On the Trail - Robin des Bois

Ecuador
August 12 to 16, 2013
During operations led between the 12th and 16th
of august, environmental police seized 25 boa skins
and 8 wild animals locked up in cages including a
Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata).
According to figures from the Ecuadorian Ministry
of the Environment, 120 such operations were carried
out in 2012 thanks to which 1,200 wild animals
were saved, mainly turtles, parrots, macaws, monkeys
and close to 680kg of bush meat were seized.
Seizure of 174 animals : 20 rock monitors (Varanus
albigularis, Appendix II), 22 chameleon
(Senegal chameleon Chamaeleo senegalensis
Appendix II, crested chameleon Trioceros cristatus
Appendix II, Chamaeleo necasi Appendix II,
graceful chameleon Chamaeleo gracilis, Appendix
II), 34 bell’s hinged tortoises (Kinixys belliana,
Appendix II), 98 home’s hinge-back tortoise
(Kinixys homeana, Appendix II)
Zaventem Airport, Province of Flemish Brabant,
Belgium
August 19, 2013
A large size pet shop in the Brussels suburbs imported
700 reptiles from Africa among which many
arrive dead at the Zaventem Airport on a flight
from Togo. The Belgian border police’s report of the
seizure specifies that transportation conditions imposed
by the IATA (International Air Transport Association)
for live animals are not followed and many
individuals are over the legal age for import. The
CITES legal permit is withdrawn categorically for
174 individuals. As a Belgian press agency added,
“The 526 other animals went through customs
with no problem.” The illegal immigrants were temporarily
taken in by the Opglabbeck “nature helpcentre”.
Seizure of 20 live animals, including 1 whitelipped
peccary (Tayassu pecari, Appendix II), 1
boa constrictor (Boa constrictor, Appendix II),
8 giant South American turtles (Podocnemis
expansa, Appendix II), 1 spectacled caiman (Caiman
crocodilus, Appendix II), 3 blue-and-gold
macaws (Ara ararauna, Appendix II), 1 greenwinged
macaw (Ara chloropterus, Appendix II),
2 orange-winged amazons (Amazona Amazónica,
Appendix II).
Archidona, Province of Napo, Ecuador
August 2013
The animals were held in the storage rooms of a
hostel. They were transported to authorised refuge
centres. After verification of their physical condition
and a quarantine period, it will be decided
what must follow.
The giant South American turtle is the biggest freshwater
turtle of South America. It can reach up to
107cm and 90 kg. Orange-winged amazons are
poached for their meat and their eggs are collected
to supply the pets market.
2 mealy amazons (Amazona farinosa, Appendix
II), 2 geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi
Appendix II), 2 white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus,
Appendix II) and 6 rhinoclemmys areolata
turtles (Rhinoclemmys areolata, not listed
by CITES) and 6 doves(Columbidae family)
El Rancho, Department of El Progreso, Guatemala
August 2013
The animals were part of the private collection of a
hotel. They were kept in cages as decoration for an
ornamental garden.
© Andrés Hernández http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/
Ateles geoffroyi
Seizure of 9 live animals: 1 jaguar (Panthera
onca, Appendix I), 1 puma (Puma concolor, Appendix
II), 1 white-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus,
Appendix III au Guatemala), 3 American
flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber, Appendix II),
1 military macaw (Ara militaris, Appendix I), 2
Geoffroy’s spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi, Appendix
II).
Puerto Vallarta Zoo, State of Jalisco, Mexico
August 2013
The zoo did not have any documentation proving
the origin of these animals to be legal.
Jaguars are tracked down and poached when in
competition with Man. It is also hunted for its skin,
teeth and claws and captured to supply zoos. Pumas
are hunted and subjected to trapping to avoid
possible attacks on livestock and because people
are afraid of them. Population of military macaws is
estimated between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals.
Loss of habitat and poaching to supply the pets
market are the main threats for the species survival.
Poaching of the nests occurs particularly in the
Mexicans states of Jalisco and Nayarit.
Seizure of 28 animals including 5 scarlet macaws
(Ara macao, Appendix I), 2 military macaws
(Ara militaris, Appendix I), 3 yellow-crowned
amazons (Amazona ochrocephala, Appendix II),
73
On The Trail # 2. Robin des Bois