1172: African Grey Parrots Are Popular—And It’s Fueling Illegal Trade episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 21, 2025 · 13 MIN

1172: African Grey Parrots Are Popular—And It’s Fueling Illegal Trade

from Science Friday · host Science Friday

African grey parrots are internet stars. It’s easy to see why—the charismatic birds sing, tell jokes, and sling profanities. But how do the endangered birds get from African forests to your feed? Wildlife crime reporter Rene Ebersole joins Host Flora Lichtman to describe her investigation into the global parrot trade, and the black market for wild African greys that is threatening their existence.Guest: Rene Ebersole is Editor In Chief at Wildlife Investigative Reporters and Editors (WIRE).Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 21, 2025

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Talkative African grey parrots are charismatic internet stars. A global scramble to source and sell the birds threatens their survival.

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1172: African Grey Parrots Are Popular—And It’s Fueling Illegal Trade

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