Alexandrine parakeets in Nonthaburi temple saved

A temple in Nonthaburi province has agreed to delay its plan to pull down dead Yang trees (Dipterocarpus alatus) in its compound, after 12 Alexandrine parakeets were found nesting there.

Phra Mahacheep Suthiyano, abbot of Madua Temple, said that they wanted to cut the trees down because they had died more than ten years ago and the branches occasionally fall down, causing damage to property.

The temple, however, agreed to the conservation of the parakeets, which are breeding in the hollows in the trees, he said.

The abbot was speaking after attending a meeting of authorities, conservationists and the temple administration to seek a compromise solution to the problem.

The Alexandrine parakeets are rare in Thailand and a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act and Appendix 2 of CITES.

The issue came to light after Saranphat Suwanrat, a biology lecturer at…