Home > News & Events > MAARSianChronicles > Issue 13: August 2005 > MAARS in the Media: MAARS in Animal Wise Radio Marathon / Japanese Language Book Explores Parrot Welfare Issues

MAARS in the Media

MAARS in Animal Wise Radio Marathon

MAARS was featured on AM 950 Air America Minnesota, for the Animal Wise Radio Marathon. Animal Ark personalities hosted 23 hours of non-stop animal radio which included one entire hour devoted to captive birds. MAARS Senior Staff, Alayne Rueber and Eileen McCarthy, shared their knowledge and insight of captive birds and represented all the wonderful work that the organization does.

Japanese Language Book Explores Parrot Welfare Issues

by Tomoko Lin Imanishi about her book, Save the Parrots

In 2004, author Tomoko Lin Imanishi spent time at MAARS and with other rescue and conservation professionals learning about parrot conservation and captive parrot welfare issues. Her book, Save the Parrots, was recently published in her native Japanese, and includes photos of MAARS birds.

A few years ago, when I didn't know what to do with my passion for birds in general and preserving the Amazon rainforest, I found a stray lovebird on a busy street…she stole my heart. She became the center of my daily life.

When my little lovebird fell ill with an undiagnosed condition, I reached out to experienced caregivers asking for help. Eileen McCarthy, Executive Director of MAARS, obtained medical advice from MAARS veterinarians and offered emotional support via e-mail. Although I could not save the lovebird — despite the days, weeks, and months of constant care, feedings, medications, and visits to vet clinics — I was inspired by Eileen's compassion for every bird's life, no matter how small she may be.

Thus began my education on the issues of parrot conservation and captive parrot welfare. Along the way, I met several dedicated and passionate parrot advocates. I, too, wanted to do something to save the parrots, and writing became my forum for parrot advocacy. I published a book in my native language, Japanese, called Save the Parrots. My goal was to educate the Japanese parrot-keeping community and expose the plight that parrots are facing in the wild and at home. In Japan, there are only a few parrot rescue groups and information on issues like illegal trade is very limited.

I couldn't have completed this book without help from many individuals and organizations such as Environmental Investigation Agency, PETA India, Jamie Gilardi of World Parrot Trust, Marc Johnson of Foster Parrots, Charles Munn of Tropical Nature, and Eileen McCarthy of MAARS. The book contains topics on trapping and smuggling, eco-tourism, and the welfare of captive parrots. The book also has pictures of MAARS' cockatoo, Angel, who was featured in A Pet Story on Animal Planet television. Angel lost her maxilla to a mate trauma, which is fairly common in breeding pairs of captive cockatoos. Angel now has a prosthetic maxilla and lives with Eileen and her husband, Brian Michael.

I hope that through my writing and other efforts, more people will realize birds do not belong to a cage and will, instead, travel to see parrots in the wild — as nature intended, rather than holding them captive.

Tomoko Lin Imanishi can be contacted via email at: yellowfeathers@cox.net.

All content Copyright © 1999-2019 by Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services, Inc.

Return to Top