Believed to Be a Rare Species... Will Be Sent to the National Institute of Ecology if No Owner Is Found
Smuggling and Abandonment of CITES-listed Species Continue, Fueling a Vicious Cycle
A parrot dubbed the "coffee thief," which was rescued after stealing and drinking a customer’s coffee at a cafe in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, has reportedly been unable to find its owner for a week.
According to Yonhap News, the Korea Animal Rescue Management Association posted a notice seeking the original owner of the parrot on the 17th, but as of the 22nd, no one has come forward. The association also received a tip that a similar parrot had been seen at a nearby barbecue restaurant, but the establishment stated, "Our parrot is doing well," denying any connection.
Believed to Be a Critically Endangered Yellow-headed Amazon Parrot
A parrot rescued at a cafe in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 16th. Korea Animal Rescue Management Association
The parrot first appeared on the 16th. At that time, a report was received that "a parrot is drinking a customer’s coffee" at a cafe in Yangpyeong-dong. Responding to the call, police discovered a medium-sized parrot weighing about 0.5 kg, with a green body and hidden red and blue feathers. The bird was placed in a cardboard box and sent to the Korea Animal Rescue Management Association.
Although a precise identification has not yet been completed, experts believe the parrot is likely a yellow-headed Amazon parrot, a species native to Central and South America, including Mexico and Honduras, with only about 4,000 individuals remaining worldwide. This species is listed in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) as an internationally endangered species.
Commercial trade of Appendix I species is strictly prohibited, with exceptions made only for scientific, medical, or exhibition purposes, making private adoption impossible. It is suspected that this parrot may have been smuggled or illegally traded and then abandoned after being kept as a pet.
CITES-listed Species Face Smuggling and Abandonment... "The Vicious Cycle Must End"
If the parrot's owner does not come forward, it will be transferred to a CITES protection facility at the National Institute of Ecology under the Ministry of Environment. Currently, there are 376 individuals from 62 Appendix I species at the National Institute of Ecology's CITES protection facility, which is about 70% of its maximum capacity of 560 animals.
Most of the animals housed there were seized during smuggling attempts. Between 2021 and October this year, 1,252 animals entered the facility, with 995 (79.5%) being smuggling cases, followed by abandonment at 12.2%, confiscation at 3.1%, and rescue or other reasons at 5.2%.
Experts point out that as endangered birds continue to be trafficked at prices far below official procedures, the vicious cycle of these species entering the country for pet purposes and then being abandoned persists.
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