When Christopher Columbus arrived on the shores of Puerto Rico, it was said that there was about a million Puerto Rican Parrots [1]. In 1975, only 13 birds remained. As with any small wild population, the Puerto Rican Parrot was bound to be affected by intrinsic factors. For example, a smaller parrot population increases the possibility of inbreeding depression. Genetic issues based on the life history of the parrot could also contribute. The bird mates for life and the average clutch size is between 2 to 4 eggs but the pairs don’t always successfully mate every breeding season. If a parrot loses its mate it may never try to find a new one meaning no new offspring adding to the genetic pool. It also takes 3 to 5 years for the young to reach
