Rosemary Low

Rosemary Low (born 1942) is a British aviculture aviculturist, ornithology ornithologist, expert on parrots, curator of parrot collections, wildlife conservation conservationist, photographer, editor, international lecturer, and author of numerous articles and books. In the late 1980s and during the 1990s, she was curator of birds at Loro Parque, Tenerife, and subsequently at Palmitos Park, Gran Canaria. For 15 years until 2004, she served as editor of PsittaScene Magazine, published by the World Parrot Trust. Quotes Red-and-blue lory Red and Blue Lory (‘’Eos histrio’’)This Loriini lory is an almost unique case of how a parrot can be endangered by trade without specific demand. It was literally unknown in aviculture until only five years ago. There was always a local trade, within the Sangihe Islands Sangihe and Talaud Islands Regency Talaud islands, the only places where it occurs. These islands form a chain from northern Sulawesi to Mindanao in the Philippines. Then suddenly, hundreds of birds were captured and exported. In 1992 about 1,000 were captured, at least 700 of which were exported. In that year, at least 200 died from disease and neglect at the premises of one dealer in Jakarta. I saw dozens crowded together in the cages of a dealer in Singapore. This would have been appalling whatever the species. AFA Watchbird magazine 24 3 1997 The Endangered Parrots of Indonesia https://watchbird-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/1169 55–64 Parrots were not designed to live in houses. They are noisy and destructive and suffer probably more than any other animal when kept in an unstimulating environment. They need constant interaction, either with a human or another parrot, to keep them happy and healthy. Keeping a parrot is so much more demanding than keeping a dog or cat. Alas, the fact that many owners have failed, and failed miserably, is evidenced in the growing number of parrot refuges. They are filled with feather-plucked or phobic parrots whose former owners had no idea of their emotional needs. Introduction Why Does My Parrot...? revised Souvenir Press 2015 9780285643062 https://books.google.com/books?id=eyuGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT5 (304 pages; 1st edition 2000) Parent-rearing keeps the pairs occupied for weeks or months, according to the species. They need the occupation. Rearing reduces the monotony of the days and weeks and years which have little to distinguish them. Boredom and lack of stimulation is a very real problem for the more intelligent species. Many parrots enjoy family life and most "owners" obtain a lot of enjoyment from seeing family groups in an aviary. (And I do mean an aviary and not a little suspended cage where close confinement can result in aggressive encounters.) Why parent-rearing of parrots is so important PsittaScene 13 1 February 2001 12–13 https://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_about_parrots/reference_library/behaviour_and_environmental_enrichment/PS%2013%201%20Feb%2001%20parent%20rearing.pdf (quote from p. 12) ... Colombia has one of the highest, if not the highest, number of bird species within its shores of any country worldwide: currently believed to be 1,875 (Compare that with just over 300 species found in the UK!). This high number is attributable to its unique location and to its topography. It is the only country in South America that has an Atlantic and a Pacific coast and it is also unique in stretching from Central America to the Amazon River. Three mountain ranges of the magnificent Andes occupy the western part of the country; in the east the habitats vary from lush rainforest and flat grasslands to sandy desert.Given this variety of habitats, it is not surprising that Colombia has the second or third highest number of parrot species worldwide, a total of 52. This is exceeded by Brazil with about 72 species and possibly by Australia with 52 or 53 species. (These numbers could be revised at any time as DNA research often indicates that a particular species is, in fact, two species.) There is a sad statistic connected with Colombia's 50 plus parrot species: at least 12 are in imminent danger of extinction. 34 1 2007 AFA Watchbird Little-known Parrots of the Colombian Andes https://watchbird-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/watchbird/index.php/watchbird/article/view/3510 44–53 I can't emphasize enough how important parent-rearing is, because by hand-rearing we are denying parrots their birthright unless it is possible to wean them with ... other birds of their own species. Wisdom for the Ages, conversation about parrots with Rosemary Low, Chris Shank, and Dr. Susan Orosz March 22, 2025 Phoenix Landing, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D1lVy8LpyU&t=465s (quote at 7:45 of 1:17:25 in video) External links Rosemary Low website https://www.rosemarylow.co.uk Exclusive: Rosemary Low on Female Heroes of Bird Conservation 29 April 2022 Discover Animals (discoveranimals.co.uk) https://www.discoveranimals.co.uk/news/rosemary-low-female-heroes-bird-conservation/ (as reported by Abbe Bates) Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:Curators Category:Environmentalists from England Category:Ornithologists Category:Non-fiction authors from England Category:Women born in the 1940s Category:Women authors from England