A luggage check at the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia turned up some interesting contraband. Stunned officials found $2,949 worth of exotic species bound and cased for transport, according to The New Indian Express.
The traveler was carrying 14 animals, part of the illegal exotic species market. They included three African spurred tortoises, four Sulawesi forest turtles, and seven harlequin monitor lizards — all headed to India, per the report.
What's happening?
The animals were amazingly found in a passenger's baggage. It couldn't have been a very enjoyable trip for the critters, as the turtles are shown by the newspaper wrapped in cellophane.
The authorities arrested a suspected smuggler at KLIA attempting to transport 14 wild animals.
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) April 16, 2025
Checks on the suspect's luggage revealed 3 African spurred tortoises, 4 Sulawesi forest turtles, and 7 harlequin monitor lizards, estimated worth RM13,000.
🧵1 pic.twitter.com/ca4ChT7G3B
The culprit didn't have paperwork permitting the animal transport. And it's part of a spree of similar illegal hauls from Southeast Asia into India, the Express reported.
"Malaysian authorities had then resolved to keep a close watch on attempts to traffic wildlife to India. Multiple such exotic smuggling bids have been foiled by customs authorities" at multiple airports, according to the report.
Why is catching animal smugglers important?
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said that wildlife trafficking is a $10 billion industry, with millions of animals dying in transit each year. That's not surprising after seeing photos of the bound turtles in the Express story.
Other animals are killed for tusks, scales, horns, or other parts, which are then shipped illegally.
"An example is over 100,000 sharks and 20,000 African elephants are killed every year," per the UNLV report.
Bringing alien species to foreign ecosystems can cause big problems if the unnatural arrivals become invasive, as evidenced by the Florida python plight. The University of California, Berkeley, reported that the state's invasive snake problem likely started from pet owners setting them free and from reptiles that escaped cages. As a result, bobcat, rabbit, deer, and other "mammal observations" have declined by up to 100%, per the report.
Invasive plants, like Japanese knotweed, can cause trouble, as well. Knotweed was brought stateside in the late 1800s as an ornamental and groundcover plant. But now it's widely considered a pest, according to the New York Invasive Species Information website.
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Staying educated about illegal animal trafficking and lobbying for stronger regulations to prevent the practice is a way to make an impact. Government crackdowns like the checkpoint in Malaysia can help to catch illegal transports before they arrive at their destination.
In Florida, efforts are underway to hunt and remove the pythons. Invasive lionfish off the U.S. southeastern coast into the Caribbean, and silver carp in the Missouri and Platte rivers, are being caught and used as a food source — even as a leather for handbags.
Considering an invasive species menu item can be part of an overall shift in food planning that's better for the planet. But if lionfish, python, and carp don't sound appetizing, plant-based diets are another option. Adding more produce to your plan can cut your food costs, limit pollution, and improve your health, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
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