LGL Ecological Genetics, Inc. identified a commercial opportunity to develop DNA fingerprinting assays for use on psittacine birds. This technology will result in a registry of the legal birds in captivity. The need for this registry results from the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 which stipulates that certain species of exotic birds must have a unique and identifiable mark. Only genetic marks are accurate enough for this purpose. However, an adequate fingerprinting process for these animals does not yet exist. Therefore, they will develop PCR primers to amplify microsatellite loci suitable to establish the identity of any individual bird. The company will serve to provide the laboratory analyses required for registration of a bird. Phase I will demonstrate such primers for the hyacinth macaw, and show their accuracy for discriminating among closely related individuals. Phase II will involve the fingerprinting of large numbers of hyacinth macaws, developing primers for a diversity of psittacid taxa, and the fingerprinting of the individuals in the "macaw colony." Phase III will entail the establishment of the registry and the development of the fingerprinting industry which will be funded on a user-fee basis.
