Police were called to a cafe in the South Korean capital, Seoul, to apprehend loose parrot stealing coffee from customers. Photo courtesy of the Korean Animal Rescue and Management Association
Police were called to a cafe in the South Korean capital to wrangle a colorful coffee connoisseur: a loose parrot.
The Korean Animal Rescue and Management Association said police were called to the coffee shop in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, on a report of a loose parrot dropping by and stealing coffee from customers.
The parrot, reported to be friendly, was fed snacks by the cafe’s owner and allowed customers to pet it while waiting for police to arrive.
The bird is believed to be a yellow-crowned Amazon parrot, native to Central America. The species is endangered and not legal to be kept as a pet in South Korea without special permits. The Han River Basin Environmental Office is working to confirm the identification.
The Korean Animal Rescue and Management Association said the parrot appears to be in good health and was likely well-cared for before its escape.
Authorities are now trying to identify the bird’s owner to determine whether it can be returned home. If the parrot cannot be returned to its owner, it will be cared for by the CITES animal care facility at the Ministry of Environment’s National Institute of Ecology.
