Date: September 18, 2018
Source: University of Kent
Beak and feather disease virus
(BFDV) in wild parrot populations has been detected in eight new countries,
raising concerns for threatened species.
The new countries where BFDV was
found are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan, Nigeria, Seychelles, Vietnam, Senegal
and The Gambia and were identified in a study led by Deborah Fogell in the
University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) in
collaboration with The World Parrot Trust, Zoological Society of London,
Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Seychelles Island Foundation and Vinh
University.
The study highlights the need for
greater awareness of the risks of the spread of infectious disease associated
with the international trade in live parrots.
Parrots are among the most
threatened bird groups and are susceptible to a number of infectious diseases.
They are also among the most frequently traded birds listed by the Convention
of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the illegal trade has
already driven the cross-border movement of over 19 million parrots since 1975.
This movement has aided the
establishment of numerous parrot populations outside of their native
distributions, most notably the highly invasive Rose-ringed parakeet which is
now known to have breeding populations in over 35 countries across five
continents.
BFDV, believed to have originated
in Australasia, is a well-known cause of infectious disease in captive parrots.
Affected birds can develop feather abnormalities, claw and beak deformities and
the disease may lead to eventual death, particularly in juveniles.
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