Anne Sofie Meilvang of the Limbe Wildlife Center blogs:The whole Limbe team is very busy taking care of the parrots that we received in the beginning of December.
Last week we finished a 25-by-4-by-3-meter flight cage for the parrots. The cage is placed in the Botanic Garden just opposite the wildlife centre on the edge of the Bota Hill Forest. The cage has perches in each end and is covered by palm ferns on the sides to make the parrots feel safe. During the night we have a security guard on the spot, to make sure that the parrots will not get stolen. “World Parrot Trust” has paid the construction of the flight-cage.
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This Saturday we moved the first parrots to the cage. Before moving them we check their feather and the ones, who need to have their feathers plucked, stay in the cage in the wildlife center. We pluck the feathers one the ones that have had their wing-feathers clipped off. In that way the feather will re-grow faster. The parrots are also treated for parasites. “World Parrots Trust” has sent us bands to put on all the birds. When the parrots are released back to the wild, it will be interesting to find out where they go, and see if they end up here again. The catching and moving of the parrots early in the morning, so the parrots will not overheat.
So far we have moved almost 300 parrots to the flight cage. From the new group we have many strong birds with intact feathers.
The parrots get a variety of food. We are trying many different fruits, leaves, seeds and vegetables to find out what they prefer.
We have changed the way of feeding, where we before always feed in feeders on the floor, we have now moved the feeders up on platforms, and the parrots seems to like that.
It takes a lot of time, people and money to take care of the parrots and we really appreciate all the organizations and people that have already given us support. I am sure that the parrots are happy, too. I have just passed by the new flight cage and the parrots are eating, singing and making happy sounds!
