The Holistic Parrot by Leslie Moran
Transforming a love for parrots into a global conservation community

This month we learn how two individuals, Stewart Metz and Bonnie Zimmermann of the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP), are transforming the illegal parrot trade through their vital work. In the Indonesian tropical rain forests they educate and empower the local people by awakening an awareness and appreciation for the wild parrots who share their rugged and sometimes hostile tropical home. Here we’ll learn how they are bringing a paradigm shift, spanning generations, with the goal of ending the smuggling and mistreatment of wild parrots. As they create win-win situations for everyone involved, they set a stellar example for creating positive change in the world.

“The number of wild Cockatoos and other parrots being captured every year for the illegal wildlife trade is staggering,” explained Stewart, who founded the IPP in 2001. The published sources account for at least 10,000 wild birds being captured every year by illegal trapping in Indonesia.

Stewart recognised right away that the trappers caught wild parrots because they needed to provide for their families. These local men were proud, genuine, people who also had a willingness to learn. They sensed Stewart’s sincerity and respect for them as men, and they learned to trust and respect him in return. This opened the door for them welcoming his insights about the wild parrots and the economic solutions he, and their other partner organisations, offered that would enrich their local communities.

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