I visited Foster Parrots this week, a non- profit organization devoted to providing a better life for unwanted and abused parrots, run by Marc Johnson and Karen Lee. My interest in Foster Parrots was sparked after being regaled by stories of two African Grey Parrots, Monty and Carnie, at a MIT party last week. Tulasi and Popsi Narasimhan are proud foster parents of an extraordinary duo who can talk and sing songs.
Monty and Carnie were residents of Foster Parents before finding their way into their new home. We all wish that these Grey Parrots could have instead lived out their lives in
Imposing captivity on a bird is one of the cruelest things a person can do to an intelligent creature that was meant to fly free over an enormous territorial range. Motivated by a love for animals and the desire for an exotic and intelligent pet, many people buy these animals without deeply considering the consequences of "owning" a bird. Hundreds of "wild caught" birds (and other animals) die in order to bring a few survivors into the pet trade. It is important to consider that "bred" birds do not thrive in captivity either. They, like those caught from the wild, are genetically designed to roam and access an enormous area, horizontally and vertically. Nothing that we as humans can do, can begin to simulate the lost freedom that these creatures should normally have enjoyed. Though, once they have been placed into the "human" system, reintroduction to the wild is rarely an option. Organizations like Foster Parrots do a superb job in providing a creative and loving environment for their residents.
A visit to the parrot sanctuary in
Yesterday, as I looked out onto my front garden (my on-going project), I was pleased to see several of my own regular winged visitors. Sixteen little sparrows were lined up on the phone line outside the dining room window. I was even more pleased simply knowing that they are "free".
Read more about Foster Parrots at: http://www.fosterparrots.com/index.html