The critically endangered cockatoo thriving in an urban jungle
On a sweltering summer day in Hong Kong Park, nestled between skyscrapers in the urban center of the Asian metropolis, a yellow-crested cockatoo perches on a branch. It's one of a small flock of rare cockatoos that are critically endangered in their native habitats, yet thriving in Hong Kong — offering hope to conservationists that the species can be saved. Look through the gallery to learn more about this charismatic cockatoo.
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Not to be confused with the greater sulfur-crested cockatoo (which is much larger, not endangered and native to Australia), the yellow-crested cockatoos found in Hong Kong (pictured) originally hail from Indonesia and Timor Leste, and are about two-thirds of the size. "They look very similar, but they are a different species," says Astrid Andersson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hong Kong who specializes in traded species.
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It was once abundant in Indonesia's tropical island forests, but extensive poaching for the exotic pet trade has devastated wild populations, and fewer than 2,000 mature individuals remain in the wild. Around 10% of the global population lives in Hong Kong -- where numbers have quadrupled since the 1970s.
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The cockatoos gravitate towards the city's urban parks, like Hong Kong Park (pictured). Filled with exotic plant species and ornamental trees, these parks provide flora similar to the cockatoo's natural habitat.
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Yellow-crested cockatoos nest in old trees, typically more than 100 years old, which form cavities in the trunk. This bird is peering out of a nest hole in a tree at Hong Kong Park, waiting for its mate to bring back food.
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In this photo, Andersson points to the nest of a yellow-crested cockatoo on campus. The limited number of nesting sites is restricting the growth of the population, the researcher says, adding that nest boxes could help the population flourish.
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Andersson developed a method to test the chemical composition of the cockatoo's feathers, which reflects the bird's diet and can help spot wild birds — which eat a variety of plants, fruits and flowers, like the one pictured — versus captive birds, which eat a diet high in corn.
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There's still demand for the yellow-crested cockatoos as pets, and ones that have been bred in captivity can still be legally traded. Andersson says there have been reports of poaching activity in Hong Kong, and the "gray area" in trading laws means wild birds could be passed off as captive-bred -- which she hopes her testing method can combat.
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No one knows exactly how the yellow-crested cockatoos ended up in Hong Kong — but as the birds were a popular pet in the 20th century, Andersson suspects some were either released by their owners, or managed to escape. "They have this ability to problem-solve," says Andersson, describing the birds as clever, adaptable and curious.
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In Hong Kong (pictured), Andersson says the cockatoos are an important, iconic species that "provide humans with interaction with wild animals" that can help city dwellers "spark a passion for conservation or protecting the environment."
