Parrot eggs hatch after suspected Thai smuggler arrested at South African airport

Fifty eggs suspected to be those of endangered parrots were intercepted at South Africa's main airport in Johannesburg last Thursday - and some of them have now hatched.

A 50-year-old Thai national was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle them in a "homemade incubator bag" carried as hand luggage, according to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).

Many of the rescued eggs have successfully hatched, with the chicks now receiving "intensive" care to "maximise their chances of survival", it added.

If convicted, the suspected wildlife trafficker faces a fine of up to 10m rand ($626,000, £461,000) or up to 10 years in prison, or both.

Initial investigations suggest the eggs belong to a parrot species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

The arrest followed a joint operation by the DFFE, the Green Scorpions - a specialised environmental enforcement unit - and various divisions of the police.

Environment Minister David Maynier has congratulated all the agencies involved, saying "illegal wildlife trafficking can only be challenged by a co-ordinated defence of our natural heritage".

He particularly thanked the dedicated staff at the National Zoological Garden in the capital, Pretoria, "who have been working tirelessly to incubate the seized eggs and provide specialised care to the hatchlings".