On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo

A study in the Journal of Ethnobiology documents how the Huaulu people of Indonesia's Seram Island adapted their Cidaku coming-of-age ritual, which traditionally used salmon-crested cockatoo crest feathers, to rely on naturally shed feathers instead of hunted birds. The endangered cockatoo's population has fallen by more than half in parts of Manusela National Park, driven largely by the international wildlife trade — researchers found the bird's feathers still for sale on eBay in 2024.

Researchers interviewed 10 community members and surveyed 43 households between 2019 and 2025, finding that younger men welcomed the shift since shrinking wild populations were already making feathers hard to obtain and delaying ceremonies. Conservationists say the change removes local hunting pressure but won't address the bigger threats of trafficking and habitat loss, which require separate action.

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