Taipei: Taipei Zoo marked World Parrot Day on Sunday with a special educational event featuring a sulphur-crested cockatoo, while urging the public not to abandon pet parrots and to reject the illegal wildlife trade. According to Focus Taiwan, the zoo highlighted parrots as popular companion animals admired for their colorful plumage, ability to mimic sounds, and strong learning skills. However, the demand from the pet market has contributed to illegal capture and trade, posing a threat to wild populations. To enhance public awareness, the zoo organized a pop-up educational session in the Children's Zoo area. A sulphur-crested cockatoo was featured as a "teaching assistant," helping visitors understand parrot behavior and social habits. As part of a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation program managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, the zoo hosts various parrots either confiscated from anti-smuggling operations or abandoned by their owners. Visitors can observe these birds at the zoo's Parrot House and Pang olin Dome, which display species native to Asia, Africa, Australia, and Central and South America. The zoo noted that some birds under its care are classified as endangered, including the African grey parrot, red-and-blue lory, and white cockatoo. It referenced data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature indicating that about one-third of all parrot species face survival threats in the wild.
