Jamaican Parrots Being Sold Illegally

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is reminding the public that under the Wild Life Protection Act, it is illegal to buy and/or sell Jamaican Parrots, which are the Yellow-billed Parrot (Amazona collaria) and Black-billed Parrot (Amazona agilis). Persons found guilty of this offence can face a maximum fine of $100,000 or twelve (12) months in prison.
It is also illegal to export these parrots without a CITES Permit, as international trade is regulated under the Endangered Species (Protection, Conservation and Regulation of Trade) Act, 2000. Persons found guilty of trading without a permit can face a maximum fine of $2,000,000 and/or two (2) years in prison.
Yellow-billed and Black-billed Parrots are endemic to Jamaica, that is they are found only in Jamaica. They are listed as threatened on the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List of Threatened Species, that is, they are at the risk of extinction and the population needs to be protected. The main threats to Jamaica’s parrots are loss of habitat due deforestation, and poaching of the birds for sale as pets.
The public is being asked to contact NEPA at 754-7540 or 1 888 991 5005 to report any sale of Jamaican parrots.