Hundreds of reptiles seized by Australian authorities in 'cold-blooded' trafficking scheme
Australian police have arrested four people after a criminal group was discovered illegally smuggling more than 200 reptiles worth $808,000 (AU$1.2 million) from the country.
The Whyaratta Strike Force, which specializes in investigating illegal wildlife exports, intercepted the plot on a series of dates in late December, according to a statement released by the New South Wales State Police Force on Monday.
The task team executed search warrants on several properties, finding 76 native lizards and eggs in one home, 118 lizards, three snakes, eight eggs and 25 dead lizards in another and later four hidden in a bag. Some were already packaged in boxes addressed to Hong Kong, where they can fetch an average of $3,365 (AU$5,000) per animal on the black market.
A woman and three men aged between 31 and 59 years old were arrested and charged with several crimes related to the export of regulated native specimens, participation in a criminal group and dealing with property proceeds of crime.
Officials believe the four were catching native Australian lizards and reptiles to export to China, as they are highly popular and sought after in the illegal reptile trade. Police described the conditions the animals were living in as “cold-blooded and cruel," according to the Associated Press, noting that some were bound and tied up in small containers before being packaged and shipped overseas.
After searching properties and intercepting packages, police confiscated 257 lizards, all of which were examined by vets at several zoos and wildlife parks before being released back into the wild.
This is one of a few major busts Strike Force Whyaratta has made since forming in September 2023 after nine packages containing 59 live lizards were intercepted on their way to Hong Kong.
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Reptile trafficking
The international wildlife trade is a lucrative business, with reptiles being some of the most commonly smuggled species. According to a 2020 study published in the journal "Nature Communications," approximately 90% of traded reptile species are captured from the wild. The study found at least 21% of evaluated traded reptiles were classified as "vulnerable" species or worse.
According to Australian Geographic, Australia has almost 900 native reptile species, 90% of which are exclusive to the continent. Their unique colorings, behaviors and genetic traits have made them highly valued on the international market, Australian Geographic reported, with almost 90% of all animals seized by Australian authorities between 2018 and 2019 being reptiles.
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Hoping to curb the issue, authorities have not only developed task forces similar to Strike Force Whyaratta but likewise have invested in technology and public policy to prevent trafficking. In early 2020, the government installed 3D X-ray scanning units specifically to detect wildlife at airports and postal facilities, and more tech, such as an "electronic nose" that can detect wildlife by its odor signature is also in development, reported Australian Geographic.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry also regularly adds species to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora database, a global treaty regulating wildlife trade and prohibiting the export, shipping and selling of protected species.