Raising awareness on wildlife trade in Indonesia

As we begin 2026, our team is focused on the transition from the extensive academic and conference work of the past year to the next critical phase of our mission. While the path to wildlife conservation is rarely a straight line, we remain dedicated to our goal of protecting Indonesia’s parrots and the communities that live alongside them.

A significant portion of our efforts over the recent years has been dedicated to navigating the rigorous administrative and permitting processes required to conduct high-level conservation research in Indonesia. We are working closely with our partners at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Gadjah Mada University to ensure that our fieldwork aligns perfectly with national regulatory frameworks. While these processes are meticulous and time-intensive, they are essential for building the long-term, official partnerships that make our conservation work sustainable and legally robust. We are hopeful that this diligent preparation will allow us to commence on-the-ground fieldwork and community engagement in the coming months.

While our primary focus remains on the hotspots of Eastern Indonesia at the moment, our team is also looking at the bigger picture of the global parrot trade. The lessons we have been learning in the Maluku region are highly relevant to other parrot-rich nations facing similar challenges.

As part of our long-term strategy, we are currently exploring opportunities to expand our research footprint geographically. By diversifying our study sites and including a broader range of parrot species across different tropical regions, we can better understand the global drivers of the illicit trade. This "big picture" approach allows us to refine our forensic tools and behavioral-change models, ensuring they are effective not just in Indonesia, but as part of a global solution to protect these iconic birds.

In 2026, we aim to move from the desk to the forest. Your support is what allows us to maintain our presence and navigate the complexities of international conservation.

Thank you for your patience and for believing in the importance of this work. We look forward to sharing the first updates from the field very soon. Please stay tuned for more updates here or at our project’s website at stopparrottrade.org.