By Leocadia Bongben
Three suspected traffickers have been arrested in Bertoua, the east regional capital, for the illegal possession and trafficking of the African grey parrots. The traffickers, who include a Ghanaian national, were arrested during a crackdown operation conducted by the wildlife officials of the East Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife, with technical assistance from a wildlife enforcement body—Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA).
Despite being classified as an “Endangered” species (IUCN) and having strict legal protection since 2016, parrots, particularly the well-known African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), are at the center of a major conservation crisis due to intense trafficking for the illegal pet trade. Rehabilitation centers, like the Limbe Wildlife Center, have made significant efforts to release these birds back into the wild.
The suspects were found with 60 African grey parrots, which they carried in the boot of a black Prado, a government service car belonging to a divisional officer. The arrests took place as they attempted to sell the parrots.
The brother of the divisional officer whose car was used to transport the parrots is among the arrested traffickers. The car was used to provide impunity and conceal the birds as they transported them from Messok in the Upper Nyong Division to the East Regional Capital—Bertoua.
Sources close to the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity say this was a modus operandi they used to cover the trafficking in wildlife products. The parrots were captured and quarantined in a small village about 25 km away from Messok, according to the same sources.
The three belong to a wildlife criminal network, with each having a specified role in the illegal trafficking of the African grey parrots. One of the traffickers, the Ghanaian, with links to big-time parrot traffickers, was in charge of capturing and feeding the parrots in captivity, while the others helped in the feeding, transportation, and searching for buyers.
The African grey parrot, or grey parrot, is predominantly grey and black-billed. The head and wing are generally darker than the body, and the head and wing feathers are slightly white at the edge. It also has a red feather tail. The bird is native to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Congo, Gabon, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. It is regarded as one of the most intelligent birds in the world because it can talk in human language and mimic sounds.
In 2016, the African grey parrot was uplisted to Appendix 1 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and benefits from the highest level of protection, which prohibits any form of trade in the species. Therefore, according to the 2024 wildlife law, the three are liable to imprisonment terms of up to 20 years and/or a fine of up to 50 million FCFA if found guilty.
