Poached African grey parrots smuggled on Turkish Airlines flights

Our Investigation

Our shocking video shows a poacher using a lure bird to trap wild African grey parrots.  

Illegally trafficked African grey parrots: 

• Have their flight feathers brutally chopped off, to prevent them from escaping
• Are crammed into small, dirty containers 
• Have a mortality rate of 66% before they even reach transport planes 
• Suffer a life of misery, if they survive the journey 

Because of this thriving illicit trade, wild African grey parrot populations have declined by as much as 99% in some areas. 

Turkish Airlines must do more

Our investigation reveals Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary, Turkish Cargo, are enabling the exotic pet trade, despite making commitments to combat wildlife trafficking.  

Turkish Airlines has been used to illegally transport wild-caught African grey parrots on flights from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Mali to countries in the Middle East, western and southern Asia.  

As recently as August 18, 2018, African grey parrots were transported by Turkish Airlines between DRC’s capital city, Kinshasa, and Kuwait via Istanbul, with more than 60 found dead on arrival.  

Sign our pledge now

Our investigation found that these animals are poached to order. This means demand from exotic pet buyers is driving the trade. We encourage everyone to appreciate and respect wild animals where they belong – in the wild. We should only share our homes with domesticated animals who’ve evolved over thousands of years to be our companions, and whose needs can be completely met as pets. Add your voice against the exotic pet industry today. 

Wild animals belong in the wild and shouldn't be kept as pets