The St. Lucia parrot lives only in dense rainforests. Photo courtesy of James Gilardi An adult St. Lucia parrot. Photo courtesy of RARE Center for Tropical Conservation

St. Lucia Parrot Recovery The St. Lucia parrot (Amazona versicolor) lives in rain forests on the small island of St. Lucia, in the Caribbean Sea. In the mid-1970s, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust found only 100 parrots left in the wild. The major causes of population decline were the destruction of its forest habitat, capture for the pet trade, and hunting. In 1978, the St. Lucian Department of Forestry started an islandwide public awareness project to protect the parrot. This included education programs in schools and outreach to adults on conservation issues. These activities involved the participation of local businesses and citizen groups, which ensured support throughout the island's communities. In 1979 the parrot was officially designated as the National Bird and the government established a Parrot Reserve and banned hunting. In the early 1990s, the RARE Center for Tropical Conservation provided an additional boost to outreach efforts with its Promoting Protection Through Pride campaign. It also supported a traveling learning center called the Jacquot Express, after the French name for the St. Lucia parrot. 1 of 2