In 2017, authorities at the Miami airport inspected a commercial shipment from Europe. Inside a container, they found 21 splash-backed poison frogs (Adelphobates galactonotus), a species known for its vibrant colors and poisonous skin. The species is endemic to the southern tributaries of the Amazon River and highly sought after by private collectors worldwide. When questioned, the travelers transporting the package promptly presented documentation, including an export permit required to remove, sell or maintain the frogs away from their natural habitat. Wildlife inspectors realized the paperwork was false only because it was issued in Europe and not in Brazil, the frogs’ country of origin. The case illustrates the challenges of curbing wildlife trafficking from the Amazon Rainforest. A new report by Transparency International Brazil, titled “The Wildlife Laundromat,” has found criminal organizations are using elaborate smuggling techniques, including fraud and corruption. Experts say these tactics are driving the trafficking of millions of live animals, animal parts and wildlife products. “It’s shocking to see how these criminal organizations are structured,” Dário Cardoso, a wildlife trafficking analyst who co-authored the report, told Mongabay. “You have the typical suspects who collect, transport and trade wildlife. But you also have individuals specialized in falsifying and altering documents that give the entire operation a veil of legality.” In 2017, authorities in Miami seized an illegal shipment of 21 splash-backed poison frogs endemic to the Amazon Rainforest. Photo by Rich Hoyer/iNaturalist (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) Cardoso said these tactics show just how organized these operations have become.…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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