On Friday, June 21, 2024, 68 animals were transported from Bitung back to their native Ternate (North Maluku) and Ambon (Maluku). This group included 11 White Cockatoos, 29 Chattering Lories, four Violet-necked Lories, 11 Red Lories, nine Moluccan Cockatoos, one Moluccan sail-finned lizard, and three ground mono snakes.
These animals were rescued from the illegal pet trade by forestry department officers and handed over to the North Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency. They then received dedicated care and rehabilitation at the Tasikoki Wildlife Animal Rescue Centre, where they were examined and declared fit to return to the wild.
This successful translocation was made possible through the incredible support of the North Sulawesi BKSDA and its partners, including WCS-IP, Yayasan Masarang, and the World Parrot Trust. We are overjoyed to report that on Saturday, June 22, 2024, all animals arrived safely at their destination, ready for a second chance at life in the wild.
The journey these parrots have endured is perilous, but thanks to your support of the World Parrot Trust, we were able to support this translocation and provide team members to assist with health checks, accompany the birds during travel, and support their pre-release recovery and acclimatisation in North Maluku and Maluku.
This translocation was also made possible thanks to assistance from the North Sulawesi Agriculture & Livestock Service Office’s Kesmavet Authority, Manado Animal, Fish & Plant Quarantine Centre, KSOP Bitung, PT Pelni Bitung branch, and PT Pelindo IV Bitung.