Indonesian officials on Thursday freed dozens of parrots out of plastic drink bottles where these birds were stuffed in for smuggling.

The bottles were found on a ship docked in Indonesia's West Papua region.

The rich bird diversity across the Indonesian archipelago has led to booming domestic bird markets in the country as well as bird smuggling for overseas destinations.

The Indonesian culture, which places birds, especially songbirds, as popular pets, has also contributed to the illegal trade.

(All images via VCG)

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