n the outskirts of Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands, a row of metal cages clings to the side of a forest-covered hill. Inside, birds screech and shuffle. A large hornbill pecks at the wire with its giant curved beak. Another hops restlessly from its perch to the ground below and back up again. Next to them are huddles of red and green parrots, gently cooing pigeons and white cockatoos, their feathers dusted brown with dirt.
Behind the cages, the forest stretches deep and wide. In front, a wooden box hides a coil of snakes. Mosquitoes hum in the humid air. These trapped animals are in limbo, awaiting shipment to private collectors and exotic pet dealers around the world. Angelina Palmer, known as Angie, moves between the enclosures with her workmates, checking food bowls and replenishing water. “These are going to Jordan and Malaysia,” she says, tapping gently on the wire to calm a restless bird.
