2023-09-30 14:31:37
The Gabon gray parrot, known as Yako or African parrot.
This week, the French city of Marseille witnessed an exciting reunion. A Gabon gray parrot, also known as the Yaco parrot, was found three years after being stolen from its owner, an officer belonging to the district’s Municipal Police.
The story dates back to 2020, when a thief entered the agent’s home and took the bird that was his companion and pet. Since then, the man never stopped searching for him and kept alive the hope that one day they would meet again. “If one day they see him, they will probably say his name, Jako,” he repeated with determination. It was premonitory.
According to information from the French sites Var-Matin and La Provence, the opportunity for that reunion came on Wednesday, September 28, 2023, when a municipal police team carried out its daily patrol in the vicinity of the 2nd district of the port city. During their journey, they discovered an abandoned cage on a sidewalk located on Charles-Plumier Street. Inside was a bird offered for sale.
One of the troops, a lover and connoisseur of ornithology, suspected that something was not right.
The Gabon Gray, or African gray parrot, is a species of bird that is sold illegally at a price close to 2,000 euros per specimen, despite the fact that its sale is strictly prohibited due to its status as a protected species, in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
However, what perplexed the agents was that as soon as they approached the cage, the animal began to tirelessly repeat its name: “Jako! Jako!” It was this behavior that confirmed his suspicions: it was the same bird that had been stolen three years earlier from one of his co-workers.
Following established protocols, the parrot was immediately seized by order of the criminal investigation officer and handed over to an association dedicated to the protection of endangered species. The bird’s identity was quickly confirmed. It was, without a doubt, the same one stolen in 2020.
The reunion between the agent and Jako took place the night after the discovery, and to the surprise of everyone present, the parrot pronounced his name again when he saw his owner.
The parrot was reunited with its owner after three years.
In 2016, CITES member countries made the decision to ban international trade in wild-born African gray parrots, a species highly sought after as pets due to their ability to imitate numerous sounds, including the human voice. This measure was promoted by Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire and five other African countries, as well as by the European Union, and received the support of various non-governmental organizations, such as BirdLife and WWF, among others. The vote took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, and obtained 95 votes in favor and 35 against.
This measure was included in Appendix I of CITES, which covers the protection of species that face the highest risk of danger within wild fauna and flora.
Until then, the sale of African gray parrots was legal. However, from that moment on, the commercialization of any gray parrot captured or born in the wild was restricted, only allowing the sale of those parrots that were born in authorized breeding centers or whose importation is carried out for non-commercial purposes, such as scientific research. , according to information from the ABC and La Vanguardia sites.
1696086923
#knew #shouted #gray #parrot #stolen #years #recovered