Dozens of parrots rescued from illegal pet trade in ongoing partnership between Bronx Zoo, USFWS
According to a WCS spokesperson, the birds include several white-fronted Amazons and orange-fronted conures, which were seized at the U.S.-Mexico border. The birds are all in good condition.
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The Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) Bronx Zoo says it recently helped rescue dozens of parrots from the illegal pet trade as part of an ongoing partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
According to a WCS spokesperson, the birds include several white-fronted Amazons and orange-fronted conures, which were seized at the U.S.-Mexico border. The birds are all in good condition.
"Together, these efforts demonstrate the essential role that zoos can play beyond their public exhibits: serving as resources for law enforcement agencies and providing a lifeline for wildlife affected by trafficking," said Chuck Cerbini, WCS Bronx Zoo curator of ornithology.
A WCS spokesperson says some of the white-fronted Amazons are being cared for at the Bronx Zoo's World of Birds, while others are currently at the Wildlife Conservation Center's Central Park Zoo.
The orange-fronted conures were taken to another Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo, where they will also receive ongoing professional care, the WCS says.
“These animals were stolen from the wild and are victims of the illegal wildlife pet trade, and our responsibility is to give them the best possible chance for a healthy future,” said Cerbini.
Since the Bronx Zoo formed a partnership with the USFWS in 2022, the WCS says the zoo has assisted with nine parrot seizures. The zoo has cared for more than 50 birds, of seven species, including endangered species.
In August, the Bronx Zoo helped USFWS in a separate effort: rescuing and rehabilitating over 1,000 North American box turtles. The turtles had been confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade beginning in Oct. 2024.
