SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — A parrot rescued after sneaking sips of customers’ coffee at a café in Seoul has yet to be claimed by its owner more than a week after it was found, raising the likelihood that the endangered bird will be transferred to a state-run wildlife protection center.
Related: Endangered Amazon Parrot Found at Seoul Café After Drinking Customer’s Coffee
According to the Korea Animal Rescue and Management Association, the bird was discovered on Nov. 16 at a café in Yeongdeungpo District and has remained unclaimed since the group issued a public notice on Nov. 17. A reported sighting at a nearby restaurant proved unrelated, as the establishment confirmed its own parrot was accounted for.
Although its exact taxonomy has not yet been formally verified, the bird is believed to be a yellow-headed Amazon parrot, native to Central America and estimated to number only around 4,000 worldwide. The species is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), making private adoption illegal.
If no rightful owner comes forward during the notice period, the parrot will be transferred to the CITES-designated wildlife care facility at the National Institute of Ecology. Appendix I species are generally barred from commercial trade, with exceptions granted only for scientific research, medical use or exhibition.
The facility currently houses 376 animals across 62 endangered species seized or rescued by authorities. It can accommodate up to 560–580 animals, leaving its occupancy rate at roughly 70 percent.
Most animals housed there were intercepted during smuggling operations. Of the 1,252 animals admitted between 2021 and October 2024, 79.5 percent — 995 in total — were linked to smuggling cases. Another 153 were abandoned pets, while 39 were confiscated and 65 rescued under various circumstances.
Officials say the “coffee thief” parrot was likely smuggled into Korea as a pet and later escaped or was abandoned. Many exotic animals, they note, are illegally imported because they can be purchased more cheaply on the black market than through formal, regulated channels.
“Take crocodiles, for example,” one official at the National Institute of Ecology said. “They might be just 15–20 centimeters when first brought in, but they grow to 60–90 centimeters. When owners realize they can’t manage them, abandoning them becomes a common outcome.”
With no owner yet identified, the rescued parrot may soon join the growing number of endangered animals now under the government’s care.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
