Birdworld has rehomed 20 Hill Myna birds that were illegally imported into Europe soon before the Government-enforced lockdown.

Duncan Bolton, Curator at Birdworld, explained:

“At Birdworld conservation and welfare are at the centre of everything we do. When we received the call that these birds had been seized by Border Control, we knew we had to do everything we could to help the birds and give them a home despite these uncertain and financially difficult times. We may be closed to the public, but we continue to care for over 1,000 animals.

“It is unclear where in the wild the birds originated from specifically and since we don’t know their place of origin, it means we are unable to safely return them to the wild.”

All birds are in good health and are currently undergoing DNA tests to identify the gender. Once this has been determined, a breeding programme with partner zoos will be developed to protect the future of this population.

Duncan added:

“Although Hill Mynas aren’t listed as an endangered species, they remain at risk and the numbers continue to decline across their range. By establishing a sustainable breeding program for the birds, we hope to combat this declining number and contribute to securing their future.”