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A small parrot with a romantic name is on the verge of extinction through logging in the four countries where he lives in southern Africa, researchers said.
This is due to the fact that the Mopane trees in which Lilian's inseparable sleep are increasingly cut for the trade of wood and charcoal. This occurs in the declining distribution range of birds in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
"The mopane is being cleared at an alarming rate for wood and charcoal," said Tiwonge Mzumara-Gawa, ecologist and ornithologist at the Malawi University of Science and Technology.
"We need a regional agreement to put an end to the legal exploitation of Mopane in the four countries concerned until a full evaluation is carried out on the amount of oil used." "A propitious habitat (for Lilian's lovebird) available," she told RFI.
The interest of Mzumara-Gawa for lovebirds began 13 years ago, when she fell on Lilian lovebirds who had been poisoned by poachers around a point of interest. water in Liwonde National Park, Malawi.
"This meeting led me to ask questions about the consequences of poisoning on this species. And so, in 2010, I started my research at Liwonde and now, I'm more interested in the conservation of the species in its range in countries other than Malawi, "he said. she said.
Lilian lovebirds, who derive their name from their habit of licking each other in such a way as to give the impression that they embrace each other, are clbadified as "almost under threat" by the louse. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In May, Mzumara-Gawa and others published a study with BirdLife International based on research conducted in Zambia. The study confirmed that these tiny green, orange and red birds are restricted to Mopane's forests, which are declining rapidly, especially in areas where tall old trees have natural cavities used by birds for nesting and resting all the time. 'year.
Due to the loss of this type of wood, Lilian's lovebirds are now almost exclusively confined to protected areas such as South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.
Mzumara-Gawa pointed out that Mopane trees are not only important for birds; they also harbor worms to Mopane, a caterpillar that is an important source of protein for millions of people in the region.
Climate change could be an additional threat to the survival of lovebirds.
"We know that during the breeding season, natural water points are extremely important as a source of water for lovebirds and other species," she said. "The frequency of these phenomena depends on the type of precipitation we know climate change will affect," she added, noting that this area requires further research.
Rowan Martin, director of the World Parrot Trust's Africa Program, says the inseparable, with its emerald-green wings, red beak, and fiery orange face, could be an "ambbadador" for protecting the forested forests of Africa. 39 Southern Africa, which is home to a rich diversity. from wildlife.
"The dry forests of southern Africa are often forgotten in discussions about forest loss," said Martin, who participated in the Zambian survey conducted by Mzumara-Gawa.
"It is essential that their importance for supporting biodiversity and providing vital ecosystem services is more widely recognized."
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