1. From Cage to Rainforest.
- Author
-
Thomas H. White Jr. and Nuñez-Garcia, Fernando
- Subjects
PUERTO Rican parrot ,ENDANGERED species ,ENVIRONMENTALISM ,WILDLIFE conservation ,ECOLOGY - Abstract
The Puerto Rican parrot, Amazona vittata endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, is one of the 10 most endangered birds in the world. When Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico in 1493, the parrot was well known to the native Taino Indians, who called it Iguaca, after the sound of its distinctive flight call. However, the subsequent European colonization of Puerto Rico eventually resulted in a major increase in the island's human population. This increase led to widespread agricultural deforestation, shooting of parrots for food or crop depredation, and the liking of wild nestlings for household pets.
- Published
- 2003