psilocybin6 wrote:
Posted several days ago and nobody has caught up to this? or is it that we just talk the talk and don't really care at all....what a shame...
Ironic how some on this forum have talked-and-still-talk-and-argued-and-will-argue about not wanting to own any “wild caught” species even though they are not endangered and are still imported in thousands of heads and blame so many who are involved with the process of importing and exporting while so many keep them and don’t work to domesticate them...then others buy trapped local-semi local-regional birds that are Near Threatened and post pictures online on a “finch forum” for others to applaud and enjoy...Lonchura fuscata...bird prices...2 dollars for berries...irony within irony. I concur, and I am glad you said it...you kind of should be ashamed unless you are going to breed them to release back to the wild and help them out that way...There are laws against these type of bird keeping practices in North America and I am pretty sure many of the Finch Forum members who actually know finches would not appreciate this...............or (apparently) not.
I'm a little lost. It's not really a question of whether or not anyone noticed, but rather a question of whether it is any of our business. If there's anything I've realized in my worldly travels, it's that different cultures have ways of doing different things. In Spain, it may be completely normal to keep a goldfinch in a small song training cage 24/7, while in the U.S., that would be something that would be greatly frowned upon by many. It's not a question of whether or not something is right or wrong in your opinion -- your opinion and mine are simply our own.
I don't find any irony or ironic situations here. The fact that thousands of non-endangered birds are being imported and not being domesticated is also not ironic, but unfortunate. The people who blame importers/exporters are also few and far between. The people fueling the demand of these wild caught birds are the consumers. No blame there, other than those of us who purchase these birds. And that is, if we even place blame on ourselves.
Buying trapped birds is the norm in some countries. I mean, where do our wild caught birds come from? While there are some bird farms, I'm sure, most of them are caught from the wild. You and the OP are correct to note that Lonchura fuscata are indeed Near Endangered but this blame is not from excessive trapping, but rather, environmental damage/habitat destruction. Personally, as someone who has dabbled in environmental policy and have seen the devastation of illegal deforestation/logging in Indonesia, I assure you, some of these birds are better off being domesticated in home aviaries than being left to fend for themselves in a disappearing environment.
Indonesia is comprised of over 18,000 islands. There is absolutely NO WAY the government can adequately monitor and control what happens in their sovereignty. Illegal logging happens EVERY SINGLE DAY in Indonesia. It's unfortunate, but it's the reality.
I would encourage you to look at the world through a different lens as not everything in life is black or white. There are ways to view things in a way that is less pessimistic. There is no shame to be had here. These birds are way better off in the OP's aviary than in some wooden bamboo cage fit for an artificial bird. You are spot on that we have different bird keeping practices in North America, but the entirety of our world does not revolve around what N. America does in practice. I, for one, am no orientalist.
Live and let live. What may be the norm in Morocco or Pakistan, may not be the norm in Ukraine or Uzbekistan. What may be practical in Indonesia or Hong Kong, may not seem practical in the eyes of Americans or Bahamians. We are not all the same.
As a end note, javansparrow, you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. You are a free person, a free individual, with freedoms to act, speak, and move as you please. Bear no shame nor burden. Culture is beautiful and certainly will not change overnight. If we really want to be ethical, we can all start with ourselves. Know where the wood used for your dining table came from and whether or not that wood was legally harvested. Be aware of where the diamonds in your ring came from and if they are conflict free. Look into the origins of the coltan used in your smartphone batteries and read about devastation that no human should have to endure. Next time you buy an article of clothing and see that it is made in China, think of all the sweatshop workers who had to work for pennies in deplorable conditions. Perhaps when you drive your car or any gas-fueled form of transportation, you can also thank yourself for the large ecological footprint your existence on this earth is making. Basically, if we want to be ethical, we should discard our worldly goods and go back to our primitive ways, sans running water, clothes, and hunt/gather our own food. I'm not willing to do that, but I can make responsible decisions for myself and account for my personal actions. In the end, we can only be accountable for ourselves.
