This area is under development. Please check back for a printable schedule of seminars, locations, and times with our two onboard speakers Steve Martin and Steve Milpacher. In-country seminars about wild parrots and their natural habitat will be available on Puerto Rico, Bonaire and Dominica by researchers working to save wild parrots. Please check back for a speaker's list and printable schedule of seminars and locations.
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Steve Martin Steve Martin has lived with parrots from the time he was five years old. By the time he was 16 his bird interest expanded to falconry and he has been a Master Falconer ever since. Steve began his professional animal training career when he set up the first of its kind, free-flight bird show at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. Since then he has produced educational animal programs, or consulted at, over 60 zoological facilities around the world. He and his staff have taught their animal training techniques to over 600 people in nine countries. |
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Steve is president of both Natural Encounters, Inc., a company of over 20 professional animal trainers, and Natural Encounters Conservation Fund, Inc, a not for profit organization whichhas raised and donated over USD $600,000 for conservation projects in the past 20 years. Steve has been a long time supporter and a Trustee of the World Parrot Trust. He is also a core team member of the California Condor Recovery Team, and past president and founding member of IAATE, an international bird trainers' organization.
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Steve Milpacher Steve’s interest in parrots began early in life and has continued for more than 30 years. He has kept over 40 species of parrots and participated in breeding loan programs with a number of Canadian Zoos. Steve attended university and later received a certificate in Endangered Species Management from Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now Durrell Preservation Trust). He has spoken at numerous bird clubs, meetings and conferences and has had articles published in Bird Talk, Parrots, Parrot Society of Australia and PsittaScene magazines. |
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Bonaire: Sam Williams PhD. Sam started keeping parakeets and parrots as a boy growing up in Yorkshire, England. At 16, Sam was already breeding Amazon parrots, his aviaries consuming nearly half his family's garden. The same year, Sam's love of parrots led him to spend two months working with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation and the wild Echo Parakeets, where he learned a great deal from Carl Jones and the other conservationists. |
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Dominica: Stephen Durand & Others Learn about the Sisserou and Jaco Parrots - Imperial and Red-necked Amazon parrots (Amazona imperialis and Amazona arausiaca), their habitat, and conservation efforts during a tour of the 8,000 acre Morne Diablotin National Park. This unique in-situ seminar will be led by Stephen Durand and other representatives of Dominica's Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, whom are responsible for the conservation of these endangered birds. |
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Puerto Rico: Dr. Ivan Llerandi & Ricardo Valentine Discover how scientists and aviculturists are working together to save the critically endangered Puerto Rican Amazon Parrot while visiting the Vivaldi (or Rio Abajo) Aviary, a research station which is closed to the general public and located in the 5,000 acre Rio Abajo Forest Reserve. During this 2-hour tour of the facilities and surrounding area, you will learn about the captive breeding and release program and get a chance to view one of the ten parrots that have recently been returned to the wild in the surrounding park area. |
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