A routine airport security check in Bangkok took a disturbing turn when officials discovered a man carrying eight live animals, according to the Miami Herald.
What's happening?
The 54-year-old was preparing to board a flight from Don Mueang Airport to Taiwan with endangered slow lorises and spiny turtles as well as squirrels and otters hidden in mesh bags and a black nylon stocking.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation said the small animals were transferred to the Wildlife Conservation Office for care, while the passenger was taken into custody and charged with illegal possession of protected wildlife, attempted export of goods without clearance from customs, and health clearance violations, per the Herald.
Why is wildlife trafficking a concern?
Wildlife trafficking is a multibillion-dollar global trade that threatens species and ecological balance.
It fuels biodiversity loss and undermines conservation progress. The United Nations reports that rising global temperatures are already making it harder for species to survive through intensifying habitat destruction and diseases.
When wildlife is captured and smuggled across borders, ecosystems lose the species that help regulate balance. Then, the dysregulation affects local food supplies, disease control, and environmental resilience.
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In other words, moving wildlife across borders can introduce invasive species to new areas and contribute to environmental imbalances and damaged habitats. The havoc that follows when invasive species outcompete native species costs governments billions of dollars a year.
What's being done about the illegal wildlife trade?
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is working with the Thailand Wildlife Enforcement Network to crack down on wildlife trafficking.
Minister Suchart Chomklin directed law enforcement and conservation authorities to pursue thorough investigations, arrests, and prosecutions to dismantle illegal trade operations, per the Thai News.
Additionally, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation is educating travelers on the impacts of the illegal wildlife and plant trades.
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