Illegal wild birds’ trade in a street market in the region of Guelma, north-east of Algeria

Abstract

Overexploitation of resources represents a major factor in biodiversity loss. The illegal capture and trade of wildlife species pose a serious threat to them. Algeria is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1982, thereby joining the dynamics of wild fauna and flora protection. The list of wildlife species was last updated by Executive Decree No. 12-235 of 24 May 2012. In Algeria, songbirds are greatly appreciated as pet animals by pet enthusiasts. Unfortunately, habitat loss as a result of repeated forest fires in the Mediterranean region and the illegal capture of these birds cause severe damage to wild populations. The European goldfinch is the preferred species of bird enthusiasts because of its beautiful colours and its very particular singing abilities. Other species like the European serin (Serinus serinus) are, however, used for breeding with the European goldfinch and thus the creation of hybrids. For the purposes of assessing both the impact on populations and the economic impact of the illegal capture and trade of wild birds, a survey has been conducted on the bird market held, on a weekly basis, in the city of Guelma. According to the results, between 3000 and 12,000 European goldfinches are caught every year and around 1200 are sold solely on this market. As far as the European serin is concerned, the capture is estimated at over 1000 birds. The economic impact of this activity only for the sale of recently caught animals is estimated at more than USD80,000 per year.