Smuggled parrot eggs have hatched after being seized from an alleged wildlife trafficker at an airport.
Several of the rescued eggs have successfully hatched into chicks after being intercepted as part of a crackdown on illegal wildlife trafficking.
The tiny hatchlings are now receiving intensive veterinary care as experts fight to give them the best possible chance of survival.
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The eggs had allegedly been concealed inside homemade incubator bags and carried as hand luggage by suspects attempting to take them out of the country, as reported by Need To Know.
One 50-year-old Thai national was arrested last week after allegedly being found with 50 bird eggs.
The discovery followed a separate arrest in July, when a 23-year-old Thai national was allegedly caught with 418 parrot eggs hidden inside two homemade incubator bags.
Authorities believe the eggs came from parrot species protected under international wildlife trade rules.
The latest arrest was made at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The rescued eggs have since been transferred to the National Zoological Garden in Pretoria, where specialists have been caring for them in controlled conditions.
Several have now hatched, with the newborn chicks receiving specialist veterinary and husbandry care.
South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said the eggs were believed to belong to species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Officials warned that the illegal collection and trafficking of parrot eggs poses a serious threat to wild bird populations and animal welfare.
The eggs can be particularly vulnerable during transportation, with improvised incubation devices potentially putting developing embryos and hatchlings at risk.
The arrests followed a joint intelligence-led operation involving environmental enforcement officials, police intelligence and border and endangered-species units.
Authorities said investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.
Anyone convicted of illegally exporting CITES-listed species in South Africa can face a fine of up to 10 million rand – around £460,000 – up to ten years in prison, or both.
The country’s environment minister David Maynier said the operation demonstrated the importance of agencies working together to tackle wildlife trafficking.
The department said the action formed part of South Africa’s wider efforts to combat the illegal trade in protected wildlife.
For now, the newly hatched chicks remain under specialist care as authorities determine their next steps.
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