Most, if not all, birds in the exotic pet trade are captive-bred, examples include the common budgerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus ), the peach-faced lovebird ( Agapornis roseicollis ), the cockatiel ( Nymphicus hollandicus ), the common canary ( Serinus canaria ) and the zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ). The reason why I feel that certain exotic species are better off caged in an aviary is because they are captive-bred and lack the ability to adapt to a wild or urban environment (“SC to decide if exotic birds have a right to fly”, Nov.21).
As an environmentalist and ecology biodiversity specialist, I have observed captive-bred budgerigars and zebra finches being attacked and preyed upon by marauding crows, ravens and cats soon after release. This happens even if released in an apparently secluded and pristine environment. Having been reared on processed feed, they forget to feed, an instinct they would normally exhibit in the wild.
Moreover, most, if not all, popular exotic species in the pet trade are listed as under either “least concerned” or “secure” status, as under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They do not fall under Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act as they do not originate in India.
Varun Christopher Fernando , Hyderabad
