ANAS is a Saudi man in Jeddah who spends all day loving and caring for his birds as if they were his own children, not unlike the most passionate of bird lovers or Ornithologists. He can often be found at certain junctions on Jeddah's busiest roads, sitting with cages of exotic parrots that people can purchase as pets. He keeps a unique collection of these imported parrots in his small apartment - that also doubles as a sales point - and though the birds are for commercial gain, he claims them as his ‘hobby'. Though reticent about the source of these parrots - many of which hail from exotic locations - Anas does reveal that he gets some from Bahrain, and that one needs “strong contacts” in this trade. An interesting question is whether Anas gets these parrots from the black market or via a more official source, but for obvious reasons, he is unwilling to talk about that. “If the bird is expensive, I don't take it outside the house, and usually give interested customers my phone number so that they can visit my house and view the bird there,” said Anas while speaking to the Saudi Gazette. “This is to ensure that only serious buyers view it.” However, selling parrots - or indeed, any animal - violates Saudi law, as well as running the risk of theft. It is the latter that has affected Anas, though. “I have never been convicted of violating the law, but a week earlier, a customer ran away with my bird without paying me,” he remarked. “It's not just about money, but also about the love I've given to them (the birds) and I want them to be in good hands.” One of the most chirpy and garrulous parrots in Anas' collection receives a lot of offers and Anas relates an occasion when his father was offered 17,000 Riyals for it, but as an example of how attached he has become to the birds, he has consistently refused because he wants to keep it to himself. In fact, on one occasion, Anas recalls crying for one of his parrots affectionately named the ‘King of Birds' - so called because of its beautiful appearance and intelligence - that he had sold. “Due to bad (financial) circumstances, I had to sell it to someone, and when I requested it back, the customer refused,” he reminisces. He added that the bird knew how to speak a variety of languages, songs, some Suras from the Holy Qur'an as well as being an accomplished dancer. Anas hails from Abha where the temperature is normally quite low. This is the main reason why he moved to Jeddah, as the enviornment in Abha would have been damaging to the birds. Keeping them at home is not conducive to their well being either, with the air conditioning on, the curtains drawn and unnatural light, but Anas's evident love and care for them has meant that they seem at ease in his home. Aside from his daily adventures with them, for instance, he also personally feeds them, sharpens their beaks, showers them and grooms them in any other way possible. “I take care of them the way I treat my family; as a child, a part of me,” he stated proudly. Using syringes to feed the parrots, he also provides them with multivitamin tablets and Cerelac for the younger ones. His incredible collection of parrots owe their origin to distant shores, consisting of the Goldfinch, African Gray Parrot, Blue-naped Parrot, Yellow-naped Amazon, Umbrella Cockatoo, Australian Budgie, blue and gold-feathered Macaws and Macaws with green wings. Most of his selling rates start from 250 Riyals but can go up to a staggering 10,000 Riyals, making those particular birds very valuable assets. Anas is quick to point out however, that loving the animal in question is the most essential factor. “Never keep an animal if you cannot take good care of it, otherwise it won't live long,” he advised. “Some people say it is cruel to keep animals away from their natural environment, but I don't think it matters if you take good care of them.”
