The long-standing Caribbean tradition of keeping parrots as pets is pushing some of the region’s native species closer to extinction.

That’s according to experts from across the region gathered in Trinidad and Tobago for the first-ever Caribbean Parrot Conservation Summit, hosted by Birds Caribbean, to discuss how the illegal pet trade, poaching, deforestation and natural disasters are affecting the species.

The Caribbean is home to 11 endemic parrot species, many of which are considered among the most vulnerable in the world.