Letter written by Ambassador José Mauricio Bustani, published in The Independent on 10 July 2006.

Though focused only on the African grey parrot, your article “Deceased? Not if scheme to halt trade succeeds” (July 6) performs a valuable service in drawing attention to one of the biggest threats to global biodiversity: the illegal trade in wildlife.

Brazil has been particularly hard hit by wildlife trafficking, with an annual average of around 38 million animals having been illegally removed from their natural habitats in recent years. Of these, only around 4 million reach their final buyers – the majority die during transport or capture.

The Brazilian government has recently launched an international campaign to raise awareness about the need to combat this environmental crime, which is punishable by imprisonment in Brazil.

Above all, individuals who buy wild animals need to be aware of the highly destructive consequences of illegal wildlife trafficking.