Imagine the shock and horror on the faces of Indian airport officials when they opened a passenger's luggage to find live animals being smuggled across international borders.
What's happening?
Late last month, customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport, an international airport serving Bengaluru, India, intercepted 24-year-old Vinayagamoorthy Kottesvaran and his luggage upon landing in KIA from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The Hindu reported. The airport officials received a tip-off and searched his luggage, finding four siamangs and two Northern pig-tailed macaques inside them.
These Southeast Asian primates, whose conservation statuses are endangered and vulnerable, respectively, were found in cardboard boxes inside two large suitcases, expected to be passed off to Kottesvaran's handler, known as Ansari. The airport officials suspect that these trafficked primates were headed to private zoos in India.
According to the officials, this bust was a violation of India's Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) — both stipulations regulating the import and trade of certain wildlife species in India. Punishable offenses carry an imprisonment term of up to seven years.
Per The Hindu, the rescued primates will be sent back to Malaysia while officials continue to uncover the rest of the associated wildlife trafficking network.
Why is wildlife trafficking concerning?
Wildlife trafficking, or the illegal transport of protected or managed wildlife species across borders, is dangerous on many levels.
For one, wildlife trafficking usually targets endangered or rare species — as seen in this case — which removes wildlife from their natural habitats and pushes them closer to extinction. Biodiversity loss, driven by human actions like the illegal removal of wildlife and habitat destruction, such as deforestation, disrupts food chains and can upset entire ecosystems.
If these wildlife species are successfully brought into a new space, they could still pose a threat to the ecological balance of their new habitat, overtaking the space as an invasive species.
Many of these trafficked animals also do not survive transport because of the horrible conditions they are transported in, such as these eastern box turtles that were squished into boxes of almonds and chocolate cookies.
Wildlife trafficking is on the rise globally. In Latin America, reports estimated that there were about 2,000 wildlife seizures and poaching incidents between 2017 and 2022. Interpol and the World Customs Organization seized nearly 20,000 live animals.
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Definitely 👍 What can I do to help?
Wildlife trafficking happens domestically and across international borders. In some cases, these animals are headed to zoos where they support business generated from wildlife tourism.
As an individual, you can help limit wildlife trafficking by not supporting the businesses that profit from trafficked animals. The red flags may not always be obvious, but pay attention if the businesses allow direct contact with the wildlife or if the animals seem unhappy and are kept in poor conditions. Do your due diligence when researching these wildlife sites and use your voice to advocate against suspicious businesses.
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