Position Statement of the AFA


Concerning the re-introduction & release of
birds which have been held in captivity:

The AFA acknowledges that re-introduction of particular avian species may be considered as a conservation measure vital to the ultimate survival of that species.

The AFA promotes and supports re-introduction programs which utilize birds previously held in captivity with the following stipulations:

• that such re-introduction programs are sanctioned and operated under the auspices of established conservation agencies or academic institutions which are governed and operated by scientific authorities recognized and respected in the field of conservation biology and ornithology;

• that such conservation agencies have the full and complete approval of U.S. Federal authorities, including but not limited to, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;

• that the re-introduction program must have the full and complete approval of the appropriate authorities within the country(s) of origin/destination, including but not limited to, the country(s) of origin/destination’s federal conservation authority;

• that such re-introduction programs be funded in perpetuity until the avian species under study is considered to have established a self-sustaining population or until the program has reached a conclusion which is mutually agreeable to both the oversight conservation agency(s) and the country(s) of origin/destination;

• and finally, that habitat and environment for the species under study must be maintained in a fashion consistent with accepted practices of conservation management by the country(s) of origin/destination or agent(s) thereof, and that continued monitoring of the population be perpetually conducted by the appropriate scientific authority to ensure the continued propagation of the population under scrutiny.

The AFA does not support the release of any birds which have been held in captivity, unless these birds have been constantly maintained under strict measures of biosecurity that would ensure that these birds would not have been exposed to any known or unknown infectious pathogens.

The AFA does not support the release of any birds which have been held in captivity, unless these birds have been properly socialized and conditioned for survival and integration as established by accepted practices of conservation biology.

The AFA strongly feels that the conservation of habitat and proper wildlife management practices are preferable to any re-introduction program, and that such re-introduction programs should be considered only as measures of last resort for the survival of the species.