San Francisco Frontiers - Algerians campaign to save treasured songbird from hunters

Amid a persistent demand for the bird that many choose to keep in their homes, conservation groups in the North African country are now calling for the species to be safeguarded from illegal hunting and trading.

"The moment these wild birds are caged, they often suffer from serious health problems, such as intestinal swelling, due to abrupt changes in their diet and environment," said Zinelabidine Chibout, a volunteer with the Wild Songbird Protection Association in Setif, about 290 kilometres (180 miles) east of the capital, Algiers.

Goldfinches are native to Western Europe and North Africa, and raising them is a cherished hobby in Algeria, where they are known locally as "maknin".

The bird is considered a symbol of freedom, and was favoured by poets and artists around the time of Algeria's war for independence in the 1950s and 60s. The country even dedicates an annual day in March to the goldfinch.

Laws enacted in 2012 classified the bird as a protected species and made its capture and sale illegal.

But the practices remain common, as protections are lacking and the bird is frequently sold in pet shops and markets.

A 2021 study by Guelma University estimated that at least six million goldfinches are kept in captivity by enthusiasts and traders.

Researchers visiting markets documented the sale of hundreds of goldfinches in a single day.

At one market in Annaba, in eastern Algeria, they counted around 300 birds offered for sale.

- Education campaigns -

Chibout's association has been working to reverse the trend by purchasing injured and neglected goldfinches and treating them.

"We treat them in large cages, and once they recover and can fly again, we release them back into the wild," he said.

Others have also called on enthusiasts to breed the species in order to offset demand.

Madjid Ben Daoud, a goldfinch aficionado and member of an environmental association in Algiers, said the approach could safeguard the bird's wild population and reduce demand for it on the market.

"Our goal is to encourage the breeding of goldfinches already in captivity, so people no longer feel the need to capture them from the wild," he said.

Souhila Larkam, who raises goldfinches at home, said people should only keep a goldfinch "if they ensure its reproduction".

The Wild Songbird Protection Association also targets the next generation with education campaigns.

Abderrahmane Abed, vice president of the association, recently led a group of children on a trip to the forest to teach them about the bird's role in the ecosystem.

"We want to instill in them the idea that these are wild birds that deserve our respect," he said. "They shouldn't be hunted or harmed."

U.Campbell--SFF