Illegal animal traders caught red handed
Police successfully ambushed a gang of illegal animal traders after they were captured red-handed with 64 African Grey Parrots.
According to Hoedspruit police spokesperson Constable Livhuwani Mulaudzi, police received a lead on the gang operating in the area and set up a sting operation to capture them by posing as prospective buyers.
‘The suspects were arrested on December 19 at 01:00 near Swadini and Moria Foods.
They have been charged with the illegal possession of the birds,’said Mulaudzi.
She said the birds were valued at over R86000.
Phineas Machete (43), David Ledwalo(43), Reginah Frost (43) and Justice Shaterwa (30) are expected to appear in the Hoedspruit Magistrate court on Wednesday for their bail application.
African grey parrots are the most populous non-human Africans outside of Africa…
These charismatic parrots are the most important ambassadors, charming people around the world with vocabularies of up to 200 words and advanced cognitive abilities.
For at least 50 years, grey parrots have been among the most internationally-traded wild birds on earth.
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) trade records and the most up-to-date research estimate that more than 4 million grey parrots have been captured for the wild-caught bird trade, for their feathers and heads, or simply for bushmeat.
Local extinctions have occurred throughout their range with grey parrots disappearing from forests in Uganda, Rwanda, Cameroon, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo-Brazzaville, Central African Republic, and elsewhere in central and West Africa.
