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Date Published: 29/11/2021

ARCHIVED - Madrid culls thousands of invasive parrots

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

The exotic species is also experiencing a population boom in Andalucía

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Madrid culls thousands of invasive parrots

The highly controversial process of culling the wild parrot population has begun in Madrid, where the city council has authorised a special team to exterminate around 13,000 birds in the Fuente del Berro park, specifically of the Argentinean and Kramer variety, considered to be two of the most abundant invasive species in the capital.

The control campaign is carried out using compressed air rifles to kill the parrots, a method which has been heavily criticised by animal rights activists, who have called on the regional government to use more humane methods such as nets or sterilising the birds to control their population in Spain.

In addition to causing significant inconvenience to citizens, these parrots pose a serious threat to native flora and fauna, as well as being hotbeds for several diseases. The city council insists it has launched this campaign “for reasons of safety and protection of human health” given that the exotic Argentinean parrot population has increased by 85% since 2015.

The extermination plan will take 23 months in total at a cost of 2.9 million euros.

Aside from Madrid, the parrot population is also booming in Barcelona, Sevilla and Malaga. Researcher from the University of Malaga José Luis Postigo Sánchez, has pushed for communities who do not yet have a major problem to take immediate action to slow down the growth of the species. Not doing so, he said, would be akin to “not putting out a fire until it threatens a national park.”

For the moment, cities where the population of this invasive species is largest believe that the fastest and most effective method of control is killing the birds. However, while it is not permitted to release the parrots once they’re captured, the Royal Decree on Invasive Species does allow their adoption under certain circumstances, once they have been sterilised and properly registered.

3 millones de euros para ejecutar cruelmente a miles de cotorras. ¡Es una vergüenza, @AlmeidaPP_!#AlmeidaMataCotorras https://t.co/LzRDmeTLtg
— PACMA (@PartidoPACMA) November 26, 2021

Image: Ser Animalis

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