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The Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP e. V.) is a German non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 2006 which, according to its own statements, is committed to the protection of species of parrots. In 2018, ACTP became the subject of international media coverage due to controversial imports of highly endangered parrots and criticism by Australian and Dominican politicians and conservationists.

Foundation, goals and locations

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Founder and "man behind the ACTP" since 2006 is Martin Guth, a private citizen living near Berlin.[1] The ACTP's website describes its work as follows: "Under the motto "Protect animals - preserve habitat - build the future" we carry out innovative and sustainable projects worldwide to save endangered parrots and their habitats. We carry out our projects together with our local partners." This includes both in-situ and ex-situ measures. [2]

Critics of the ACTP see their main activity as the breeding of captive parrots in Germany, known as "safety populations".[3]

According to ACTP's own information (as of 2017), parrots are kept at several locations in Germany: a breeding site in Tasdorf, a quarantine centre in nearby Schöneiche and a winter station in Weeze. There would also be two animal clinics, one in Aachen and one at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen.[3] According to its website, the association was based in Frankfurt Oder, but moved to Hanover in 2018 for security reasons.

Participation in the Spix Ara project

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In the 1980s and 1990s, Spix's Macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii) were poached to extinction by the international bird trade. Up to $80,000 per bird was paid. The last free-range brood in 1987 was also poached.[4]

The only hope of survival for the species was a captive breeding program. However, Brazil did not build an adequate population of its own. The Brazilian government, advised by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), and since 1989 a permanent committee for the rescue of the Spix's Macaw (CPRAA), offered in 1990 Spix's Macaw keepers who wanted to take part in the breeding program an amnesty and in return renounced the confiscation abroad. Trade in the species was ruled out under all circumstances.[5][6]

In the mid-1990s, the Swiss Roland Messer owned several Spix's Macaws, resulting from dubious transactions.[7] In 2009, Messer was arrested in Brazil for smuggling other species' parrot eggs.[8] Until 2001, the last free-living Spix's Macaw, a single bird, was observed; after its disappearance, the species has been considered extinct in the wild.[9] In 2005, the ownership of Spix's Macaws was unclear. Messer sold Spix's Macaws both to Martin Guth and a large number of birds to Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) in Qatar, although it is unclear how many birds Guth had for the period thereafter.[7][10] In 2005, BfN Guth approved the import of 3 Spix's Macaws.[11] In 2009, ACTP had only two Spix's Macaws, both females.[10] As a result, they were exchanged or passed on to ACTP. In 2011 the ACTP had 7 Spix's Macaws.[12] In 2011 two young animals hatched in the ACTP.[13] In 2015 several participants of the breeding project succeeded in breeding a total of 20 young animals, in 2016 Qatar reported at least 17 young birds. The ACTP hatched two chicks, two chicks were handed over to Brazil.[11] In 2016, the keepers committed themselves to deliver 70 percent of their offspring to Brazil for five years.[11] On July 12, 2016, ACTP, AWWP, the operators of the Facenda Cachoeira in Brazil and Parrots International were among the signatories of a contract with the Brazilian government, which is to "concretely agree and financially secure the cooperation for the next ten years".[11] In 2018, four years after the sudden death of the AWWP founder, their livestock was dissolved. Among other things, a large number of Spix's Macaws were transferred to the ACTP.[14] According to the ACTP, the heirs were forced to take 120 Spix's Macaws out of the Country.[15] Four Spix's macaws were transferred in 2018 by the ACTP to the Belgian private zoo Pairi Daiza,[16][17] which at least partially finances the activities of the ACTP on Dominica. For March 2019 plans are that 50 of the 141 Spix's Macaws (as of 2018) will have been handed over to the Brazilian state.[15]

Within the framework of the cooperation with Brazil, the ACTP also acquired another parrot species endemic to Brazil and breeds Lear's Macaws.

Halmahera

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In 2008, the Loro Parque Fundacón (LPF) reported that ACTP was a project partner on Halmahera in addition to ZGAP.[18] The ACTP website also contains the report, with an amount of €50,000 already paid, although the ACTP share is not disclosed. This participation can only be found in an archive version of the ACTP website.[19] In a 2016 published project report about the Halmahera King Parakeet there is no reference to the ACTP.[20]

Caribbean

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St. Lucia

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The ACTP is active on several Caribbean islands. For example on St. Lucia where endemic Saint Lucia amazon (Amazona versicolor) live. Long before the ACTP was founded, the first protective measures began, in which international nature conservation organisations also participated. The species has been a national bird since 1979.[21][22] In 2009, the ACTP introduced themselves to St. Lucia as businessmen, not as conservationists at the Ministry of Forestry. The forestry official warned against a contract with the ACTP. In 2009, ACTP donated off-road vehicles to the Saint Lucia Forestry Administration.[3] Since January 2010 there is a breeding contract for the blue masked Amazon between the ACTP and the government of St. Lucia.[23] In 2018, the ACTP reportedly financed a nature experience centre there.[24] Amazons living in the zoo on St. Lucia were examined by ACTP veterinarian Marcellus Bürkle in January 2018.[25] The ACTP holds a publicly unknown number of these Amazons.[3]

St. Vincent

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On St. Vincent lives the endemic Saint Vincent amazon (Amazona guildingii)[22] The ACTP also operates a project of this kind, which also includes money and donations in Kind.[26] In August 2014, the government of St. Vincent confirmed that there was a contract with the ACTP. But it denied that in return for money and material resources - for example three jeeps - it planned to export Amazons to Germany. The opposition had accused the government of such an Agreement.[27] Information from the ACTP of 2015 shows three jeeps destined for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.[28] Animals of this species are also owned by the ACTP.[28]

Dominica

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Two endemic parrot species live on the Caribbean island of Dominica: the Imperial amazon (Amazona imperialis), which is also the island's national bird, and the Red-necked amazon (Amazona arausiaca).[29] For both parrots protection programs existed for decades for which the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF)[30] cooperated with local authorities and conservationists and informed and financially supported the ZGAP (1989, 1990, 1993 as well as 2017)[31][3] The RSCF and its local partners also succeeded in breeding a World Heritage Imperial amazon.[32]Hurricane Maria Dominica devastated on 18 and 19 September 2017 respectively. The habitats of the Amazon species were also severely affected. In 1979 Hurricane David devastated Dominica had led to considerable losses also in the Amazon parrot populations. Probably only 70 Imperial Amazons had survived. According to BirdLife International, by 2017 the populations had recovered to a maximum of 350 emperor and 1000 Red-necked amazon.[29] In 2018 ACTP representatives visited the island several times, joint by ZGAP representatives, among them Rene Wüst and Marcellus Bürkle, and exported the entire population of Amazons, which lived in aviaries in the botanical garden of the capital (two Imperial amazon and ten Red-necked amazon), to Germany.[33][34] Die Papageien wurden an einem Samstagmorgen ohne Information der Bevölkerung aus den Volieren geholt.[35] The export took place on 17 March 2018 with a private charter plane over St. Lucia.[3]

This led to national and international protests. The RSCF distanced itself sharply. The nature conservation organisation BirdsCaribbean criticised the export and demanded the return of the Amazons. They explained that the ACTP had claimed to provide emergency aid, but surprisingly for all the exporters (). Two imperial Amazons are far too few for an effective and genetically sound breeding programme. A programme based on this would be scientifically doubtful. BirdsCaribbean also doubted the legality of the action.[36][37] In addition to BirdsCaribbean and RSCF, American Bird Conservancy, City Parrots, Defenders of Wildlife, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Echo Bonaire, NABU, Pro Wildlife and Species Survival Network also signed an open letter against the action.[38][39] 40 scientists signed another protest letter.[3]

The ACTP responded to the criticism by stating that the action had been legal.[40] The ACTP responded to the criticism by stating that the action had been legal[40] and continued to publish veterinary findings on the poor health of the Amazons, which the RSCF contradicted.[41]

Imports from Australia

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Between 2015 and November 2018, ACTP imported 232 birds from Australia, including Carnaby's black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris) and Baudin's black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii), Glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) and Purple-crowned lorikeet (Glossopsitta porphyrocephala).[42][43] The export of native animals from Australia has been banned since the end of the 19th century and is only possible with exemptions. The only exception is when the species is sent to a registered zoo for preservation, research or exhibition.[44] A possibility that arises, for example, in the case of the Baudins white eared raven cockatoo from the Cites classification as Appendix II, which supplements this with the non-endangerment of the wild population.[45]

Even before the export there was criticism.[1][3] According to a report in the British daily The Guardian there are still doubts about the legality of the export licences, which essentially stem from two problems: Martin Guth's criminal record had not been disclosed, which would have been mandatory. And the ACTP is not a zoo but a private Collection.[46] Australian conservationists questioned by the Gardian further pointed out that exports also included Australian species that are not threatened and that mutation forms (with no conservation value) where plentiful among them. Both contradict the purpose of a "safety population" and point to trade.[3] The Lorikeets were passed on to a Danish private collector which does not correspond to the export agreements. Prior to 2017 there never was only 1 legal export of this species to Europe, to a Spanish zoo.[3] Furthermore the ACTP would trade with these protected species.[43][3] A pair of brown-headed cockatoos costs 95.000, two pairs 180.000 €.[3]

Two Australian politicians, Sarah Hanson-Young [47] (Greens) and Warren Entsch (Liberal National Party of Queensland)[3] protestierten scharf gegen den Export. protested sharply against exports. On 11 December 2018 the Humane Society International Australia sharply condemns the export by the ACTP and demands a tightening of the legal situation.[48]

Successful Australian conservation plans exist for the endangered species that have been exported, in which state organisations and NGOs work together[49][50][46] According to a breeding report, Martin Guth has already had experience in keeping black cockatoos in 2006.[51] One source of export is the Priam Psittaculture Centre.[1]

In Australia, the ACTP also donated $200,000 to a project of the Western Parakeet (Pezoporus wallicus flaviventris). The project explained that if one had known about the background, one would not have accepted this donation.[3]

Origin and Connections of Martin Guth

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To the CV of Martin Guth

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Martin Guth grew up in the GDR, broke off an apprenticeship as an animal keeper and went to the West in 1989, where he worked for a year in a pet shop. In 1992, he worked as a full-time nightclub operator for one of his suppliers as a private debt collector. He kidnapped the debtors and threatened to cut off their fingers, among other things. He was not licensed as a debt collector. In September 1996, he was sentenced to five years in prison for hostage taking, attempted fraud and extortion. After his release, he was sentenced to a second 20-month prison term for further cases of extortion. The sentence states: "His main activity is the management of an organisation for endangered parrots.“[3]

Connections to the Abou-Chaker-Clan and Halbwelt in Berlin

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When the film biography Bushido's Times Change You 2010 was produced by Bernd Eichinger, a sum was due to Arafat Abou-Chaker, which was declared a donation to a parrot club.[52][46] Abou-Chaker was a business partner of Messer.[8] Martin Guth had close ties to the clan: a photo shows Guth and Abou-Chaker picking up his brother, who had been sentenced for pimping, from prison after serving his sentence.[46][43] A few years ago Guth was travelling for months in a luxury car registered on Arafat Abou-Chaker.[46] With an Abou-Chaker car he went on a shopping spree with guests at European parrot breeders.[53] The Berlin public prosecutor's office counts Guth among organised crime.[46] The Frankfurt (Oder) public prosecutor's office investigated Guth and Abou-Chaker in 2015 on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering. The proceedings were discontinued.[46]

Collaboration with illegal pet dealers

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An ACTP breeding centre in Wisbroek, the Netherlands, is run by a bird trader convicted of illegal trade in animals in 2015.[3]

Einzelnachweise

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  1. ^ a b c Simon Degenhard: ACTP – ein Jahrzehnt Einsatz für die Papageien. In: PAPAGEIEN 2/2017 S. 55–57
  2. ^ https://www.act-parrots.org/mission-ziele/
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Lisa Cox, Philip Oltermann: ‘A legitimate zoo?’ How an obscure German group cornered global trade in endangered parrots. In: The Gardian vom 10.12.2018.
  4. ^ Anita Albus: Von seltenen Vögeln. S. Fischer Verlag 2016
  5. ^ Artenschutz: Die Loro Parque Fundación bringt vier weitere Spix-Aras nach Brasilien zurück. In: Gefiederte Welt vom 25.06.2013
  6. ^ Noel F. R. Snyder, Philip McGowan: Parrots: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2000-2004. IUCN 2000, S. 130f.
  7. ^ a b Tony Juniper: Spix's Macaw: The Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird. 2004 z.B. S. 211
  8. ^ a b Timo Nowack, Christian Bütikofer: ÜBERNAHMEN: Bushido und der IV-Rentner – Pleiten und Papageien In: Handelszeitung vom 16.05.2013.
  9. ^ Verpatztes Techtelmechtel. In: Der Spiegel vom 15.01.2001
  10. ^ a b Paul Donald, Nigel Collar, Stuart Marsden, Deborah J. Pain: Facing Extinction: The World's Rarest Birds and the Race to Save Them. 2. Auflage 2013 A&C Black. Hier: S. 207f.
  11. ^ a b c d Pressemitteilung des BfN:Spix Aras sollen in Brasilien bald wieder heimisch werden. von 2016.
  12. ^ Andrea Weil: Die letzten Spix-Aras leben in Schöneiche In: Märkische Oderzeitung vom 10.07.2011, 17:52 Uhr - Aktualisiert 11.07.2011, 10:35.
  13. ^ ACTP: Erste Spix-Aras in 2011 geschlüpft, Berliner Morgenpost: Nachwuchs bei seltenen Spix-Aras in Schöneiche
  14. ^ Spix-Aras von Katar zur ACTP nach Berlin gebracht PAPAGEIEN 07/2018
  15. ^ a b Bastian Henrichs, Monika Keiler: Papageien am Limit In: Greenpeace Magazin Ausgabe 5/2018.
  16. ^ | Spix-Aras im Tierpark Pairi Daiza/Belgien In: Gefiederte Welt 11/2018
  17. ^ "Pairi Daiza". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  18. ^ Neuigkeiten über endemische Papageien aus Halmahera, Indonesien. In: Cyanopsitta 2008
  19. ^ "Archivversion der ACTP Webseite".
  20. ^ HANOM BASHARI & IRFAN ROSYADI: Anmerkungen zum Halmahera-Königssittich. In: Papageien 7/2016 online
  21. ^ "St Lucia parrot | Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust". Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  22. ^ a b Christian, Colmore S.; Lacher, Thomas E.; Zamore, Michael P.; Potts, Thomas D.; Burnett, G.Wesley (1996-01-01), "Parrot conservation in the lesser Antilles with some comparison to the Puerto Rican efforts", Biological Conservation (in German), vol. 77, no. 2–3, pp. 159–167, doi:10.1016/0006-3207(96)00005-5, ISSN 0006-3207, retrieved 2019-01-01
  23. ^ "Blaumaskenamazone". ACTP (in German). Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  24. ^ ACTP finanziert Naturerlebnis-Center auf Saint Lucia. In: PAPAGEIEN 03/2018
  25. ^ ACTP. "Neues aus der Karibik".
  26. ^ "Königsamazone". ACTP (in German). Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  27. ^ "St Vincent government dismisses allegations of trading endangered parrots for aid". Caribbean360. 2014-08-15. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  28. ^ a b "Januar 2015". ACTP (in German). Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  29. ^ a b Gunther Willinger: Zoff um Papageien in Deutschland. In: Spektrum von 16.05.2018.
  30. ^ Reillo, P.R., S. Durand, R. Winston, M. Maximea, and D. Williams. 2002. Flying high with the Jaco and Sisserou: real-time parrot conservation on Dominica, nature island of the Caribbean. Amazona Society U.K. 11(4): 7-19. Reillo, P.R. 2001. Imperial Recovery: Dominica’s flagship parrot on the comeback. Psittascene 13: 4-5.
  31. ^ "ZGAP - Projekte - Jahresübersicht". 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  32. ^ Reillo, P.R., Durand, S. and M. Burton. 2011. First captive breeding of the imperial parrot. Zoo Biology 30: 328-341.
  33. ^ Heike Kalbus: 22.Tagung des Fonds für bedrohte Papageien. In: Papageien 12/2018.
  34. ^ ACTP. "Neues aus der Karibik".
  35. ^ "Gov't says rare bird 'transfer' legal; made for breeding purposes – Dominica News Online". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  36. ^ BirdsCaribbean questions export of endangered Dominican parrots In: Dominica News Online vom 19. April 2018.
  37. ^ BirdsCaribbean: BirdsCaribbean Speaks Out on Recent Controversial Export of Threatened Parrots from Dominica to Germany vom 3. April 2018.]
  38. ^ petchary (2018-04-09). "Letter to the UN Environment Programme Expresses Concern Over Transfer of Rare Dominican Parrots to Germany". Petchary's Blog. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  39. ^ "UNEP told Dominica parrots controversy is of grave concern – Dominica News Online". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  40. ^ ACTP reagiert auf Vorwürfe von Naturschützern PAPAGEIEN 06/2018
  41. ^ Verlinkt von der Homepage der RSCF: Independent review of ACTP’s health report on exported Dominican parrots
  42. ^ ACTP erhält Braunkopfkakadus aus Australien. In: Papageien 11/2015
  43. ^ a b c "ACTP – Papageienzucht mit fragwürdiger Artenschutz-Motivation". Zoosmedia (in German). Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  44. ^ Carly Cassella: Australia Sent Hundreds of Rare Birds to a German Zoo That Might Not Actually Be a Zoo auf www.sciencealert.com am 13.12.2018
  45. ^ Australische Regierung: Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) Recovery Plan (2008) S. 15.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g Alexander Fröhlich (12.12.2018). "Abou-Chaker und die organisierte Vogelzucht". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Retrieved 2018-12-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ Hanson-Young auf ihrem verifizierten Twitteraccaunt: https://twitter.com/sarahinthesen8/status/1072707550699634689?fbclid=IwAR0IqA9SPW2-BeH-C7VXjY6sOoutgpqpMu4P7se8e3i_3ch7bUR3WzuGYvg
  48. ^ HSI calls for Parliamentary Inquiry after shocking wildlife export revalations
  49. ^ For instance: Calyptorhynchus latirostris
  50. ^ Beispiel: Calyptorhynchus baudinii
  51. ^ Guth, M. & Deiner, M.: Deutsche Erstzucht des Gelbohr-Rabenkakadus. In: PAPAGEIEN 04/2006 XY
  52. ^ Bushido: "Falls mir etwas passiert, ist für meine Familie gesorgt". In: Stern 2018
  53. ^ Peter Rossberg und Axel Lier: Ein Verein zum Schutz von bedrohten Papageien, der weltweit aktiv ist und dessen Verquickung zur Berliner Unterwelt der Clans. Podcast vom 12.12.2018.
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