Campaign launched in Britain to save songbirds from extinction

A major public campaign was launched in England Tuesday to save the world's most threatened species of songbirds.

Chester Zoo wants to galvanise widespread public support and raise vital funds to help conservation efforts and increase awareness of the urgent need for action to save the Indonesian songbirds from widespread extinction.

Bird keepers at Chester have already had success with vital breeding programs for critically endangered species such as the Javan green magpie and the Bali starling (myna).

Every year, millions of songbirds are captured illegally in Indonesian forests, said zoo officials.

Hundreds of species of songbirds are facing an even more uncertain future than more high-profile threatened species such as rhinos and elephants, they warned.

A spokesman for the zoo said: "The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest international crime in the world, worth 19 billion U.S. dollars annually, with Southeast Asian songbirds among the worst affected but least publicized victims.

"Indonesian forests, which were once filled with the sounds of countless different bird species are now falling silent. Meanwhile, beautiful birds are being sold in markets as part of the illegal wildlife trade.

"They are then kept in small cages as status symbols and used in singing competitions. As the birds become rarer, their value increases, creating a growing desire to capture them.

Conservationists from Chester Zoo are working closely with field partners in Indonesia at the Cikananga Conservation Breeding Center, to breed and protect populations of some of the most threatened species.

As part of the major new Sing For Songbirds campaign, the zoo's Safari Ranger outreach team are working directly with schools in Britain and Indonesia.

The campaign will increase awareness of the critical situation, providing teachers with a range of discovery, learning and fundraising resources to help them act for songbirds in Britain and Indonesia. Endit