Only About 4,000 Endangered Individuals Remain Worldwide
Searching for Parrot's Owner Through Public Notice Procedure
A story has emerged about a parrot, believed to be an endangered species, that was rescued by police after being reported for stealing and drinking customers' coffee at a cafe in Seoul.
On November 18, Yonhap News, citing the Yeongdeungpo Police Station and the Korea Animal Rescue Management Association, reported that a parrot believed to be a Yellow-headed Amazon was rescued by police on November 16 at a cafe in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, after it was caught drinking customers' coffee. The Yellow-headed Amazon is an endangered parrot native to Central America (including Mexico and Honduras), characterized by its medium size of about 0.5 kg, a bright yellow head, a light green body, and red and blue feathers.
A parrot rescued at a cafe located in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 16th. Korean Animal Rescue Management Association
The responding officers placed the parrot in a cardboard box and sent it to the Korea Animal Rescue Management Association. Fortunately, the parrot was very sociable, so the rescue was not particularly difficult. The association believes that the parrot either escaped from or was abandoned by its owner and is currently searching for the original owner through a public notice.
A cafe representative told Yonhap News, "It was wandering around the outdoor seating area from around noon, and then it came back around 3 p.m. and was drinking a customer's coffee," adding, "Even when I gave it food and customers touched it, the parrot stayed calm." An association official stated, "This parrot can only be kept through proper procedures, and it cannot be transferred to anyone other than the original owner, so we are trying to locate the owner. So far, no one has come forward." The official added, "The parrot is in good health and has been well cared for, but it will take some time to determine its exact species."
The Yellow-headed Amazon is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), making private adoption impossible. Therefore, if the original owner is not found during the public notice period, the parrot will be sent to the CITES animal protection facility at the National Institute of Ecology under the Ministry of Environment. Species listed in Appendix I are, in principle, prohibited from commercial trade, with only exceptions made for scientific research purposes.
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