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News from the Indonesian Parrot Project )
Notes From the Field April 2008
In this issue
  • Another Successful Parrot Release Into the Wild!
  • July Eco-Documentary Screening Benefit for IPP
  • Spring Madness Sale at Our CafePress Store
  • Volunteer Spotlight - Angela Rosaria Cancilla Herschel
  • Special Thank-You to our Cage Sponsors
  • IPP on the Go
  • Well spring has sprung and summer is fast approaching. We have alot of exciting news in this issue.

    A new parrot release with more planned in the future is inspiring and gives us hope. See article below. Our CAP (Conservation - Awareness - Pride) program has expanded to Maluku and has been very successful.

    And we've scouted some new birding locations for future eco-tours.

    Thanks to all our friends, members, and volunteers who have made this dream a reality. This is your project and you should be proud of it!


    Another Successful Parrot Release Into the Wild!
    Cockatoo Release February 26, 2008

    Seram Cockatoos and Purple-Naped Lories are Given Back Their Wings

    Thanks to the successful collaboration between the Indonesian Parrot Project, Yayasan Wallacea and the offices of Manusela National Park we have had another successful parrot release.

    As you recall, following the release of three Seram cockatoos back into the wild in March of 2006, our "release" program was put on hold due to inability to properly test parrots at Kembali Bebas for the presence of latent disease. The Indonesian government had denied us additional permits to any send blood samples and swabs out of the country for testing. Therefore, we had to establish our own DNA testing laboratory within Indonesia. This obstacle was overcome through a collaboration with Dr. Ngurah Mahardika at Udayana University, Bali, and Drh. Wita Wahyudi at the Bali Wild Animal Rescue Center. Testing was up and running by October of 2007.

    As a result, we re-commenced our release program. On January 9, 2008, six more Seram cockatoos (Cacatua moluccensis) were released, apparently successfully. These birds had been confiscated from smugglers in the town of Tanah Merah on Seram, having never left the island; the confiscation (like the one resulting in the 2006 release) was made possible due to information provided by a local informant. On February 26 of this year, seven additional Seram cockatoos and, for the first time, four Purple-naped lories (Lorius domicella) were set free. As with the initial release, the cockatoos exited their pre-release cage quickly, having flown within ten minutes In contrast, all four lories paused for over twenty minutes outside the separate release cage provided for them, to stoke up greedily on the wild fruits provided for them, before flying into the trees and quickly dispersing from the site. This brings our overall total to 16 Seram cockatoos and 4 lories who have received back their wings.

    For these recent releases, a new site was used in order to avoid saturation of the earlier release site on the periphery of Kembali Bebas. This new site was at a newly-constructed Forestry station within Manusela National Park. This has the advantage that officers situated there can provide more intensive monitoring of the released birds. As with the initial release, the cockatoos exited their pre-release cage quickly, having flown within ten minutes In contrast, all four lories paused for over twenty minutes outside the separate release cage provided for them, to stoke up greedily on the wild fruits provided for them, before flying into the trees and quickly dispersing from the site.

    We are currently looking into establishing temporary release sites in West Papua (in order to release some of our Black-capped lories (Lorius lory) and on Halmahera Island in North Maluku, where we are hopeful of eventually releasing both Chattering lories (Lorius garrulus) and White cockatoos (Cacatua alba).

    July Eco-Documentary Screening Benefit for IPP
    Hotspots Banner

    Save the date - Sunday, July 13, 2008 6:30 p.m., Hermosa Beach, CA The event is hosted by two great Los Angeles Bird Clubs.

    The South Bay Bird Society and West Valley Bird Society are committed to study all avian species, their habitats, and to promote the preservation of all endangered species that are threatened with extinction. This commitment is extended to our hosting an advanced screening of the eco- documentary, "Hotspots," on July 13th, 2008. Please join us for this unique benefit to promote the conservation efforts of three organizations that are based in a number of "Hotspots" regions.

    This special advanced screening of the feature documentary "Hotspots," will highlight biological hotspots throughout the world. Scientists refer to thirty- five areas on the planet as biological hotspots, areas with the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth. Three years of filming throughout California, New Zealand, Madagascar, Brazil, Peru and Easter Island produced important discoveries unknown to science and filmed for the very first time. Scientists believe it is not too late to save countless species of plants and animals or loss of habitats. The film will highlight these terrestrial hotspots and their amazing ecosystems.

    South Bay Bird Society and West Valley Bird Society have the privilege of hosting this very special fundraising event. They have chosen three non-profit organizations that are in hotspot areas to become beneficiaries of the funds raised:

    • Indonesian Parrot Project
    • Parrots International
    • Ventana Wildlife Society California Condor Reintroduction

    Ticket Price: $25 through July 1, $35 thereafter (door price) For more information please click on the link below.

    Also at the bottom of this issue of NFTF you'll find links to Parrots International, the Ventana Wildlife Society, and a preview of the Hotspots Documentary on the web.

    Spring Madness Sale at Our CafePress Store
    Photo: Stewart Metz

    To celebrate Spring Madness we are going to have a special sale at our CafePress Store.

    No need for coupons or special offers -- we went in to the entire store and cut all our prices by 30%. The birds at Kembali Bebas need extra supplies and you need a new T-shirt right?

    Or at least a pair of boxer shorts with a parrot on it.

    Volunteer Spotlight - Angela Rosaria Cancilla Herschel
    Angela Cancilla Herschel

    We would like you to meet Angela - one of the people who has given so much of her time to help IPP and the parrots of Indonesia.

    Angela lives in Southern California and truly respects and protects nature. Daily she walks the canyon trails behind her Malibu home and is always reminded and amazed at the great beauty of nature. Of course she is also always looking out for "naturalized parrots" which are prevalent in California.

    Angela was fortunate to work in the field at the Tambopata Research Center, in Peru with Dr. Don Brightsmith. She also traveled with Don again and the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) to Indonesia. She visited Bali and the mysterious and gorgeous island of Seram. Angela commented, "There I saw the beautiful Salmon Crested cockatoo (Moluccan) and saw how gentle they are towards each other in the wild. After seeing wild parrots in Tambopata and then again on the other side of the world on the islands of Seram and Bali... I have become forever hooked on bird watching. It is wonderful for me to be able to be part of helping the Indonesian Parrot Project."

    While at home Angela volunteers in Malibu at the California Wildlife Center and rescues everything from hummingbirds to elephant seals. For every day is an adventure ... some days are wonderful and some end sad but to know that Angela and others are out there helping and making a difference to so many wild creatures is a joy.

    Angela helps IPP in many ways, writing thank you letters to our donors and sponsors, networking with people in person or on various internet lists, and helping us at events.

    Thank you Angela -- you are indeed a Cockatoo Warrior.

    Special Thank-You to our Cage Sponsors
    Rosemary Low Plaque

    We would like to express our gratitude to the following supporters who have contributed especially generously to our capital building campaign, and the growth of the Kembali Bebas Rehabilitation Center. Their generosity will be acknowledged by engraved steel plaques attached to the parrot flight cages to which they have specifically contributed:

    • ARGE Papageienschutz
    • Rosemary Low
    • Pat and Neil Rudikoff
    • Richard And Kathryne Thorpe
    • The Alexander Abraham Foundation
    • Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
    • SeaWorld-Busch Gardens

    IPP on the Go

    We will be "on the road" this summer at various conferences and events lecturing and showing our newest exciting video footage. If you happen to be in the area we'd love to see you.

    • May 3 - Discover Oasis 2008 (Arizona) Stewart Metz
    • May 16 - West Valley Bird Society (Los Angeles) Bonnie Zimmermann
    • May 18 - East San Gabriel Bird Society (Los Angeles) Bonnie Zimmermann
    • July 30 - Aug 2 - American Federation of Aviculture Convention (St. Louis, Missouri) Bonnie Zimmermann
    • Aug 16 - 18 - ProFauna Annual Meeting (Indonesia) Stewart Metz is Keynote Speaker

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