RED ALERT: UK TO BEGIN EXTERMINATION OF WILD QUAKER PARROTS

DEFRA, the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, is launching what it terms an "eradication" program directed at Monk Parakeets (AKA Quaker Parrots), according to the UK publication The Guardian. This is a terrible precedent, which, if it happens without opposition, will certainly be used by those wishing to purge the U.S.A. of these wild parrots to carry out similar plans.

Please contact DEFRA to state your opposition to these plans. You can call their phone number, which, outside the UK, is 44 (0) 207 238 6951, you can e-mail them at webmaster@defra.gsi.gov.uk, or you can send them a letter via post to:

Defra
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR


I fully agree with Andrew Tyler, who is quoted in the Examiner article as follows: "Branding other species as vermin or intruders is intolerant and selfish. The danger is overstated. We should stop the importation of these birds which are sold as commodities and endure lives of boredom in cages. It's not surprising they want to escape. If we are serious about coexisting with other species, we have to concede them territory."

Special thanks to Paul of the QP list for letting us know about this situation.