CONSERVATION STATUS

The IUCN lists the blue-naped parrot as a Near Threatened species, citing loss of habitat due to agricultural expansion and logging and trapping for bird trade as the reasons for the decline in its population. A further decrease in population may lead to its re-categorization as a Threatened species, which is subclassified into Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered, depending on the gravity of the threat to its extinction. Data regarding its population in the wild is outdated—estimates range from 2,500 to 10,000 individuals—and historical records show that the numbers have diminished drastically from over a century ago, when the birds were commonly found on most Philippine islands. While the species is extinct in some islands and considered rare in others, Birdlife International notes that “it is still fairly numerous in some areas of Palawan and Tawi-tawi.” Katala Foundation, through its Southern Palawan AntiPoaching Initiative, has been working towards stabilizing and increasing the population of the blue-naped parrot in the Municipality of Rizal.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) includes the blue-naped parrot in Appendix II, which identifies “species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.” As a Party to the Convention, the Philippines must abide by CITES regulations: international trade for Appendix II species is only allowed to parties granted export permits or reexport certificates, provided that trade is not detrimental to the survival of the species. In addition, the blue-naped parrot is protected by the regulations enumerated in RA 9147 or the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” which was signed into law on July 30, 2001. Birds confiscated from poachers and illegal traders, along with those turned in by the public, are brought to the Wildlife Rescue and Research Center at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center. Conservation actions are underway in national parks located in Bataan, Quezon, and Minalungaw, and in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.