WIRE: Wildlife Investigative Reporters & Editors
@wire-wildlife.bsky.social
Rigorous, independent investigative journalism for the good of wildlife and society. 🌎📸 Read our first investigation “The Parrot Cartel” here: https://wireonline.org/reporting/the-parrot-cartel
Florida parrot Apollo, who belongs to Dalton and Tori Mason, has 3 million TikTok followers. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 19, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Florida parrot Apollo, who belongs to Dalton and Tori Mason, has 3 million TikTok followers. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
A captured parrot had its feathers plucked so it wouldn’t fly away. The bird died soon after being rescued. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 18, 2025 at 3:44 PM
A captured parrot had its feathers plucked so it wouldn’t fly away. The bird died soon after being rescued. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
A ban on commercial whaling nearly 60 years ago was meant to protect this mother humpback and her calf. But laws only matter when violations are exposed. Without investigative reporting, exploitation at sea continues unseen. Your support helps protect the ocean. Donate today at the 🔗 in bio! 🎁❤️
December 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
A ban on commercial whaling nearly 60 years ago was meant to protect this mother humpback and her calf. But laws only matter when violations are exposed. Without investigative reporting, exploitation at sea continues unseen. Your support helps protect the ocean. Donate today at the 🔗 in bio! 🎁❤️
Most of the African grey parrots rehabilitated at the Dingi center in the Democratic Republic of Congo fly free after their recovery, but a few tame ones have chosen to stay. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 16, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Most of the African grey parrots rehabilitated at the Dingi center in the Democratic Republic of Congo fly free after their recovery, but a few tame ones have chosen to stay. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
A man who says he no longer traps wild African grey parrots since the DRC banned the activity shows his collection of decoys. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 15, 2025 at 11:05 PM
A man who says he no longer traps wild African grey parrots since the DRC banned the activity shows his collection of decoys. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
At sunset, a group of African grey parrots gather near the top of an enclosure at a parrot rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they’re recovering after being seized from wildlife traffickers. Read the full story 🔗 in bio & wireonline.org. 📸
December 15, 2025 at 6:24 AM
At sunset, a group of African grey parrots gather near the top of an enclosure at a parrot rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they’re recovering after being seized from wildlife traffickers. Read the full story 🔗 in bio & wireonline.org. 📸
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, conservationists John and Terese Hart work to halt the illegal trade decimating wild African grey parrots. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 14, 2025 at 12:26 AM
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, conservationists John and Terese Hart work to halt the illegal trade decimating wild African grey parrots. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
Caged parrots are prone to atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. Healthy greys often outlive their human companions, suffering anxiety and depression when they suddenly find themselves without their person. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson.
December 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Caged parrots are prone to atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. Healthy greys often outlive their human companions, suffering anxiety and depression when they suddenly find themselves without their person. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson.
A pair of African grey parrots at a commercial breeding farm in South Africa perches on a branch in their cage. Videos of talking birds online have helped create such a high demand for grey parrots, a chick can sell for as much as $7,000 in some pet shops. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio.
December 11, 2025 at 9:59 PM
A pair of African grey parrots at a commercial breeding farm in South Africa perches on a branch in their cage. Videos of talking birds online have helped create such a high demand for grey parrots, a chick can sell for as much as $7,000 in some pet shops. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio.
Approximately 200 commercial breeding farms in South Africa supply African grey parrots to the pet trade. Most of them are shipped thousands of miles to markets in the Middle East. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
December 10, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Approximately 200 commercial breeding farms in South Africa supply African grey parrots to the pet trade. Most of them are shipped thousands of miles to markets in the Middle East. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
African grey parrots evolved to have a complex awareness of their world. Studies show they’re capable of using a wide vocabulary, identifying colors and shapes, and understanding forms of matter. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
December 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
African grey parrots evolved to have a complex awareness of their world. Studies show they’re capable of using a wide vocabulary, identifying colors and shapes, and understanding forms of matter. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
African grey parrots are social, gregarious birds that live in large flocks in the wild. They’ve been popular pets since way before TikTok. Queen Victoria had several grey parrots as pets who spoke French, made jokes, and sang, “God save the queen.” Read the full story 🔗 in bio.
December 8, 2025 at 4:27 PM
African grey parrots are social, gregarious birds that live in large flocks in the wild. They’ve been popular pets since way before TikTok. Queen Victoria had several grey parrots as pets who spoke French, made jokes, and sang, “God save the queen.” Read the full story 🔗 in bio.
Animal welfare activists say the treatment of parrots raised for the pet trade is cruel and inhumane. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
December 7, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Animal welfare activists say the treatment of parrots raised for the pet trade is cruel and inhumane. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
Roughly 400 rehabilitated African grey parrots, rescued from the illegal pet trade, have returned to the forest after recovering at this conservation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Roughly 400 rehabilitated African grey parrots, rescued from the illegal pet trade, have returned to the forest after recovering at this conservation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
South Africa remains the world’s largest exporter of captive-bred grey parrots, but wildlife investigators suspect that wild-caught birds are being laundered through legal channels. Read the full story at the 🔗in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson
December 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
South Africa remains the world’s largest exporter of captive-bred grey parrots, but wildlife investigators suspect that wild-caught birds are being laundered through legal channels. Read the full story at the 🔗in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson
African grey parrots rescued from traffickers are loaded into a van for transport to a bird rehabilitation center in Dingi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 4, 2025 at 5:23 PM
African grey parrots rescued from traffickers are loaded into a van for transport to a bird rehabilitation center in Dingi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
Many parrots come from commercial farms with rows of hundreds of caged breeding pairs producing chicks that are sold and shipped often thousands of miles in cramped wooden boxes. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
December 3, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Many parrots come from commercial farms with rows of hundreds of caged breeding pairs producing chicks that are sold and shipped often thousands of miles in cramped wooden boxes. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
Today is Giving Tuesday. If you believe the public deserves the truth about wildlife crime and environmental harm, please support WIRE’s investigative reporting. Your gift fuels independent journalism that investigates those exploiting wildlife and nature. Donate at the 🔗 in bio and below. 🧡
December 2, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Today is Giving Tuesday. If you believe the public deserves the truth about wildlife crime and environmental harm, please support WIRE’s investigative reporting. Your gift fuels independent journalism that investigates those exploiting wildlife and nature. Donate at the 🔗 in bio and below. 🧡
African grey parrots are the great apes of the bird world. They have a brain the size of a walnut, but the intelligence of young children. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
December 2, 2025 at 3:40 PM
African grey parrots are the great apes of the bird world. They have a brain the size of a walnut, but the intelligence of young children. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🎥 by Carissa Henderson #TheParrotCartel
An armed guard at a rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo gently greets a tame African grey parrot rescued from traffickers. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
December 1, 2025 at 7:48 PM
An armed guard at a rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo gently greets a tame African grey parrot rescued from traffickers. Read the full story at the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 📸 by Karine Aigner #TheParrotCartel
Reposted by WIRE: Wildlife Investigative Reporters & Editors
TikTok is obsessed with talking parrots. It’s fueling a global black market. Rolling Stone reports ⤵
TikTok Is Obsessed With Talking Parrots. It's Fueling a Global Black Market
bit.ly
November 30, 2025 at 7:00 AM
TikTok is obsessed with talking parrots. It’s fueling a global black market. Rolling Stone reports ⤵
African grey parrots seized from poachers stay at the parrot rehabilitation center for several months, regrowing the feathers cut by poachers and exercising in flight cages until they’re strong enough to fly free. #TheParrotCartel
November 30, 2025 at 2:10 PM
African grey parrots seized from poachers stay at the parrot rehabilitation center for several months, regrowing the feathers cut by poachers and exercising in flight cages until they’re strong enough to fly free. #TheParrotCartel
John and Terese Hart, who run a bird rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, invite dignitaries from around the country to come see rescued African grey parrots returning to the wild. Some even help set the birds free. #TheParrotCartel
November 28, 2025 at 11:28 PM
John and Terese Hart, who run a bird rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo, invite dignitaries from around the country to come see rescued African grey parrots returning to the wild. Some even help set the birds free. #TheParrotCartel
African grey parrots rescued from the illegal pet trade recover from their ordeal at a rehab center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Soon they’ll join the hundreds of birds that have returned to the wild from this center. #TheParrotCartel
November 27, 2025 at 1:58 PM
African grey parrots rescued from the illegal pet trade recover from their ordeal at a rehab center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Soon they’ll join the hundreds of birds that have returned to the wild from this center. #TheParrotCartel
Workers at a parrot rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo feed the birds a diverse diet of papaya, pineapple, corn, peanuts, sugarcane, and palm nuts. Most birds return to the wild, but a few tame ones have chosen to stay.
November 26, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Workers at a parrot rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo feed the birds a diverse diet of papaya, pineapple, corn, peanuts, sugarcane, and palm nuts. Most birds return to the wild, but a few tame ones have chosen to stay.