Report STUDY of POPULATION & CONSERVATION LESSER SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO Cacatua sulphurea At Pasoso Island, Central Sulawesi, Komodo National Park, and Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara By Dudi Nandika1), Dwi Agustina1) and Mehd Halouate2) 1) Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia – The Indonesian Parrot Project 2) World Parrot Trust
Background The Lesser Sulphur-crested cockatoos or ‘Yellow-crested’ cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea) are among the most endangered parrots in Indonesia. This bird was common species in Eastern Indonesia, but since 30 years ago, it was apparent that the decline of the species had been ‘dramatic’ and that it was ‘threatened throughout its range’ (Cahyadin et al, 1994). There are four generally accepted subspecies (three sub-species are endemic Indonesia and one sub-species shared with Timor Leste): 1). C. s. sulphurea, the nominate race, found in Sulawesi; 2). C. s. citronocristata (found solely on Sumba Island); 3). C. s. abbotti in Masalembu Islands (islands in center of Java sea); and 4). C. s. parvula (found across Nusa Tenggara, with the largest population on Komodo/Rinca Islands and also found in Timor Leste). Globally, the status of all sub-species Cacatua sulphurea with the lowest population classified this bird in the endangered category. The conservation status are: critically endangered (IUCN), Appendix I (CITES) and this species protected by low of Indonesia at Undang-undang No. 5 (1990) about conservation of natural resources and the ecosystem; PP No. 7 (1999) about animal and wild plant useful; Ministry of Forestry decision No. 350/KPTS-11/1997 and No. 522/KPTS-11/1997; and locally protected by Perda, Awig-awig (tribe rules) or Perdes. The urgent need for an intervention program was underscored by the BirdLife International-Indonesia Programme in work ending in 1999, and since then by CITES, IUCN, BirdLife, Parrots Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, 2000-2004. After 10 years pass, Koservasi Kakatua Indonesia - Indonesian Parrot Project in collaboration with World Parrot Trust, have inisiated pleliminary surveys of the Cacatua sulphurea to gain new information about the remaining wild population and to understand the current needs of this cockatoo to survive; and then to use this information to formulate and implement a fact-based conservation program. Time of Study This study was a collaborative project between KKI-IPP and WPT, and was conducted during March 26th – April 26th, 2012, with destinations: 1. Pasoso Island, Central Sulawesi; 2. Tasikoki Rehabilitation Center, North Sulawesi; 3. Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara; 4. Way Lolos, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara; -- no founded cockatoo 5. Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park & Poronombu Forest at Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara. Method Direct visualization could be carried out, employing a belt transect and point count method to construct a census. Survey were following transects, with long transects depending on the field conditions, with walking slowly and watching the cockatoos inside radius of 50 m in left and right of transects. Point counts in open space used in every point are much better and easier to monitoring cockatoo existance in hills area of study. The data were collected each day from early morning at 05.00 until – 10.00 and afternoon at 14.00 – 18.00.