Ants in test tubes, penguin protections and exotic animal cafes
Wild Crime: updates from the week in the world of wildlife trafficking and environmental crime
An incredible 19 big cats were seized from a home on the Spanish island of Majorca as part of a crackdown on a transcontinental smuggling ring. Spanish authorities arrested the Russian couple who owned the cats and said they were bound for sale internationally.
The police allege that the couple sold a number of animals via internet portals, including white tigers, black leopards, hyenas and pumas. During the raid on the house officers discovered a caracal, a distinctive pointy-eared cat, and two servals, a small, spotted cat native to Africa.
According to the New York Times, exotic pets, including big cats, have become a “must-have” accessory in parts of the Middle East. The crown prince of Dubai has a pet lion named Moochi.
USA: An Alabama man was fined $900,000 – one of the largest penalties ever – for trafficking rare, taxidermied birds and eggs into the US. Among the haul of 1,401 taxidermied bird mounts and 2,594 eggs were four eagles, which have special protection in the US. The defendant had used online sales sites like eBay and Etsy to buy the birds and eggs from locations including the UK, South Africa, Iceland and Lithuania. (US DOJ)
Argentina: Penguins have been granted legal protections in Argentina four years after 100 were killed in an incident dubbed the “Punta Tombo penguin massacre”. In 2021, a rancher in Argentine Patagonia drove a digger through penguin nesting grounds killing 100 and destroying some 175 nests. The rancher was found guilty of environmental damage and animal cruelty and the protected area has been expanded along with changes to the country’s penal code. (National Geographic)
Japan: The rising popularity of pet otters in Japan has made them targets for smuggling, according to new research. The animals are also used as feature species in “exotic animal cafes”. The researchers found that Thailand is the main source of the illegal trade of otters into Japan. (Phys)
USA: A man from South Carolina is facing years in jail after admitting to importing and selling the bones and teeth of sperm whales. He had tried to evade customs by labelling the shipments as plastic. In total there were at list 30 shipments according to court documents. (ABC News)
Greece: Police are preparing to step up patrols during the fish spawning season at Lake Doirani, which lies between Greece and North Macedonia. During the season – which runs from April to May – unlicensed fishermen are known to head out onto the lake after dark and poach using torches and lamps. Authorities say the lake is crucial for preserving carp, perch and catfish. (Ekathimerini)
Kenya: A pair of Belgian teenagers have been charged with wildlife piracy in Kenya after being found with 5,000 ants packed in test tubes. The pair were arrested at a guest house and told a court they were collecting the ants for fun and did not realise it was illegal. The ants have been valued at more than $7,000. (WRAL News)
Africa: At least 1,884 incidents of trafficking involving 4,000 cheetahs were documented between 2010 and 2019 in the Horn of Africa, research has shown. The demand for exotic pets in the Middle Eastern Gulf is driving the trade with some 300 cubs captured each year according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. (Daily Maverick)
DRC: Fifty hippos have been killed by anthrax in a national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The exact cause of the poisoning is unclear according to the park’s director. The hippos were found floating in the water and a lack of excavators is making it difficult to recover the bodies. Anthrax can be caused by bacteria in soil. (Reuters)
Indonesia: March was a “brutal” month for tigers in Indonesia according to Mongabay. Three separate incidents were recorded. In one, police rescued a Sumatran tiger with its leg amputated. In another six people were arrested for butchering one and in the third five suspects were arrested for selling the animal’s body parts. The Sumatran tiger is critically endangered. (Mongabay)
Sweden: The owners of an influencer-favourite eco-lodge in rural Sweden have been accused of environmental crimes after fleeing the country leaving behind 158 barrels of human waste. The waste was created by compost toilets and wastewater had allegedly also been allowed to run into the forest. The couple have said they acted normally in line with rural practices. (Telegraph)
Philippines: An online wildlife trader who eluded arrest for more than a decade has been caught with 83 animals, including an endangered forest turtle and a crocodile. Police posed as potential buyers and found the man lacked the proper paperwork for the animals. (TRAFFIC)