empty forest syndrome

This is sometimes referred to as the silent forest syndrome and is the result of unchecked animal poaching which has emptied the forest of all wildlife so that it becomes eerily silent.  The forests, already hemmed in by encroaching human settlements, are without small animals or birds.  It is something that happens around the world but more recently it is most noticeable in Southeast Asia. Vietnam and Cambodia are particularly affected.

 The empty forest syndrome is linked to the Asian songbird crisis.  In Asian cultures  having a songbird is a normal part of life. In China the songbird in its cage accompanies its owner to the park for the morning performance of tai chi. In Southeast Asia there are songbird competitions which are keenly contested.  A wealthy person in Indonesia might have many songbirds.  So while loss of habitat  threatens the existence of these birds, the trade in songbirds is also a major factor in bringing about the decline in their populations.