Full Screen Photographs © The Oasis Sanctuary

“Fighting only made things worse,” she says.  “Where there is smoke there must be fire, seemed to be the conventional wisdom. I slowly learned restraint, and the advantages of occasional silence. “During The Oasis’ first full year of operation (1998), we had taken in slightly over 100 birds. There were about a dozen volunteers working a few hours or more weekly out of my home, and although we were building small enclosures outdoors, my home rapidly became denuded of furnishings, as the number of birds, cages and play-stands took over a once normal home. “The first full year that we had our 501, I had a working budget of approximately $20,000, the majority of which had come out of my pocket. I took courses in Grant Writing, only to learn that there were few if any grants available for this fledgling undertaking. Funds, such as they were, were coming in due to the awareness raised on the Internet and from whatever writing I could get published.  In the early days I had anecdotal articles in BirdTalk and Watch Bird – the journal of the AFA (American Federation of Aviculture – but the only venue for my more controversial writing, the writing in which I suggested the growing over-population problem, was Pet Bird Report (later renamed Companion Parrot Quarterly).” In early 2000, The Oasis Sanctuary was the first avian organization to become accredited by the American Sanctuary Association (ASA), and in 2002, it was further accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries (TAOS), becoming the first dually accredited avian facility in the US. Today, The Oasis is also accredited by the new Global Federation of Sanctuaries.

“In September of 2000, The Oasis Sanctuary, with over 250 birds in tow, moved from our original 1 acre facility in Phoenix, to our current 72 acre facility, a former Pecan Orchard, along the San Pedro River, outside Benson Arizona, in south-eastern Arizona.”

Over the past decade, articles on The Oasis Sanctuary have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Arizona Highways, as well as a number of local newspapers and magazines across the country.  It has been featured on television, radio, internet talk-shows, and also received a strong endorsement in the award winning documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.  Sybil has traveled across country many times over, speaking at Bird Clubs, Animal Rights Conferences, Avian welfare conferences, and to members of the AAV (Association of Avian Veterinarians).

“By the end of 2009,” says Sybil, “we had 700 plus birds, ten full-time paid employees, numerous volunteers, an active Board comprised of five Directors, and a budget of over $600,000. It is VERY difficult raising funds in these trying economic times, but as a highly regarded Parrot Sanctuary in this country, we have a loyal and growing donor base.

“During the past nine years, since our move to the new 72 acre facility, The Oasis Sanctuary has been busy developing infrastructure which includes a growing number of aviaries (‘flights’) and several buildings for housing the ever-increasing number of birds. There is a small Infirmary for birds needing monitoring and special care.

“In 2003 we completed the first aviary for cockatiels. In 2006 a 40’ by 40’ environment opened for our flighted African Grey Parrots. In 2008 we opened a 40’ by 100’ state-of-the-art aviary for some of our many Macaws. This past year we built a number of ‘mini-flights’ as well as an aviary for female Cockatoos, and another one for Quaker Parakeets.

“We have built, remodeled or brought in manufactured housing for staff and volunteers, as we are too remote and rural to find rental or other housing for the increasing number of dedicated and hardworking staff members needed to properly care for the birds. Today there is a working office building which also has guest quarters and a kitchen.”

2009 was the first year during which the staff at The Oasis was stable and sufficiently dedicated to allow Sybil to take a true vacation – her first in 15 years.  All the on-site staff work over 40 hours a week – 5 days on, with two consecutive days off. This is a major change from the early days at the facility, when it was not uncommon for the few who were on site to work weeks without a single day off.

“Today, in 2010, I am able to move away from the ‘daily operations’ other than staff meetings, and getting together on a regular basis with The Oasis’ two Associate Directors. This allows me to work almost exclusively on fund-raising, marketing – to create a greater awareness of our Mission – and expansion of our Donor/Membership base.

“Currently we have set up a Facebook site run by our oldest resident, Phillipe Macaw (in or close to his 70’s) for The Oasis. We extend an invitation to all who would like to be on Facebook to become a ‘friend’ and join this site!  We also have an active ‘Cause’ page.”  (www.facebook.com/theoasis.org)

Immediate goals for The Oasis this year include continuing to build flights for more birds, as well as developing and expanding the water system, and expanding the electric system – since the water and power usage for over 700 birds continues to go up. These two projects will enable the Sanctuary to provide more heating in winter, and misting for summer cooling. Over the next few years, more on-site housing is planned, in order to increased number of necessary animal care-giving staff-members, as the number of birds needing specialized care continues to rise.

The organization will continue reaching out to the 6.5 million homes which have at least one avian family member, says Sybil, and with the use of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, it expects ultimately to link to the vast majority of bird- and animal-loving people on the Net.

“There are 16.5 million of these extraordinary, long-lived, endangered and intelligent beings in these homes, and with as little as $1 per home per year coming in, The Oasis Sanctuary would be able to develop all the infrastructure needed on this property – ultimately expanding to create ‘satellite’ facilities to house this ever increasing number of birds. For this reason and to this end, in 2009 we created Pennies for Parrots, a $1-$5 quick-and-easy credit-card payment system through PayPal or Google, which allows for instant small donations to be made to help the birds.

“Our long term goal is to be able to insure the safety of all the birds living in captivity in the US, particularly as the ‘Baby Boom’ generation, which care-takes approximately 7 million parrots, ages.  The Oasis will continue to network and work with as many ethical and professionally run sanctuaries and adoption programs throughout the US, in order to provide a strong safety net for the birds we all love and admire.

“With the help of the bird-loving and animal-loving public, The Oasis’ goal of true safety and life-care for all of America’s parrots will be reached.”

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Irene Pepperberg will be the keynote speaker at Discover the Oasis 2010, to be held on Saturday May 1st. The event is limited to the first 100 persons registering. Cost for the day with lunch is $75 per person, although Oasis members do get a discount.

For more information on The Oasis, its work, its aims and the May event, visit www.the-oasis.org – and if you follow the link to the Online Shop, you’ll also see the beautiful 2010 calendar which is available to buy.

Become a ‘friend’ of The Oasis by logging on to www.facebook.com/theoasis.org.  The Sanctuary also has an active ‘Cause’ page on Facebook.