DILI, 15 february 2023 (TATOLI)– International Conservation Timor Leste (CITL) recognized cockatoo birds are critically endangered species in Timor-Leste.
CITL Country Director, Manuel Mendes said Timor Leste’s national park registered more than 25 bird species that were restricted to Timor and neighboring islands due to loss of habitat.
“The number including the most critically endangered bird called the yellow-crested cockatoo, whose populations have been devastated in Timor Leste and also worldwide by unsustainable exploitation for trade, and Green-pigeon, which is also listed as Endangered due to the loss of monsoon-forest habitat on Timor Island.’’ Country Director CITL, Manuel Mendes told TATOLI Agency, in his office, Bebora, this wednesday.
According to Mendes some wild animals and birds are endangered due to the loss of habitat caused by the human being and natural disasters.
“We have also identified endangerment of extinct wildlife in our forest due to the main cause of the loss of rainforest, illegal burning, cutting down the trees, we can’t imagine the illegal burning forests occurred can kill thousands of habitat of wildlife across territories, and Timor-Leste loses over 1.7% or 14.000 hectares of national rainforest across the territories which impact for losing wild bird species and habitats,” he said.
Concerning this, Mendes emphasized that more information about environmental protections needs to socialize the populations to raise awareness of the population to avoid illegal burning activity and forest destruction.
Previously, Timor-Leste covered 58% over 869 hectares of rainforest across the territory of Timor-Leste however the country lost about 1.7% or 14.000 hectares of rainforest in 2017.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B
