Rehabilitation infrastructures

Rehabilitation infrastructures

o Upgraded and completed the renovation of the medical complex (carrying capacity increased to 200 African grey parrots) o Built the first large rehabilitation aviary for implementing the second phase of rehabilitation (V=730m3; optimal capacity = 150 ind.) o Produced the first version of the manual of standard rehabilitation procedures with support from international experts (see Method box below)

Image 7. The aviary, completed in October 2019, designed for the continuous flight of African Grey parrots. Image 8. The natural bamboo feeders are filled with fruits and seeds every day.

Image 9. Up to 150 parrots can live in the aviary of the Centre, a good thing as African Grey parrots are very gregarious. Image 10. The length of the aviary allows the parrots to train their wing muscles, essential for a successful release.

METHOD BOX. Rehabilitation procedures (extracted from the manual of standard rehabilitation procedures)

The condition of the rescued parrots is checked and individuals receive treatment when necessary upon arrival, after the 1st week, the 3rd week, the 6th week and before their transfer to the soft-release aviary.

Upon arrival: Each parrot taken out of a transport wooden box undertakes a quick health check to reduce handling and stress, receive an identification ring, and is transferred to a quarantine cage in groups made of individuals of the same class of age (juvenile, immature, adult) or conditions if special cares are required. The most fragile individuals are kept in a single cage and isolated from the large groups. Each individual is fed with 250g of rich diverse food per day, and clean water is made available ad libitum and complemented with vitamins, minerals and doxycycline (antibiotic) for 6 weeks to enhance the chance of survival and recovering.

After the 1st week: the faeces are collected to assess intestinal parasites. In a large group, sampling is pooled and repeated several times. Depending on results obtained and parasite burden measured, treatment is provided in water.

After 3 weeks: After three weeks of recovering, the parrots are lightly anaesthetized under isofluorane, weighted and receive a more thorough health check. Vitamins (B complex) are injected, external anti-parasitic (ivermectin or fipronil) is applied, internal anti-parasitic (praziquantel) is deposited in their crop, and clipped feathers (an operation brutally made by poachers to prevent them from flying) are plucked to allow normal flight feathers growth.

After 6 weeks: the parrots are lightly anaesthetized and weighted for the second time and must pass the health check to be transferred from the quarantine section to the large rehabilitation aviary. The overall Body Condition Index (BCI) is calculated and special attention is brought to the feather condition index (FCI). If the BCI ≥ 8 (out of 10), and FCI=2 (out of 2), the parrots are transferred to the large rehabilitation aviary, after a last shot of vitamins and anti-parasitic. Otherwise, they are considered unable to fly or in need of more recovery time, and therefore kept in quarantine.

This health monitoring protocol is designed to ensure that any bird transferred to the soft-release aviary is healthy and in a good physical condition and, therefore has the best chances of survival in the early stages of their release.

Sampling for individual stress level assessment and genetic identification: During the different veterinary interventions, pictures of both head profiles are made, blood samples are collected and analyzed on-site to assess and monitor the level of stress, while blood spots (Waterman paper) and feathers with bulbs are collected at least once and stored for genetic sexing and to serve to build a genetic database will serve to support the fight against illegal wildlife trade by identifying bird origin and trafficking routes.