Why save the orange-bellied parrot?

Somehow the Orange-bellied Parrot is always getting into trouble. Image by Debbie LustigIf you had to ask an average Australian the name of a threatened bird in this country, many would nominate the Orange-bellied Parrot. Critically endangered, and with fewer than 50 left in the wild, it is justifiably one of Australia’s most well-known endangered species.
The population of one of the world's rarest birds, the orange-bellied parrot, has been artificially increased with the release of more captive birds into Tasmania's south-west wilderness.
Rare sight: Fewer than 50 orange-bellied parrots are believed to live in the wild. Photo: Justin McManusThe orange-bellied parrot has a history as colourful as its feathers. It has been an unlikely player in some controversial debates, its presence famously halting the construction of a major wind farm.