Professonal Assessment of the Pet Trade’s Impact on Wild Parrot Populations in Northern Nigeria

This study conducts a professional assessment of the impact of the live bird pet trade on wild parrot populations in the North West and North East geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Nigeria is a significant source and transit country for illegally traded parrots, particularly the grey parrot Psittacus erithacus, and the scale of wild capture and its population consequences are poorly quantified. Using a professional investigation design, bird markets in Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, and Gombe were surveyed monthly for six months, with species, estimated age, and apparent origin recorded for all parrots offered for sale. Trader interviews using structured questionnaires documented supply chain origins, volumes, prices, and seasonality. Population trend data from standardised surveys at two known grey parrot roost sites in Kebbi and Gombe States were compiled from three years of ranger records. A total of 284 individual parrots representing four species were recorded across all markets during the study period, with grey parrot comprising 62 percent. Trader interviews estimated an annual throughput of approximately 2,400 to 3,200 wild-caught parrots through the four markets. Roost population indices showed a 40 percent decline over three years at both monitored sites. The study delivers a comprehensive policy brief with recommendations for enforcement, demand reduction, and legal captive breeding as alternatives to wild capture. Keywords: parrot trade, wild bird trade, Psittacus erithacus, Nigeria, illegal wildlife trade.