Why is an orange-bellied parrot endangered?

Answer 1

The orange-bellied parrot has become critically endangered, as of recent years. Found only in limited areas of southern Australia, their habitat is salt marshes, coastal dunes, pastures, shrub lands, estuaries, islands, beaches and moorlands within 10 km of the coast. It is this which makes it endangered, as this habitat is subject to destruction and development by Man. Wetlands have been drained to create grazing lands; remaining native vegetation is also eaten by stock animals. The salt marshes have been changed (or sometimes destroyed) for urban and industrial development. Many of these habitat areas have also been overtaken for recreational use. These other activities reduce both the feeding and breeding grounds for the orange-bellied parrot.

A captive breeding programme in 1986-1991 was severely compromised when many of the birds contracted Psittacine Circoviral Disease (PCD). This same disease also affected wild populations.