Species Use Database

African grey parrot
Psittacus erithacus

Used for Keeping/companionship/display in Guinea

A. Species

Scientific name: Psittacus erithacus

Common name(s): African grey parrot

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Endangered


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • Guinea

Country/Region:


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: National Level

Name/Details of location: Guinea


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 2000

End Year: 2007


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Hunting and/or Trapping of live terrestrial and aerial animals

Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Keeping/companionship/display

Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community)

Is this use legal or illegal?: Some use is legal and some is illegal


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people and National / local private sector


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable

Details of assessment carried out: This NDF Case study

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The population is believed to have declined significantly in Guinea, with concern that permitted exports may not be within sustainable levels. Suspected illegal trade is a concern. High mortality (c. 43%) ofc hicks harvested). Data suggest that c. 21 % of the wild population is being harvested annually.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable

Details of assessment carried out: This NDF report

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Brief mention of websites in Europe and the US that give information on African grey parrot care and welfare. 43% of chicks that are harvested die.


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

“The Animals Committee of CITES has recommended up to a two-year ban from January 2007 on exports of African Grey Parrots Psittacus erithacus from four West African countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea). More data needed on population size and successful fledging rates.


Record source

Information about the record source: grey_lit

Date of publication/issue/production: 2008-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):

AFRICAN GREY PARROT PSITTACUS ERITHACUS CASE STUDY (2008).
By Phillip Mcgowan
NDF WORKSHOP CASE STUDIES
WG 6 – Birds
CASE STUDY 1
Psittacus erithacus
Country – GUINEA

Date of record entry: 2023-09-29