Latest news with #wildlifetrafficking
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Authorities make shocking discovery hidden in shipping container of children's toys: 'A worrying example'
Authorities make shocking discovery hidden in shipping container of children's toys: 'A worrying example' Authorities recently discovered an illegal shipment of the world's smallest turtles crammed into socks and tucked between plush toys — a chilling reminder of the growing wildlife trade that threatens both animals and ecosystems around the globe. What's happening? Authorities in Gandia, Spain, uncovered 20 black-breasted leaf turtles (Geoemyda spengleri) — a protected species — during a routine inspection of a shipping container from China, according to Euro Weekly News. The tiny turtles, which are no more than 15 centimeters when fully grown, were hidden in socks to avoid detection. Many of the animals didn't survive the journey. Rescuers rushed the surviving turtles to Terra Natura Benidorm, a wildlife park specializing in the care of exotic and endangered species. The turtles arrived in critical condition, suffering from dehydration and physical deterioration, according to the park's herpetologist, David Martí. Martí called it "a worrying example of the real impact of illegal wildlife trafficking," per Euro Weekly News. Why are these turtles important? This kind of smuggling doesn't just harm animals; it disrupts entire ecosystems. When species are plucked from their habitats and trafficked around the world, it can lead to cascading effects that damage soil health, plant growth, and food chains. That destabilizes the very environments people rely on for clean water, food, and climate protection. Plus, removing rare animals from the wild to be sold as pets or collectibles makes it harder for conservationists to rebuild vulnerable populations. Invasive species introduced through trafficking can also spread disease and compete with local wildlife, compounding the damage. "Practices like these destabilise entire ecosystems and undermine efforts to conserve already vulnerable species," Martí said. Similar incidents, such as the arrest of exotic animal traffickers in Bangkok and the Massachusetts man caught smuggling endangered and protected animal parts, have shown how this global trade threatens both biodiversity and human well-being. What's being done about wildlife trafficking? Spain's Nature Protection Service is cracking down on traffickers by inspecting ports, pet shops, and online sellers, and it's asking the public for help. If you suspect illegal trade in exotic or protected animals, report it to your local environmental or customs authorities. You can also support the work of places such as Terra Natura Benidorm and wildlife rehabilitation groups. Buying pets only from ethical, certified sources and saying no to exotic species helps reduce demand. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
CNN
19-07-2025
- General
- CNN
One of the world's most trafficked animals has a lifeline in Zimbabwe
Pangolins - one of the world's most trafficked animals – are on the brink. In Zimbabwe a dedicated team of conservationists and veterinarians are on the front lines, fighting to rescue and rehabilitate these national treasures.
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- News.com.au
1500 tarantulas hidden inside biscuit boxes caught at German airport
Officials were left 'speechless' when they discovered about 1500 young tarantulas hidden in biscuit boxes shipped to an airport in Germany. Customs officials released photos of the spiders in tiny plastic containers on Monday after making the discovery three weeks ago when the packages arrived at Cologne Bonn Airport. The officials said there was a 'noticeable smell' coming from the 7kg of confectionery boxes. 'My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Cologne customs office spokesperson Jens Ahland said in a statement. 'An extraordinary seizure for German Customs, even though it saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit.' The packages came from Vietnam and were due to be delivered to an address in Sauerland, northwestern Germany. While the tarantulas were believed to have been shipped alive, violating animal welfare laws, 'many' died in transit. The remaining spiders were said to have been put in professional care. The Cologne customs office said criminal proceedings were underway against the recipient of the packages. It said animals of any kind must be declared to customs and that import duties need to be paid on parcels sent from a non-EU member state. Last year, a Korean man was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle more than 300 tarantulas out of Peru by strapping them to his body. Authorities had thought the 28-year-old foreigner's stomach 'looked swollen' when passing through security at Jorge Chávez International Airport on November 8, 2024. They found two belts holding small plastic containers and Ziploc bags with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants, according to Peru's forestry and wildlife service, SERFOR. SERFOR said the young man was planning to fly to Korea via France before he was arrested by police.
Fox News
16-07-2025
- Fox News
German customs officials seize 1,500 tarantulas smuggled in international spongecake shipment
German customs authorities recently made a skin-crawling discovery when they found about 1,500 young tarantulas concealed in a shipment of spongecake boxes. The package, which had arrived at Germany's Cologne Bonn Airport three weeks ago from Vietnam, weighed more than 15 pounds and had a noticeable smell that tipped off officials, according to a news release from the Cologne customs office. "My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless," Jens Ahland, spokesperson for the Cologne customs office, said in a statement. "An extraordinary seizure for German Customs, even though we are saddened by what some people do to animals purely for profit." Many of the tarantulas did not survive the trip, and the surviving spiders were placed in professional care. Criminal proceedings are underway against the package's recipient in the Sauerland region of the country, according to the news release. "Animals of any kind must be declared to customs and import duties paid for parcels from a non-EU member state," the release noted. Last year, a passenger was busted at Miami International Airport for trying to get onto an airplane with a bag of snakes in the passenger's pants. The TSA shared images of the reptiles on X at the time, writing that officers in Florida "detected this bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's pants at a checkpoint." Jens Ahland did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- CTV News
German customs officials show images of tarantulas hidden in spongecake boxes after smuggling bust
This photo dated June 18, 2025, and provided by the main customs office Cologne, shows plastic containers holding young tarantulas that had been hidden in chocolate sponge-cake boxes shipped to Cologne Bonn airport, western Germany. (Haupzollamt Koeln via AP) BERLIN — Arachnophobes beware: Customs officials on Monday released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in western Germany. Customs officials found the shipment at Cologne Bonn airport in a package that had arrived from Vietnam, tipped off by a 'noticeable smell' that didn't resemble the expected aroma of the seven kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats, Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said. 'My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Ahland said in a statement. Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure,' but one that 'saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit.' Many of the eight-legged creatures didn't survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal-welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said. Reached by phone, Ahland said that the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed. Criminal proceedings are underway against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said. The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday. The Associated Press
