Key fobs help Critically Endangered cockatoo

The creation of hand-stitched key fobs is helping prevent the extinction of the endemic Red-vented Cockatoo. The parrot – known colloquially as Philippine Cockatoo – is classified as Critically Endangered and has suffered a huge and rapid population decline due to the loss of its lowland habitats, as well as illegal trapping for trade. To reverse its fortunes, Loro Parque Fundación (LPF) has supported the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program (PCCP) since 1999, which uses Philippine Cockatoo as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation. This year, PCCP engaged local people by providing training for sewing skills so that handmade key fobs depicting the cockatoo, as well as other Philippine wildlife, could be made.

With as few as 650 individuals left in the wild, Philippine Cockatoo is classified as Critically Endangered (Peter Widmann).

The 'Sewing for a Cause' training took place in Puerto Princesa City, encouraging local people to raise awareness and help conserve Philippine Cockatoo and its habitat on the island of Palawan. Training was first given to women's groups from Puerto Princesa City and Narra, a region that includes Rasa Island, a key site that holds up to 40 per cent of the wild population of Philippine Cockatoo. A second round of training was given to inmates from the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, taking place inside a medium security compound.

PCCP Director Indira Lacerna co-ordinated the training, which was given by specialists Melanie Tan and Trinkey Costantino, both of whom are active birders from the Philippine capital of Manila. In addition to the annual support from LPF, the training was also sponsored by the German Embassy, the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and the Whitley Fund for Nature.

The estimated total wild population of Philippine Cockatoo is no more than 1,120 individuals, but could be as low as 650. The species has disappeared from all but a handful of the Philippine islands, its stronghold now being Palawan. In addition to all the scientific aspects of its work, PCCP places great emphasis on involving local communities in order to demonstrate the socio-economic benefits associated with preserving birds such as the cockatoo.