In 2017, authorities at the Miami airport inspected a commercial shipment from Europe. Inside a container, they found 21 splash-backed poison frogs (Adelphobates galactonotus), a species known for its vibrant colors and poisonous skin. The species is endemic to the southern tributaries of the Amazon River and highly sought after by private collectors worldwide. When […]
Tag: wildlife trafficking
Illegally Trafficked Box Turtles Need Homes
Returning seized animals to the wild is seldom an option due to uncertainties about their origins and potential disease risks. Tamesha Woulard, a 36-year veteran of the FWS, highlighted the perennial challenge of handling confiscated live animals. “What happens after they’re here?” she asked, revealing a critical gap in wildlife management in response to the […]
Rewilding efforts throw a lifeline to Brazil’s most trafficked endangered bird
As the door of the wire enclosure is unlatched, a small coal-black bird hops forward. For a moment, it perches at the threshold and cocks its head quizzically at its newfound liberty, then flits into the undergrowth of the surrounding savanna. Within just a few minutes, its mate, a chestnut-brown female, follows suit. These two […]
Abandoned ‘Pet’ Lions Start a New Life in 455-Acre Sanctuary in South Africa
Six young lions, once purchased as status symbols and later abandoned in Kuwait, have begun a new chapter at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, the lions – males Muheeb, Saham, Shujaa, Saif, and females Dhubiya and Aziza – were found in Kuwait City and its surrounding deserts. […]
New Global Wildlife Crime Report Finds 4,000 Species Being Targeted in 162 Countries
A new report from the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has found that more than 4,000 wildlife species are targeted worldwide for illegal trade, and about 162 countries have active illegal wildlife trading. According to the latest edition of the UNODC’s World Wildlife Crime Report, the third of its kind, more than […]
4 Dominicans are accused of smuggling wildlife and throwing 113 birds overboard to their deaths
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– Today a federal grand jury indicted four men from the Dominican Republic who attempted to smuggle hundreds of exotic birds into the Dominican Republic and were interdicted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard. According to court documents, on or about May 3, 2024, defendants Frankluis Carela […]
Significant Blow to the Illegal Pet Trade: Big Bust Rescues Dozens of Lemurs and Tortoises
In a pair of busts that will end up costing criminals millions, Thai police raided a suspected wildlife smuggling site and saved hundreds of animals. 48 lemurs, 30 primates of various species, several crocodiles, and over 1,000 rare tortoises were seized when a convoy of four smuggling trucks was raided in Chumphon, Thailand, as well […]
Man pleads guilty in eagle `killing spree´ on reservation to sell feathers on black market
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) – A Washington state man accused of helping kill thousands of birds pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to shooting eagles on an American Indian reservation in Montana and selling their feathers and body parts on the black market. Travis John Branson pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and two counts […]