Downfall of the cactus king, lion poaching and the role of fishing boats in tiger smuggling
Wild Crime: updates from the week in the world of wildlife trafficking and environmental crime.
Buyers who bought plants from the self-styled ‘King of the Cactus Pirates’ probably didn’t think too much about the origins of their purchase. After all, it was just a cute cactus they found on Instagram.
However, following a multi-year investigation which led from Italy to the Chilean desert via Greece and Romania, two Italian men have been fined and handed suspended prison sentences for illegally smuggling the plants. Some of the cacti were decades old and were illicitly harvested from Chile’s Atacama Desert.
An excellent feature from the BBC charts the environmental damage this activity can cause. International smugglers hire locals to harvest plants. But these amateur harvesters can completely destroy the plants and those around them. The case also received coverage in the Guardian.
Amazon: Organised criminals are expanding their hold over illegal mining in the Amazon rainforest leading to an increase in violence, an NGO has warned. Amazon Watch said it is a “critical moment” and there had been an “explosion” in illegal mining because of the high price of gold. Some estimates suggest high prices mean that gold mining is more profitable than drug trafficking. Illegal mining has been highlighted as an issue in Peru and Colombia. (Amazon Watch)
South Africa: There was a decrease in the number of poached rhinos in South Africa in 2024 – but 420 were still illegally killed last year. Rhinos are often poached for their horns and the crime has been linked to international criminal networks who smuggle animal parts to buyers around the world. Dr Jo Shaw, of Save the Rhino, welcomed the decline in poaching but said that organised crime still posed a serious threat to the species. (Save the Rhino)
Zimbabwe: A collared lion was found in Victoria Falls with its flesh stripped and its head and claws missing. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority made the discovery, fueling fears about poaching in the area. They suspect that the lion was killed for its body parts which can fetch high prices on the black market. A second lion was discovered alive but trapped in a snare. (The Zimbabwean)
Malaysia: Fishing vessels in southeast Asia are turning to tiger smuggling to counter dwindling profits, a new study has claimed. The illegal tiger products are handed over at sea, meaning the vessels can restock and engage in the trade while evading detection, researchers said. The study is a collaboration between NGO Panthera, Sunway University in Malaysia, and the Zoological Society of London. (Seafood Source)
Israel: Police rescued lion cubs and monkeys from a village in Israel where they were apparently being sold as exotic pets. The animals are now undergoing medical treatment at a protected shelter. The searches were sparked by a social media video showing the animals that was seen by authorities. Further videos appeared to advertise giraffes for sale. (Ynet News)
Costa Rica: An environmental prosecutor in Costa Rica has said the punishments for environmental crimes are not strong enough amid an increase in what he called “ecocides”. Illegal logging and poaching are increasing according to the Tico Times. A bill proposed by the prosecutor would increase the maximum penalty for environmental crime from three years imprisonment to eight – but only if it’s linked to organised crime. (Tico Times)
Australia: A suspected abalone poacher was arrested in Melbourne after a law enforcement sting targeting illegal fishing. In Australia it is only legal to take up to five abalone a day and the man was found with six times this amount. Fishermen in the region have said the recent sacking of 29 state fisheries officers could make the region more susceptible to illegal fishing. (9 News)
Puerto Rico: Four Dominicans were sentenced for trying to smuggle tropical birds out of Puerto Rico. The four men were caught in an unflagged vessel in May last year with more than 100 birds on board. They did not have the correct export licences and many of the birds were internationally protected species. Many of the birds were recovered from the ocean. They had sadly died. (US Government)
USA: A man was found with a live turtle hidden in his trousers after being searched by security at an airport. The incident took place at Newark Airport, New Jersey, on Friday as part of routine security screening. The turtle was about five inches long and wrapped in a towel. Red-ear slider turtles are popular pets and are not illegal to own in most of the US. (The Independent)
Australia: A Chinese national has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for attempting to export 22 species of native lizards from Australia. The animals were contained in 13 parcels sent from Queensland and New South Wales in 2023. Those attempting to export regulated species from Australia face up to 10 years in prison. (Australian government)