Skip to content 
Wild parakeet populations in Pakistan are on the verge of disappearing from forests and plains, experts warn. The illegal pet trade and habitat destruction have caused a sharp decline in parakeet numbers over the last decade, pushing these iconic birds towards extinction.
Read also: PTI Lawmaker Recaptured at Multan Airport After Dramatic Escape
Rab Nawaz, a senior official at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan, told Anadolu that the illegal parakeet trade is extensive due to high pet demand. This has led poachers to capture large quantities of wild birds, resulting in a significant population decrease over the past ten years.
Wildlife expert Anis Rehman described parakeet smuggling as “massively rampant” across border regions with India in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and throughout central and southern Punjab. Captured birds are sold in local and international pet markets for substantial profits, with local communities actively participating in poaching and trafficking.
Habitat loss compounds the problem. Parakeets need old, dead trees with hollows for nesting, but these are often cut down by people unaware of their ecological importance, according to Mubeenullah Mobeen from the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation.
Pakistan is home to four parakeet species: Alexandrine, rose-ringed, slaty-headed, and plum-headed. All have experienced steep population declines and are now considered locally endangered. Nawaz noted that their distribution is now restricted to a few border areas.
Rehman, founding chairman of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, cautioned that without serious recovery efforts, parakeets face imminent extinction risk. He estimated current populations to be just a small fraction of what existed 25-30 years ago.
Experts stress the vital role parakeets play in seed dispersal and natural forest regeneration. Rehman warned that their extinction could halt natural forest spread in Pakistan.
To address the crisis, Nawaz called for a strict ban on parakeet poaching and smuggling until populations recover. He believes that if poaching pressure is contained, parakeet numbers could rebound within a few years.
