300+ Gray Parrots Rescued from Illegal Wildlife Trade

No Proper Documents, No Protection

These parrots were being transported without the required CITES permits—official documents that are essential for trading endangered species across borders. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) exists to protect animals like the African Grey parrot from being trafficked, sold, and abused.

The smugglers tried to deceive authorities by attaching CITES documents meant for another parrot species, Poicephalus gulielmi (Jardine parrots), which are less strictly regulated. To conceal their true cargo, the smugglers placed green parrots—which are not under CITES protection—on the outside of the crates in round boxes, while the African Greys were cruelly hidden in the center of the transport containers, completely out of sight. The smugglers tried to cheat the system by using documents meant for a completely different parrot species (Poicephalus gulielmi). But this didn’t fool the experts at the airport. Thanks to careful inspection and the efforts of honest officials, the smuggling attempt was completely stopped.

Transport to local government sanctuary for rehabilitation

Once the parrots were safely taken from the airport, 252 surviving birds were moved by road to Gaziantep Wildlife Park in southeastern Turkey. This was not a short trip—it took hours and had to be done very carefully by teams trained in animal rescue.

When they arrived, the parrots received full medical checkups. They were treated for dehydration, weakness, and stress. Many of them had clearly suffered deeply during their journey in cargo. Some were so tired they could barely lift their heads.

After staying in a special quarantine area, where they healed, they have moved to outdoor enclosures for second stage of rehabilitation

Repatriation of the parrots to DRC Congo

After months of negotiations with Turkish Cargo, CITES, the Turkish government, and the DRC Congo, we had successfully developed a plan to bring these parrots back to their native land. We are proud to share that the parrots have now been safely returned to the DRC Congo, the very place they were cruelly trafficked from

Our organization played a critical role in this mission—not only by pushing for the parrots’ return, but also by designing a new animal transport crate for Turkish Cargo. These improved boxes have netted sides, allowing full visibility of all animals inside. This new design will help stop similar smuggling operations in the future, especially from Africa.

This operation turned out to be a HUGE success and an incredible mission

Why This Is So Important

African Grey parrots are famous for their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech. Sadly, this is also the reason they are so heavily trafficked. People want to keep them as pets, not realizing how much they suffer in captivity.

These birds are meant to fly, socialize, and live in the treetops—not in cages.

What happened at Istanbul Airport is just one example of a global problem. Wildlife trafficking is a cruel and growing business. Every rescue like this helps raise awareness and push for stronger action.

How You can Help

Every rescue like this comes with high costs—medical care, safe transport, and long-term rehabilitation. If you’d like to support the recovery and return of these beautiful parrots, please consider making a donation. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us give them the life they deserve. Thank you for your support