Illegal Rise of Grey Parrot Trade

Grey parrots are found only in the rain forests of West and Central Africa, but they’re prized as pets in countries around the world. People are captivated by their beautiful colors, gentle nature and ability to mimic humans. But demand for the birds could be threatening their very existence.

The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimates that 450,000 of the birds were captured and exported from Africa between 1994 and 2003. The number would be even higher if it included illegal exports.

Seeing the danger of extinction, many countries in Europe, North America and Africa have banned trade in grey parrots. Cameroon issued a ban three years ago. But conservationists say the measures have failed to reduce the trade. Illegal operations have continued and have even increased.

Lemon Festival in France

The 78th Lemon Festival, taking place in Menton, southern France is themed “The Great Civilizations”. About 145 metric tons of bright citrus fruits were used to create some large-sized sculptures

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Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore

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Biologists call for regulation of rare plant sales

People are increasingly obtaining endangered or threatened plants, often illegally, and moving them outside their native range.

According to their research last year, nearly 10 percent of the 753 plants listed as threatened and endangered are being sold — or, at least, advertised — online. Many buyers are horticulturalists who want flowers for their gardens. But increasingly, anecdotal evidence suggests that online shoppers include individuals and citizen groups involved in ‘assisted colonization’ projects. Here, species or genetic subtypes at risk of extinction are moved to non-native environments in which they might thrive — in the face of climate change, for instance.