- Spacious and comfortable 
- Fantastic ocean & 
mountain view 
- 1st Class restaurant 
- Access on the sea 
- Bar & Snacks 
- Swimming pool 
- Private sundeck 
mi leisure: & sports 
activities can be arranged 
DIVING with ‘East Carib Dive’ 
LAURO CLUB HOTEL 
at Salisbury 
P.O. Box 483 - Roseau 
Tel: 809 44 96602 
Fax: 809 44 96603 
Food for the parrots is usually plentiful, 
with different types of fruits of forest trees 
being available at different times of the 
year. The fruits of the Gommier, Bois 
diable, Mangle and a wide variety of other 
trees from various forest types provide all 
necessary nutrients for both the adult and 
juvenile parrots in the wild. 
Over the years, there have been a num¬ 
ber of controlling and reducing factors which 
affect the populations of the Jaco and 
Sisserou Parrots. The Pearly-eyed Thrasher, 
diminutive in size in relation to an Amazon 
parrot, is known to occasionally invade the 
cavity nests of the parrots, preying on the 
eggs. 
Heavy, unseasonal rains during the dry 
season, which coincides with the nesting 
season of the parrots, could sometimes 
cause flooding of the nest cavities and 
possible drowning of the chicks. Hurri¬ 
canes and strong tropical storms, which 
can be expected annually but only hit 
Dominica occasionally, also take their toll 
on the parrot populations, but with more 
dramatic and devastating results.These tropi¬ 
cal weather systems bring about a loss of 
food source, destruction of nest trees and 
roosts, and the death of a number of birds 
both during the storm and after. Within 
recent times, Hurricane David in 1979 hit 
the populations of Jaco and Sisserou Par¬ 
rots. 
The activities of man have also had their 
effects on the parrot populations. Within 
the last twenty or so years, several thou¬ 
sands of acres of Dominica’s forests were 
converted into agricultural lands, the main¬ 
stay of Dominica’s economy. This agricul¬ 
tural expansion, particularly in banana acre¬ 
ages, has resulted in the clearing of much 
rain forest which forms prime habitat for 
both species of parrot. To add to that, the 
hunting of parrots for food up until the early 
1970 s as well as supplying the pet trade 
have also had their effects on the popula¬ 
tions. At the moment, both species of 
parrots are included on the Endangered 
Species List of the IUCN (International 
Union for the Conservation of Nature). 
14 
Sisserou - The Imperial Parrot of Dominica 
(Amazona imperialis) 
Although a “Wild Birds Ordinance” was 1989, with the assistance of RARE Centre 
passed in the earlier part of this century to for Tropical Conservation, a massive public 
protect Dominica’s wild birds, including the awareness campaign was launched island- 
parrots which at the time were quite abun- wide. That was Phase I of “Project Sisserou”. 
dant, it was the passage, publicising and Phase II involved the acquisition of over 
enforcing of the Forestry and Wildlife Act 200 acres of previously privately owned 
(enacted in 1976), that brought some real land. The Government of Dominica, with 
protection for the parrots of Dominica. the assistance of the International Council 
One year before, the Morne Trois Pitons for Bird Preservation (ICBP), RARE, and 
National Park was established in the south- the people of Dominica all contributed 
ern half of Dominica. This 17,000 acre toward the purchase of this Parrot Pre¬ 
park protects the habitat for small popula- serve. This area is annexed to the Northern 
tions of both Red-necked and Imperial Forest Reserve, and provides additional 
parrots. and important habitat for both species of 
The year 1977 also saw the establish- parrots. It is proposed to convert the Parrot 
ment of a 22,000 acre Northern Forest Preserve together with a substantial portion 
Reserve. But although logging is legally of the Northern Forest Reserve into a na- 
permitted in a forest reserve, much of the tional park, to be named Morne Diablotin 
Northern Forest Reserve is deemed unsuit- National Park. 
able for logging and some of this area forms Recent surveys indicate that Dominica’s 
part of the habitat for the parrots. parrot populations are recovering from the 
More recent developments on the island effects of hurricane David. This is indeed 
include an amendment to the Wildlife Act in heartening, despite the progressive loss of 
1988, to provide for “specially protected habitat which occurred during the post¬ 
birds” i.e. the Jaco and Sisserou. Then in David decade. With competition between 
15 
