Help 140 confiscated African Greys get back into the wild

In 2009, South African traders imported more wild-caught African Greys from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) than the entire export quota for that country, which "legally" exported almost three times their allotted 5,000. In that same year, South Africa exported over 25,000 African Grey Parrots to emerging markets in the Far East. The business opportunity is to purchase cheap wild-caught Africa Greys at breeding age from the DRC and then use them in a "bird mill" to produce hundreds of chicks for the very lucrative export market. After 3-5 years these parrots are discarded like battery chickens. Remember these are mature, wild African Greys that were captured during their breeding season and were probably busy with an active nest of eggs and/or chicks when removed from the wild.
South Africa has become a hub for the trade in wild African Greys, as well as thousands of endangered reptiles, birds and animals. We have some of the best laws in the world to protect our indigenous species, yet we continue to allow thousands upon thousands of wild-caught animals into the country despite the disease risks and threat to the persistence of these species in the wild. It was a South African busted in New Zealand with over 50 endangered cockatoo eggs hidden in a specialized vest. It was a South African busted with hundreds of endangered reptiles in Madagascar. It was a South African set up the quarantine in Kinshasa used as a pipeline for wild-caught African Greys into South Africa. We should be embarrassed.
There are currently 140 confiscated, wild-caught African Greys in quarantine in Johannesburg. They have been there for almost 12 weeks and are beginning to lose condition. After being confiscated by military police on patrol along the Mozambican border fence, these mistreated parrots were handed over to the World Parrot Trust Africa by the State Veterinarian at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) for release back into the wild after quarantine and disease-testing. Now after three months, the trader is saying that these disease-free parrots were stolen from him in Mozambique prior to being smuggled, and wants them back. International law is, however, very clear about confiscated animals becoming the irrevocable property of the country into which they are being smuggled. The only thing linking this trader with the parrots is the crates they were smuggled across the border fence in. Just the same as this not proving that this trader owns the parrots, it also doesn't prove that this trader is, in fact, the smuggler. Suitable release sites are now available for these parrots in Rwanda and Uganda. In addition, we have the necessary support from airlines and cargo carriers to get them there and set these poor parrots up in a flight aviary near the release site.
Please help us put pressure on the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and CITES South Africa to re-issue the CITES Export permit that was issued by the Gauteng Provincial government a few weeks ago. We need to get these confiscated, wild-caught African Greys back to the tropics, back into the sun, back onto a nutritious wild diet, and back flying free in the wild!!Please get hold of Mr Albi Modise (Communications Officer: DEA) at amodise@environment.gov.za with your thoughts and comments...