01:52 PM
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Cairo – Masrawy:
The “Fauna and Flora International” association concerned with environmental conservation has warned that the bird of paradise that lives in the islands of West Papua (New Guinea) is threatened with extinction due to the illegal trade in rare species of birds.
A spokesman for the association said: “These species are threatened with declining numbers due to their illegal hunting and trade,” according to The Independent Arabia.
Previous investigations reported that rare bird smuggling gangs earn about $37,000 per bird. These rare birds are sold to wealthy bird collectors in Europe.
The Foundation revealed that hunters rely on glue traps on tree branches to catch these rare birds, which caused their wings and legs to break and some of them died during transportation. A former smuggler said the margin of profit from smuggling birds was very high and that smugglers could make money even if one or two birds managed to survive the journey.
The bird of paradise is distinguished by its attractive colors and its frilled feathers in yellow, blue, scarlet and green colors, and these colors made it one of the most attractive birds in the world. Males are usually colorful and large, while females often have more neutral colors such as brown.
