Indonesia has the world’s fourth highest diversity of bird species in the world, sadly Indonesia also has the second highest number of endangered bird species in the world. Indonesia’s songbird trade one of the highest threats to Indonesia’s bird species. There have been more than 132,000 birds recorded in attempted smuggling (where 84% were songbirds) and more than 70,000 birds in one to three-day surveys of traditional markets. It is believed that these numbers are an understatement of what really occurs in Indonesia’s bird trade.
Regardless of this condition, there remains very little education and awareness raising on the dangers of this issue. There is almost no education material for schools on the issue of wildlife trade, there is little engagement with those living in the forests on the importance of protecting songbirds and in songbird keeper communities, there remains a gap for knowledge in songbird conservation.
The demand for caged birds has been very high that forests have fallen silent, populations have severely declined, and some species previously abundantly found in forests have now disappeared. If we do not establish education for schools and engage with communities to protect songbirds, these lovely creatures would rapidly disappear from Indonesia’s forest.
What is Wildlife Asia doing?
Wildlife Asia is working with organisations in Indonesia to provide support to fund efforts for research and to educate, raise awareness of the songbird trade and reduce demand and purchase of wild caught birds. Wildlife Asia is supporting the funding of creation of education materials, information dissemination to schools and the public, engage with villagers to encourage more protection for songbirds and its forest and collaborate with songbird communities to raise awareness, stop use and purchase of wild songbirds and identify other solutions.
Saving Songbirds
How Can You Help!
Currently, education resources and manpower to raise awareness through education are limited. Knowledge within the community and the enforcement agencies themselves regarding the status of songbird population is limited. You can help save songbirds by donating and support the creation and dissemination of education materials to schools, community, and other stakeholders in educating the importance of conserving birds, not keeping wild birds as pets, and also provide information on population status of birds, to further diminish the demand for wild caught caged songbirds.
Your donation will also help support empowering villagers with the tools they need to protect their forests and the birds that live in them so that we can stop the supply chain from its source and return the birds back to its natural habitat.
About Your Donation
Wildlife Asia works hand in hand with local communities, authorities and NGOs to protect wildlife and habitat in landscapes with critically important biodiversity.
A trusted and efficient organization, we are committed to ensuring both immediate protection for wildlife as well as building the foundations for long-term sustainability of conservation efforts and the co-existence of humans and wildlife.
Your donation will be used to support Wildlife Asia’s programs including Wildlife Protection Units, Protected Area development, rehabilitation and reintroduction programs, community education and livelihood development.