The wild bird trade and African parrots: past, present and future challenges

African parrots are among the most traded of all birds listed on the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Collapses in some wild populations due to trapping for the pet trade have highlighted the threats posed by overexploitation. Although over 3.3 million African parrots have been reported in trade since 1975, virtually no monitoring of exploited populations has taken place and basic ecological data do not exist for the majority of traded species. Greater scrutiny of the wild bird trade in Africa would help ensure the practice is compatible with conservation goals as well as minimise biosecurity risks, including the spread of infectious diseases and the establishment of invasive populations.