Are grey parrots really protected? The CITES paradox behind one of the world’s most trafficked birds
The grey parrot is one of the world’s most recognisable and intelligent birds. Celebrated for its long lifespan and remarkable ability to mimic human speech, it has charmed pet owners across continents. But behind this popularity lies a darker truth: the grey parrot is also one of the world’s most trafficked and endangered bird species.
Native to the equatorial forests of west and central Africa, the grey parrot once ranged over 4.5 million square kilometres, from the coastal forests of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to the Congo Basin, Uganda and western Kenya. In the 1970s, their numbers seemed limitless. But in the decades since, more than 1.2 million grey parrots have been traded internationally, the vast majority taken directly from the wild. In Ghana alone, wild populations have plummeted by up to 99%.
Better protection
In 2016, the international community seemed to recognise the urgency of the situation. At the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), countries voted to list the grey parrot in Appendix I of the Convention. This classification banned all commercial international trade in wild-caught individuals – a measure designed to protect the species from the relentless pressures of capture and export.
On paper, it was a strong response. But in practice, the protection has proved far less effective.
CITES is only as strong as its implementation. While the Convention provides a legal framework to regulate trade, enforcement is the responsibility of national governments. In countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where many of the remaining wild grey parrots live, enforcement is limited. Despite uplisting in 2016, exports continued under questionable permits. Even after CITES reaffirmed the suspension of all trade in grey parrots from the DRC in 2022, concerns about illegal activity remain.
Widespread corruption
Some countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, entered formal reservations to the 2016 decision, effectively opting out of the trade ban. Enforcement capacity in much of Africa remains weak due to lack of resources, fragmented governance and widespread corruption. Meanwhile, demand for grey parrots remains high – not only in Europe and North America, but increasingly in China and the Gulf States.
In theory, captive breeding offers a legal and sustainable alternative. But the line between legal and illegal trade is often blurred. Breeding operations in countries such as South Africa have grown rapidly in recent years, but so have concerns that wild-caught birds are being laundered through these facilities.
One high-profile case in 2018 involved grey parrots being falsely declared as red-fronted parrots, allowing them to be illegally shipped via Istanbul and Kuwait. Following the 2016 trade ban, reported exports of red-fronted parrots from the Democratic Republic of Congo increased fivefold, strongly suggesting that grey parrots are being mislabelled to circumvent trade restrictions.
Major trading hubs such as Singapore also play an opaque role.
Despite being a CITES signatory, the city-state continues to export large numbers of listed birds, while importing from countries with weak enforcement records. Inconsistencies in the data suggest that Singapore may be an important hub for laundering illegally sourced parrots through otherwise legal channels.
Online wildlife trade
Adding to the challenges of enforcement is the rapid growth of online wildlife trade. Platforms such as Facebook and regional classifieds websites have become de facto marketplaces for trafficked birds. A 2018 investigation identified 259 grey parrots for sale online, with over 70 per cent of the listings likely to be in breach of CITES regulations. More recent research has identified nearly 800 listings in just six months across African countries – many facilitating cross-border transactions without the necessary permits.
Online trade bypasses physical borders, overwhelms enforcement agencies and gives traffickers direct access to buyers. While CITES formally recognised cyber-enabled wildlife crime in 2016 and worked with INTERPOL to publish guidelines, implementation remains limited. Conservation experts are now calling for online platforms to be held accountable for listing illegal wildlife, and for law enforcement to adopt AI tools that can monitor digital marketplaces in real time.
There are solutions – but they require coordination, funding and political will.
In regions where grey parrots still live in the wild, locally-led conservation efforts have shown promising results. In parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, provincial governments have worked with communities to monitor breeding sites and reduce poaching. Conservation groups are also promoting ecotourism as a more sustainable and profitable alternative to trapping, offering economic incentives to keep birds in the wild.
Transparency
Improving the transparency of the trade system is crucial. Wildlife trade databases currently track legal, international transactions, but often miss domestic sales, online listings and seizures. Integrating these data sources could provide a clearer picture of trade flows. Introducing genetic testing and DNA barcoding can help distinguish truly captive-bred birds from wild ones, and digitising permitting systems – such as through the eCITES initiative – can reduce fraud and improve coordination across borders.
In October 2024, CITES and Switzerland convened a workshop to address the technical and financial barriers to eCITES implementation. Recommendations included barcoding permits, integrating systems with customs platforms and designating dedicated CITES entry points. While these are promising steps, many participants stressed that progress will stall without sustained financial investment and training.
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of grey parrot conservation is demand reduction.
As long as consumers in Europe, the Gulf and Asia continue to seek out exotic pets, the economic incentives to supply them will remain. Public awareness campaigns, stricter enforcement of ownership laws and certification schemes for legitimate breeders can all play a role in reducing consumer demand and shrinking the illegal market.
Too many loopholes
So does CITES protect the grey parrot? Technically, yes. But in reality, the system is riddled with loopholes, hampered by poor enforcement and undermined by continued global demand. Trade continues through a mix of fraudulent permits, money laundering through legal breeders and unregulated online marketplaces.
Saving the grey parrot will take more than paperwork. It will require real enforcement, cross-border cooperation, responsible consumer behaviour and investment in both technology and community-based conservation. Without these, one of the world’s most intelligent birds may soon be heard only in cages.
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