Wildlife
Grey Parrot

World-renowned for its exceptional vocal and cognitive abilities, the African Grey Parrot is one of the most trafficked birds in the world, notably to feed the pet trade, despite its ban in 2016. The steep decline in its wild population since the 1990s makes this emblematic species a conservation priority.
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CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED

About 21% of its wild population is harvested each year to supply the pet trade

An estimated 1.3 million individuals were caught between 1982 and 2014

Most often captured alive, 40-60% of parrots die during trafficking

Psittacus erithacus

Local names: Tchaku (Lingala), Koso (Bendzele), Okongo, Nkao (Bomitaba)

  • African Grey Parrots, which measure around 30 cm in length, are the largest of the African parrots. They have a strong ability to mimic speech and astonishing cognitive capacities.
  • Grey parrots are monogamous, with both males and females caring for their chicks. Grey parrots roost at night and can form groups of up to 100 birds in a single tree. They communicate with each other through easily recognizable high-pitched whistles.
  • While they can live up to 60 years in captivity, their life expectancy in the wild is much lower, averaging 22.7 years. Their predators include the palm-nut vulture, as well as monkeys that prey on their eggs and nestlings.
  • Extremely intelligent, they are difficult to reintroduce to the wild after being captured by poachers, having lost their vital social cues.
CHALLENGES

 

  • Habitat loss due to logging and forest recession
  • Capture for the pet market, using nets or glue traps that can injure or kill animals
  • Poaching for sale on the African market, where red feathers and parrot heads have social value and beliefs
OUR APPROACH

 

WCS supports a full-chain law enforcement program, including intelligence-led anti-poaching, anti-trafficking and judicial follow-up efforts to dismantle wildlife trafficking networks.

The fight against parrot poaching benefits in particular from the aerial support provided around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, to locate potential nets or glue traps in the trees.

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