Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Finding on Four Parrot Species
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today its findings regarding a petition to protect four foreign parrot species found on islands in the Philippines, Fiji and Indonesia, including the crimson shining parrot, Philippine cockatoo, white cockatoo and yellow-crested cockatoo, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Service finds that listing the Philippine and yellow-crested cockatoo as endangered, and listing the white cockatoo as threatened, is warranted and is issuing proposed rules to list these species. In addition, the Service is proposing a special rule for the white cockatoo. If adopted, the proposed special rule would allow import, export and interstate commerce of certain white cockatoos without a permit under the ESA, provided the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA) are met. The Service finds that listing is not warranted for the crimson shining parrot. The not warranted status for the crimson shining parrot is a final agency action.
The Service carefully assessed the best available scientific and commercial information regarding the past, present and future threats faced by these four species. The three species the agency is proposing to list as endangered or threatened face significant threats, particularly due to poaching and habitat loss. The Service did not find information indicating that there were threats to the crimson shining parrot due to habitat loss, overutilization, disease or predation, inadequate regulatory mechanisms, or any other factor occurring at a level that would pose a threat to the species.
The Service has made this determination in response to a petition filed on January 2008, by Friends of Animals requesting the agency list 14 parrot species under the ESA. The Service completed an initial review in July 2009, and concluded the petition contained substantial information supporting a full study of the species. On July 28, 2010, a settlement agreement was approved, in which the Service agreed to (in part) submit to the Federal Register by July 29, 2011, a determination whether the petitioned action is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded by other listing actions for no less than four of the petitioned species. The Service has completed a comprehensive review
The Service finds that listing the Philippine and yellow-crested cockatoo as endangered, and listing the white cockatoo as threatened, is warranted and is issuing proposed rules to list these species. In addition, the Service is proposing a special rule for the white cockatoo. If adopted, the proposed special rule would allow import, export and interstate commerce of certain white cockatoos without a permit under the ESA, provided the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA) are met. The Service finds that listing is not warranted for the crimson shining parrot. The not warranted status for the crimson shining parrot is a final agency action.
The Service carefully assessed the best available scientific and commercial information regarding the past, present and future threats faced by these four species. The three species the agency is proposing to list as endangered or threatened face significant threats, particularly due to poaching and habitat loss. The Service did not find information indicating that there were threats to the crimson shining parrot due to habitat loss, overutilization, disease or predation, inadequate regulatory mechanisms, or any other factor occurring at a level that would pose a threat to the species.
The Service has made this determination in response to a petition filed on January 2008, by Friends of Animals requesting the agency list 14 parrot species under the ESA. The Service completed an initial review in July 2009, and concluded the petition contained substantial information supporting a full study of the species. On July 28, 2010, a settlement agreement was approved, in which the Service agreed to (in part) submit to the Federal Register by July 29, 2011, a determination whether the petitioned action is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded by other listing actions for no less than four of the petitioned species. The Service has completed a comprehensive review
