Dear everyone, who has loved a bird. My name is Kathleen Cooke (@kateandkora on IG), and I live in the United States. I am a parrot mom, activist, and photographer, and I am raising EMERGENCY funds to keep African Grey parrot chicks safe from poachers in equatorial Africa. Grief started me on this journey after the loss of my own Grey, Nellie, and I promised her I would do everything I could to save her wild cousins. I have dedicated the last 4 years, and my life savings, to quietly learn about wild African Grey parrots. This is my first fundraiser.

African Grey parrots are the most hunted bird in the world for the illegal pet trade, and they are nearing extinction in the wild, but they are nearly invisible in comparison to elephants, tigers, gorillas, and other wildlife that receive wide public support. I recently started sharing videos of wild chicks on social media to show people how beautiful their souls are, and every chick you see in my videos would have been poached if I was not physically present to watch over them and to build relationships with the local communities.

I want the babies to have a fighting chance, but that won't happen unless we come together as a human flock to raise their global status and make them VISIBLE in the media. Approximately 70% of chicks die after they are captured, so please help me protect them this poaching season, because the future siblings of the very chicks you see in my videos will die if I don't raise money to save them.

Your gift will contribute towards protecting them for several months and allow me the time to continue to build this unique movement to save thousands more across equatorial Africa. Thank you.

Love, Kathleen, and Kora the Grey, and also my angels Katie and Nellie in Heaven.