Airport authorities make shocking discovery during routine check of travelers' bags — here's what they found

Customs officials in India intercepted a huge batch of smuggled animals, according to The Indian Express.

What's happening?

One hundred and twenty animals were found being smuggled through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai this June.

The animals and their two handlers had arrived from Bangkok, Thailand. Green iguanas, Sumatran striped rabbits, a brown basilisk lizard, and a Waigeo spotted cuscus possum were among the animals rescued.

The airport is a regular destination for the illegal wildlife trade, including one shipment of rare snakes, and another with tortoises and many other animals that didn't survive.

Why is animal trafficking a problem?

Biodiversity is already in steep decline due to habitat loss and increasingly destructive weather patterns. As vulnerable species become even rarer, their economic value rises in certain circles, making them a target for poachers.

This additional pressure accelerates extinction, resulting in the loss of natural resources and processes that benefit humans directly or indirectly.

Threatened species aren't always sufficiently studied, so their roles may not be fully understood, but the danger of domino effects remains. If one species goes extinct, another that depends on it may also go extinct.

The introduction of foreign species to new habitats also poses the risk of invasive takeovers that harm native species and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem, as well as the transmission of diseases to which native species and humans are vulnerable, as World Wildlife Fund explained.

What's being done about animal trafficking?

The two Mumbai passengers trafficking these animals were apprehended, and an investigation is underway to find others involved in the operation, according to a post on X from the Customs department.

While catching this shipment was good news, animal trafficking is on the rise in India. One study suggests much stronger enforcement is needed if real progress is to be made.

You can take local action by caring for mistreated animals in your area. Shelters and rescue operations are often the endpoint for animals that are intercepted in trafficking. In this instance, the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare is reportedly caring for the surviving captive animals, per Mid Day on X.

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