Two individuals were allegedly caught smuggling a Central American spider monkey, a species listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, into Texas from Mexico, MySanAntonio reported.
What's happening?
According to a federal criminal complaint, U.S. Border Patrol Agents at the Anzalduas Port of Entry in Mission, Texas, conducted a vehicle inspection on a car driven by Angel Arturo-Hernandez and Ashile Yaleei Alejandro on April 6.
The agents said they discovered a spider monkey "concealed from view in a zippered pink-colored bag," per MySA.
It is illegal to own protected wild animals in Texas without a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The pair reportedly had not declared that they were bringing in any pets or live animals from Mexico, nor did they have a permit for the spider monkey, which would it an illegal act of smuggling wildlife across international borders.
The monkey's endangered status would elevate this criminal act to a felony violation under the Endangered Species Act, which protects and prohibits the "take" of listed endangered species.
During the investigation, Homeland Security investigators reportedly learned that the pair had intended to transfer possession of the monkey to someone else once they successfully crossed the border.
Why is illegal wildlife trafficking important?
Research from the International Fund for Animal Welfare reported nearly 2,000 wildlife seizures and poaching incidents in Hispanic America between 2017 and 2022. That total included the trafficking of over 100,000 wildlife species, some of which are at risk of extinction.
Not only is the trafficking experience incredibly traumatic for the removed species, but many are trafficked in barbarous conditions that often result in death, such as an eastern box turtle that was shoved into a box stuffed with socks.
Additionally, introducing a non-native wildlife species to a new environment can also risk throwing that ecosystem out of balance. Non-native wildlife species are not automatically invasive, but there is potential that they can be.
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Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species?
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Definitely 👍 Invasive species compete with native species for food and resources, and they can threaten native species with diseases they're not equipped to defend against. Over time, invasive species can wipe out native ones and overtake the ecosystem, leading to biodiversity loss.
What's being done about illegal wildlife trafficking?
Homeland Security Investigations is collaborating with interagency partners to dismantle wildlife trafficking organizations. In 2023, the agency established the Wildlife and Environmental Crimes Unit to reduce wildlife trafficking incidents in the country.
Nonprofit organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund, are also educating the public about wildlife trafficking crimes and calling on governments worldwide to implement policies to protect endangered and trafficked wildlife.
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