UWA Rescues 14 Parrots

By Gerald TenywaTHE Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has recovered 14 globally endangered African Grey parrots from a Congolese, who was transporting them to Mombasa, Kenya.The suspected bird trafficker was intercepted by the Police and UWA officials at Mpondwe customs post. He is being held by Lake Katwe Police. The parrots were handed over to UWA and are being kept at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC), formerly Entebbe Zoo. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), the African Grey parrots are endangered species. “We confiscated the birds because the suspect did not have CITES certificates authorising him to transport parrots,’’ Dennis Katunguka, UWA law enforcement officer at Queens Elizabeth National Park said.Katunguka said it was against national and international laws to possess and transport parrots without permits.He said CITES certificates were needed to transport the parrots.“The culprit had a certificate written in French and issued by Congo authorities, but this was invalid, because he had to clear with CITES authorities in Uganda,’’ Katunguka said.Ends