The Great Parrot Heist: A Glimpse into South Africa's Wildlife Trafficking Epidemic The arrest of a 50 year old Thai national at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport last Thursday marked the latest chapter in a disturbing trend.
Fifty eggs suspected to be those of endangered parrots were intercepted, and some have now hatched, revealing the shocking lengths to which wildlife traffickers will go.
This incident is part of a larger narrative that has been unfolding in South Africa for years. The country's status as one of the world's most biodiverse nations has made it a hotspot for wildlife trafficking.