorbike to Samsu s home located deep in the forest. It was a shock. The chick was starving, sick, stunted, dehydrated, couldn t even perch and was near death. He was in a small cage hanging in a tree in the full sun with no food or water. His droppings looked like small dried up pieces of rice and were yellow. We took down the cage and decided to take the chick to our lodging for triage. Samsu actually blocked our way had the nerve to ask for a reward for taking care of the bird. We ignored him. Well, Samsu showed up at the house while we were away, said the cage was his, said that it cost a lot of money, threw Anak on the ground, grabbed the cage and left. Ibu Enju, who would be the bird s new caretaker, heard him screaming in fear as soon as Samsu drove up. She placed Anak in a laundry basket and hand-fed him for the first time.
Upon our return, we put together a makeshift cage. That is when he earned his name Anak Berani. We left for the U.S. the next day. The hope was that Anak would be able to regain his strength, learn to eat forest foods and return to the forest. Ibu Enju and the other women would feed and care for him. If Anak bonded to humans, it would make it difficult for him to assimilate with a wild flock. By the way Samsu was banished from the island for his cruelty to such a rare cockatoo. When we returned this past October, we realized the two year old Anak was never going be able to fly, or would have any chance to survive in the wild. His new large cage had been built but he was only using a small portion of it. Every time someone would come out of the house, he would hang on the cage looking lonely. Anak was still being hand-fed, and playing with forest food, but totally dependent upon humans. If he was to stay alive, his treatment needed to go in a new direction. The decision was made to give him the physical and emotional attention that he so desperately needed. Lisa Lawrence, a guest on our eco tour made great strides with him. He perked up, started eating better including eating some foods on his own, and was observed playing and preening in his cage. The women and children started spending more time with him and he now has a human family.
Anak Berani has many health issues and in March of 2016 when the seas are safe to travel, we will be sending out the best avian veterinarian in Indonesia to help him. We believe that during his early formative period, he had no proper food and no attention. He has crippled feet, is stunted, and a scissors beak. What he lacks in physical stamina is overcome by his spirit to survive. He is a charming and tough survivor. He is one of a small handful Abbotti cockatoos, a treasure that we need to preserve. We are trying to raise a total of $2000. $1500 to cover expenses for our avian veterinarian and KKI to visit in March and provide the medical care, food and vitamins that Anak Berani needs. $500 covers paying his caretakers and food for the year. GOAL: $2,000 500 pays Berani s caretaker Ibu Enju for one year $1,500 pays travel, medications and veterinary care for Anak All donations are welcome of any size. If you wish to Help Anak follow the link to our home page. You will see a donate button at the top of the page. It s easy.
Abbotti Cockatoo Update A Little-known and Highly Endangered Race of Indonesian Cockatoo Abbotti cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti) were and still are, one of the rarest and most threatened cockatoos in the world. They are now only found on Masakambing Island in the Masalembu Archipelago located deep in the Java Sea. Map of western Indonesia. The approximate location of the Abbott s cockatoo in the Masalembu Archipelago is indicated by the open arrow
The non-stop decline in their population reached a low of 5 individuals in 1997 and they seemed on the road to extinction. In October 2015 during our visit to Masakambing, we did not conduct a formal census but we estimated the current population to be 17 to 22 individuals. The Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) and Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI) have been actively working on this project since 2007 and have been very successful in working directly with the local community. Currently the population of Abbotti has gradually been increasing. There are five active nest sites. Two chicks that were hatched this past November and have been seen with their parents at the nest.
IPP has instituted several new approaches to ensure not only the safety and care for the birds but to bring income into the community as well. The first is Ecotourism. October 2015 was our first ecotour to Masalembu, and our guests were astonished at how easy it is to see the birds since the island is so small and the birds live close to the village. The second approach is Habitat Restoration. Mangrove is a tree that grows in tropical coastal swamps that flood at high tide. Mangrove trees provide the cockatoos with critical foodstuffs, and sites for nest-building. Both the loss and the restoration of mangrove play critical roles in the protection of cockatoos. Simultaneously, the trees also provide much needed wood for building and food as well to the villagers. Fishing is the only major income-producing activity on the island and it would be threatened if not for the waterways being protected by the mangrove forests. Inhabitants of the island are extremely poor, and are rarely served by supply vessels due to terrible storms that regularly occur in the area which prevents regular travel to the mainland. Mangrove has a secondary asset as it provides industries for the women of the community who make crafts, candies, syrup and cookies out of the fruit which are sold in Masalembu.
History The cockatoos were first observed by William Louis Abbott in 1907, but it was not until 1919 that his description was published by Harry C. Oberholser, in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum Notes on Birds Collected by Dr. W.L. Abbott in Various Islands in the Java Sea. He noted that they existed in large populations in Masalembu --and were larger (tail length about 260 mm) than Cacatua sulphurea parvula are now (tail length 215-245mm), but this difference cannot be reliably used clinically to distinguish the two. The initial cause of their rapid decline in the early 1980 s was trapping. In an interview with two former leaders of Masakambing, we learned that fisherman from Sumbawa would visit the island and trap the cockatoos with gum using pet cockatoos as bait. Also, staff and visitors associated with oil exploration on the island took them as souvenirs. The birds were transported to Bali, Sulawesi and Sumbawa Islands. It was also reported that in the late 1980 s soldiers would shoot the birds to eat. The second aspect of the decline is attributed to loss of forest habitat. Forest had largely disappeared by the time of Abbott s brief visit and currently only one square kilometer of uncultivated land remains on Masakambing Island. The birds went extinct on Masalembu. Now fast forward to the 1990 s, when the first modern explorations to study this bird began. Studies in 1994 were carried out by Cahyadin, Jepson, and Arif and involved BirdLife International and the Indonesian government. Their report is available in English but is unpublished. In 1998, Elga Putra produced an extensive report about the Abbotti cockatoo for her thesis. However, it too is unpublished and in Indonesian. In 2006, a member of IPP had been invited to LIPI (the Indonesian Institute of Science) to discuss our projects. At a round table discussion afterwards, the rumor of a severe plight of the Abbotti cockatoo was briefly mentioned, though no further discussion ensued. Therefore, IPP enlisted the help of our colleagues Dudi Nandika and Dwi Agustina, leaders of KKI, to make an urgent trip to Masakambing to assess the current situation. In 2007, the Indonesian Parrot Project began a dedicated program to reverse this trend using multiple approaches. This first required earning the trust of the village chief and villagers who in turn mounted a successful anti-smuggling campaign. This fact was to become especially important later on. The Program included passing the first true laws to protect Abbotti cockatoos and continuation of the Conservation-Awareness-and Pride (CAP) program for the schoolchildren on Masakambing, led by KKI.
CAP designed to stir the entire community s excitement and participation in the program, and instill pride in their cockatoo thereby giving hope that the conservation of the Abbotti cockatoo should last into future generations. The Abbotti Cockatoos and the people of Masakambing need your help. We need to continue to present the CAP program to the new generations of students, military and police, and keep the local stakeholders involved by creating opportunities for sustainable income. GOAL: $23,000 3,000 for training local community in reforestation techniques 12,000 for reforestation project, trees, supplies and manpower 2,000 to reinforce dead tree nest sites 3,000 to establish women s cooperative and sell product in bigger cities 2,000 to continue CAP program 1,000 to rent land to raise additional crops for people and parrots Click the link to see a video taken in 2014 of Wild Abbotti Cockatoos